Save it for later Promises, parenthood, and the urgency of protest

Powell states up front that this book isn't about parenting or activism, but it illuminates where the two intertwine. Weaving through Trump's presidency, his election, and the cultural history that led to it, Powell navigates minefield conversations on such diverse subjects as policing and the depiction of Nazis in the 1970s Wonder Woman TV show, while reckoning with the lessons of his own childhood. Beginning with the poem "Tornado Children," much of this work feels like visual poetry: the line-by-line sentences mirrored by stacked horizontal panels that become image-stanzas; spare, nuanced colors punctuated by fearsome splashes of aggression and encompassed by expressionistic darkness. Though that poetry eventually bogs down somewhat in a dense analysis of how the infinitely cyclical nature of war empowers a militarized culture of toxic masculinity, this eventually gives way to his activist rallying cry: when you see injustice, "find a way to get in the way." This is a deeply personal, deeply partisan book, distinctly not a call for national unity, and as such, isn't likely to win converts among conservatives or even moderates. It can, at times, skate close in tone to the aggrieved airing of resentments Powell accuses his political opponents of, though readers who align with Powell's sentiments are not likely to see it that way. A virtuoso work of artistry with important content that might alienate some but powerfully stir others.

In a series of deeply felt comics essays, Powell (the March series) chronicles his efforts to maintain and pass on progressive political beliefs in a regressive political climate, effectively summing up the conflicts and battle scars of the Trump era for those shocked by his election. As the parent of two young daughters (presented here as anthropomorphized creatures, a fox-puppy-unicorn combo), Powell strives to teach them the value and importance of activism in the face of systemic racism, the threat of white supremacy, and the devastation wrought by Covid-19: "We all march now or else we'll have no choice but to march later." In "Promises" he recalls the pain of explaining to his daughter the election of Trump over Hillary Clinton, while in the powerful "About Face" he unpacks how various symbols--including the death head from the Punisher comic book series--have been coopted by right-wing militias as icons of intimidation. "Tornado Children," meanwhile, captures the slow-motion grief of the Covid pandemic. Powell perfectly sums up his mission: "It is we, together, who will determine what kind of society our kids grow into, by what we each choose to do, or not do." This sincere volume carries off parenting inspiration with gravitas. Agent: Charlie Olsen, InkWell Management. (Apr.)