Declaration/Emancipation Illustrated - by R Sikoryak (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

R.Sikoryak revisits the Declaration of Independence on the 250th anniversary of its signing.

R. Sikoryak, the cartoonist who cemented his reputation as the king of the visual mash-up with Masterpiece Comics and The Unquotable Trump, sets his sights on the documents that shaped the United States during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. A prequel of sorts to his Constitution Illustrated, Sikoryak presents the unabridged text of the Declaration of Independence alongside the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address in a double sided book, rendered in the bright, bold, and iconic styles of over 100 different American comics, cartoons, and graphic novels from over a century.

The severing of colonial ties to Great Britain and the critical turning points in American history that followed have never been more vividly manifested than in the skillful hands of Sikoryak, who doesn't hesitate to dream up Jeffy from Family Circus as Thomas Jefferson and Mr. Magoo as a British loyalist. King George III is deliciously portrayed as pop culture's most famous villains, such as Thanos, The Joker, Scar from The Lion King, and many more. Sikoryak also skillfully adopts the styles of such comic artists as Will Eisner of The Spirit, Allie Brosh of Solutions and Other Problems, Morrie Turner of Wee Pals, Mark Beyer of Amy and Jordan, and Floyd Gottfredson of Mickey Mouse. The Civil War era pays homage to Black Panther, Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, Steenz's Heart of the City, Justice League, and many more.

Declaration/Emancipation Illustrated is an entertaining, multilayered trip through American history and American comics.

Review Quotes

"[Constitution Illustrated] is the most slyly patriotic book of the year." --The New York Times

"From Preamble to Amendment XXVII, this is a comic lover/political junkie's dream...Without a shadow of a doubt, [Constitution Illustrated] is one of the most exciting comic works to come out in this, the year of our lord, 2020." --School Library Journal

"This pastiche of comics and politics is a cleverly educational and irresistible way to engage with this foundational text." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

R. Sikoryak is the cartoonist of Masterpiece Comics, Terms and Conditions, and The Unquotable Trump. His comics and illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, The Nation, The Onion, and MAD, as well as on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Sikoryak teaches in the illustration department at Parsons School of Design and previously at the Center for Cartoon Studies. Since 1997, he has presented his live cartoon slide show series, Carousel, around the United States and Canada. He lives in New York City with his wife, Kriota Willberg.