ARTS
The Michigan Daily
Wednesday, September 13, 1989
Page 7
A
comic for times of
Crisis
BY ANDREA GACKI
B ATMAN was the hit of the summer. While
this fact may seem not particularly newsworthy
- indeed tedious - it still raises major ques-
tions about the taste of some people, specifically
the British. How can a nation don Bat t-shirts and
exhaust the reprints of Frank Miller's Dark
Knight when they have their own heroes to laud?
What does Batman have that true Brit Buster
Gonad and his Unfeasibly Large Testicles
doesn't? Not much, I'd wager. And what about
Billy the Fish? Batman and his whopping neuro-
sis easily fade next to "the fish lad who can al-
most swim through the air."
In fact, the Empire Upon Which the Sun
Never Sets has quite a bit we don't have - in
the comic area, that is. While both the United
States and Great Britain have conservative gov-
ernments in power, only Britain has a comic
book dedicated to discrediting said government.
And the book willingly wears the label
"mainstream." The horror of it.
Crisis is the bi-weekly book dedicated to the
destruction of global privatization. It carries sev-
eral stories at once, but its current lead story is
"Third World War." It's Thatcher's Britain in the
year 2000, and Blacks in the fictional London
ghetto of New Azania have united under govern-
mental oppression. In this world, Black females
are automatically sent to remedial institutions -
"ESN" schools for the "Educationally Sub-
Normal." The main character, Eve, escapes such
a fate as she's from the anglicized upper classes,
but now she's joined the struggle. Other stories
in Crisis include "Troubled Souls," a story about
Belfast in 1989; "Sticky Fingers," concerned
with hip kids in Camden Town and their run-ins
with the law; and one-issue stories such as "To
Serve and Protect," wherein a police officer of to-
day recounts the police's aversion to his father's
desire to join the force upon arrival in Britain
from Guyana in 1962.
Crisis is not an archetype. Its art is generally
well-done, albeit without innovation. Writing
quality runs the gamut: while "Sticky Fingers" is
predictable, "Third World War" has calculation
and strategy injected into its storyline. What's
different about Crisis as a mainstream comic
book, however, is the advice it gives its readers.
There are titles of alternative literature, films,
plays, and video in every issue, and Crisis tells
you the addresses of where to get them. They
suggest everything from the film Cry Freedom
to Britain's Institute of Race Relations' booklet
Policing Against Black People. Though
occasionally preachy, the book attempts neither
to convert nor to anger but to educate in a mostly
sophisticated manner.
The stories in Crisis assume nothing; a reader
can be totally ignorant of the politics behind the
stories and still enjoy the book. Crisis surpris-
ingly gives equal time to a skinhead on its letters
page, and it's not a lunatic's note. His letter is an
admirable refusal of the stereotype "racist" given
to him by Crisis; he wants to reveal what he
calls the true, non-racist nature of skinheads. It's
a well-written piece by the "enemy." This book
is not afraid to confront criticism in its own fo-
rum; its politics do not survive by the suppres-
sion of other beliefs.
Any new ideas in comics should not be dis-
couraged, but even independent comic books in
the U.S. shy away from politics of the present.
Although it does things characteristic of indies,
Crisis is definitely mainstream. Nothing need be
- or can be - said about the U.S.'s mainstream
publishers (except that you'd be hard pressed to
see a "Cosmic Cross-Time Caper" in British po-
litical comics). In a trans-Atlantic deal, DC
comics once acquired Alan Moore's Watchmen.
Perhaps some more influence from Great Britain
is needed. And call me demanding, but biogra-
phies of the Pope may no longer be the order of
the day, either.
TICKETS
WANTED -Season Student Football Tickets.
Phone 795-8131 M-F after 5pm.
ROUND TRIP TKT. to NY $90. Leaves
9/15, pm. Returns 9/18, pm. Call 434-8105.
CHEAPEST FLORIDA round-trip tkt. you'll
- find! Leave Dec. 23 Metro, BK 764-7602
HOME FOOTBALL BOOKLET - Sec 25,
great seat. Make offer. Jim, 663-9796. _
ticket. Will Alumnni would like to purchase 6 football
ling to trade tickets. Indianna or Purdue. Call 1-716-835-
. 7496.
Please contact WANTED 2-4 Notre Dame tickets 764-0550,
days, ask for Nancy. 995-2494, eve.
CLASSIFIED AD
I ANNOUNCEMENTS FOOD/ENTERTAINMENT !
portation.
WORK FOR ACADEMIC credit or volun-
teer at the Pound House Children's Center
this fall term. Located at Hill and East Uni-
versity. Come over for a visit or call 764-
2547 for more information.
WORK STUDY STUDENTS NEEDED.
Greenhouse work, beautiful setting. Need car,
no experience necessary. Call Jim, M-F,
8.00-4:3 0. 998-7061.
WORK STUDY STUDENTS NEEDED.
Afternoons, evenings at Botanical Gardens.
Set up rooms for groups, custodial duties.
Need car. Call Pat. M-F, 8-4:30. 998-7061.
WORK STUDY STUDENTS! Earn while
you learn working on a Psychology research
project. Many students needed work study
only. $5.25/hr. 10+ hrs./wk. tall Sabrina,
YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE to join our health
care team! If you're a nursing student or have
past experience you may be eligible to work
w/our home care patients. Call our supervisor
at 973-9111 week days for appointments.
I P
$99 ANYWHERE IN THE USA ON
NORTHWEST airlines! Bring your Ameri-
can Express voucher. Call REGENCY
TRAVEL, 665-6122, ask for Ann or Dawn.
GET AWAY! Equipped cabins on lake in
wooded setting, sleeps four outdoor hot tub,
boats & canoes. $38-58. b min from Tra-
verse City. (616) 276-9502.
STUDENT TRAVEL BREAKS AT STA-
MOS TRAVEL ***Open weekends and
some ** Kerrytown Mall Ann
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE! New book
lists dozens of new opportunities. $9.95. Up-
stream Press 615 E. Abram, Ste. 103, Ar-
lington, TX 16010.
the Year
Call SHU 995-7208
BACHELOR SEEKS deal on large wine or-
der. Object: party. Found it at the Village
Apothecary 1112S. University.
BODY? MIND? SPIRIT?
Find out who you are!
Call the Dianetics Hotline
1-800-FOR-TRUTH
FREE DANCE - Fri. Sept. 15, 7:30-11 AA
1st United Meth. Church State & Wash.
Square, Round, Contra, Line - No Part-
ner/exper. needed. Park avail. 437-8828.
Have an Extra Parking Spac?
Need some Extra Money?
Call Lisa 764-6982
I NEED A PARKING SPOT on Central
cam pus! Will pay best offer. Call Tracey
747-8690 anytime.
STUDY GROUP: Spiritual bases for the
founding of a new way of living (non-reli-
gious). For information please call 994-4284.
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE. Certified
holistic practitioner. Debra K. Rozek 663-
7547.
TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED
IN It Itt #0U. ..
X ads cost $2.10/line for the first
day, $.70/line for each additional
consecutive day
X ads must be placed by 11:30 a.m.
the morning before publication
X ads must be prepaid with cash, an
in town check, or a money order
X ads may be removed from
publication, but there will be no
refunds
NEED 1 Student Notre Dame
give dep. & return book. Will
other ticket(s). Wendy 930-6903
I NEED 2 Notre Dame tickets. P
Debbie at 764-5899.
WOMEN - Hostess a lingerie boutique in
your home! Enjoy free gifts and lingerie. Call
Dawn 971-3891 ,9am-8pm.
MASS MEETING
KOREAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Sunday, Sept. 17
Anderson Room (Michigan Union)
2:00-4:00p.m.
For more info:
Tom Lee 769-7627
EVERYONE WELCOME!
S[HCH IWFIRMA
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WAIT PERSONS AND COOKS needed
days full or part-time. Robert's Pocco Cafe
328 S. Main.
ROOMMATES
I ROOMATE FOR single or double room in
beautiful 2 bdrm. apt. across from CCRB.
$270 or $370 fully fum. 662-6454.
ATTENDANT AND ROOMMATE with a
handicapped person. Limited rent 2 bed-
room apt. Esenhower/Packard. dall 973-
3131 or 971-0277.
FEMALE ONLY, shared room in 2 bed. apt.
A/C furnished, 1-block from Union. Rent
$206. Call Karen 764-9819.
FEMALE ROOMMATE needed to share
double roon in 2-bdrm apt. gear Med. Cen-
ter. Rent $190/mo. Mo to mo lease. 930-
2661.
MALE 1 BD. apt. Everything new, great
view Ath floor, $5 + elec. 769-8784
NEED ONE FEMALE to share double in,
two bedroom apt. near CCRB. Monthly or
yearly basis. Rent $260-280 per month plus
elec. Please call Kim at 355-0296.
I Need 2 Notre Dame Tickets II Call Debbie
@ 930-6258.
WANT ED:Notre Dame tickets. Will pay
$$$. Call Lisa at 761-4347.
Wanted-Football Season Tickets Together. In
Section 22-25. Call Sam 788-1386.
WANTED: U of M season tickets. Interested
in buying up to 4.663-2262.
WANTED-2 tickets for Notre Dame game
will pay triple value-call 647-5823.
HAVE 2 WISCONSIN TICKETS. Trade for
2 Indiana tickets. 668-4061.
NEED 4 FOOTBALL season tickets sec-
tions 24 or 25. 271-4410 or (517)792-2694.
I WANT TO TRADE 2 Notre Dame tickets
for 2 MSU tickets at Msu. Call 662-3606.
TOP DOLLAR paid for 1 or 2 U of M stu-
dent football ticket books. Sec. 24, 25, 26, 27.
Call Tony at 1-459-7652 day or night.
U-M FOOTBALL. Buy/sell season tickets.
Top dollar paid. 763-8247 eves. Best also
buying Notre Dame.
FOOTBALL TICKETS WANTED to buy
$$$$. Call Jim at 761-8256 after 9:00pm.
YOU NEED MONEY! I need 2 season foot-
ball tickets. Student sec. ok. Call Tim (517)
788-2633 or 787-4302. Collect call ok.
I NEED ND tickets! Please call Heidi at 761-
3890.
WANTED 3 Tickets for Michigan/Notre
Dame Football Game. Call Mark A. 996-
0636.
WEEKEND
MA AZINE
BASEMENT ARTS- Auditions for Alice in
Wonderland - Sept. 21, sign up in the green
room in the Frieze.
ABSOLUTE TOP DOLLAR paid for U of M
football tickets. 668-7707.
f you can find a Maci nosh
in this oomwe mght put one
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Nzw yo'We onyouGA wn.o
SPEtkE2 e ( AMP-
Iht isurely ber te etais teefyourintllectcthister, Ape invites your
campus. Oh, allrfight, we'll give you a hint for that, too: Look at the bottom of this ad.
But do it really really fast. Because only one Macintosh is being given away on this
campus, and it's going to happen soon.
Soon, as in fight away Pronto. Quick-like.
But hey, you can take ahint.
Somebody's going to win a free Macintosh.