Tex: George Bush and the Fine Art of Character Assassination

    (Atomic Basement, 2004)
™ and © Atomic Basement

If you’re looking for gentlemanly debate on the course of the ship of state, it won't be found here. Writer Joshua Dysart wears his politics on his sleeve in this black and white work that shares the same mindset as Fahrenheit 9/11. The central character is “Tex,” President Bush recast as a simple–minded superhero festooned with corporate logos, a titanium cowboy hat and a mini–Donald Rumsfeld on top of his laser jetpack. Under the direction of “Iron Dick” Cheney, Tex travels the land, rallying support for his vision of America and fending off liberals and mutant terrorist babies alike. The portrayal of Bush, his political allies and his family history is sometimes exaggerated for comic effect (as far as it’s known, there are no plans to open a Hooters in Kabul), but Dysart includes a detailed appendix to lend factual support to his main points. In addition to the centerpiece story drawn by Brad Rader, there are single–page works from Carol Lay, Allen Gladfelter and Adriann Helton. In the last panel (dated August 2004), Dysart promises to create a sequel if the target of his wrath wins the election.

— Joe Trela
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