Should We Buy a Gun? - by Dave Cowen (Paperback)

About the Book

A Marriage. A Mugging. A Question. "This book may well fill the gap for a Great American (Graphic) Novel about guns in our culture."

Book Synopsis

A graphic novel about a couple, their country, and the gun debate aimed to help heal our polarized divide.

SHOULD WE BUY A GUN? unites a provocative, humorous, heartfelt story with simple, evocative, enchanting drawings.

Maggie & Adam are newlyweds building a life in Austin, TX.

He's a NYC transplant and school counselor.

She's a native Texan and NPR journalist.

The like-minded pair are eager to try to start a family.

But everything changes after a mugging.

They're shocked to find they have opposing views on guns.

Whether to buy one, try for a family, or even stay together is now in question.

11 years in the making, authored by a politically left writer & illustrated by a politically right artist, this graphic novel doesn't claim to have the answers, it only asks that we stay open-minded.

Review Quotes

"A brilliant and complex distillation of the relationship between gun rights and today's mental health crisis and Hollywood's depiction of violence. This book may well fill the gap for a Great American (Graphic) Novel about guns in our culture." -Rebecca Yeldham, Producer, The Kite Runner, On The Road, The Motorcycle Diaries.

"What starts as a simple plot with simple drawings, slowly unfolds into a complicated and nuanced comic, rich with history, context, and relevance. A beautiful genuine story." -Shannon Wheeler, two-time Eisner-winning Author

"Both daring and hopeful, this will be a conversation starter at a time when we urgently need one." -Ieva Jusionyte, Ph.D., 2025 MacArthur Genius, Author of Exit Wounds: How America's Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border

"For folks of any age to get their head around this ... a swift plot, characters I liked and cared about, innovative artwork ... an arresting and moving read ... terrific." -Eric Orner, Author of SMAHTGUY: The Life and Times of Barney Frank and THE MOSTLY UNFABULOUS SOCIAL LIFE OF ETHAN GREEN, 2024/25 Cullman Fellow at NY Public Library

"A fresh look...Cowen and Wexler craft a compelling graphic novel that challenges us to rethink the complexities - and our own prejudices." -Laurie Sandell, Author of the Eisner-nominated THE IMPOSTOR'S DAUGHTER

"There was a lot of humor and it was very thought provoking. It got me in the heart many times, and I could feel the fear bubbling up inside me when I worried about the final outcome. I was glued." -Jon Macy, Author of the Eisner-nominated DJUNA and the Lambda-winner TELENY and CAMILLE

"SWBAG is not only a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the ethics of gun ownership in America - presenting multiple perspectives on the issue - it's also a poignant rumination on the role of masculinity in progressive culture. Definitely a relevant read for the current American zeitgeist." -Graham Chaffee, Author of Fantagraphics' LIGHT IT, SHOOT IT and TO HAVE AND TO HOLD