PIGEONS!: A Fable For Our Times, and many others throughout history

PIGEONS!: A Fable For Our Times
MARC CHALVIN
Street Noise Books (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$25.99, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A contemporary political allegory of power, to remind us of the dangers of following a dictator and surrendering your freedom.

Life is simple for the pigeons. They have no desire to contemplate their future or take control of it. Free from responsibility, they are all too willing to submit to a strong authority. This is precisely what a cruel and power-hungry crow was waiting for—a perfect opportunity to wield his natural talents as a tyrant. The crow enforces law and order, but also terror and arbitrary rules. Everyone seems to accept this situation—or maybe, they are too scared to resist. Until an idealistic seagull steps in, determined to challenge the system through debate and free elections.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I really think everything I could say would be superfluous...if you wonder, like me, WHY people choose authoritarian social orders with such alacrity and frequency, this is your answer. Only told with sequential artwork, featuring pigeons.

Now look at the art.

I could go on, the publisher's been very generous with art for publicity, but I feel my point is made. Wisecracking birds in thrall to an authoritarian bird might make some of this make some sense.

Mostly I think the graphic-novel medium will let some messages slide through your at-risk young male giftee's defenses. It sure as hell can't hurt, it's cheap as a psychic inoculation against authoritarian/fascist bullshit goes.