If you have ever been fooled or distracted by Fake News, or know someone in your circle who has been, this book can enlighten you. It’s a graphic novel entitled Won’t Get Fooled Again, published by Toronto Canada publishers Between The Lines (“BTL”).
It’s not the classic rock song by The Who, but it IS a 200 page graphic novel from a Canadian University Sociology professor, written in story format. Erin Steuter brings the facts down to the personal level, as she presents dozens of everyday scenes in which Fake News is examined. Each scene is short, usually running four or five pages. Illustrator Alan Spinney (full disclosure, the illustrator is ME, this reviewer, but it’s all good, I’m wearing my reviewing hat today) draws in an abbreviated style, providing just enough detail to set the scene and show us the characters. Spinney may not be a Jim Lee or Bernie Wrightson with his cross-hatching, but he gets the faces right and keeps things moving along. The viewpoints are interesting, the visuals are capably rendered in black marker.
And what characters; diverse in ages, nationalities, and backgrounds. University students, professors, families, same-sex couples. Soccer fans, middle school kids, grocery shoppers, coffee shop employees, seniors. Boomers, Zoomers, Gen X, and generally all kinds of peoples of various shapes and colours.
This black and white graphic novel introduces the topic of Fake News in an easy-to-digest format, gives a historical context, and imparts information a logical way. It’s entertaining, not difficult to navigate, and well researched. Order directly from the publisher.
BTL Books, Won’t Get Fooled Again (Graphic Novel), $29.99 ($CAN) for 200 pages of content, https://btlbooks.com/book/won8216t-get-fooled-again
Newsdesk