My sentiments perzackly.. Comics are our last bastion.
And.. to do that Well: deserves IMhO as much recognition as to a Kafka, an Orwell (including Farley's Orwell T. Catt :-\ufffd). I'd (really) like to see a Nobel or at least a Pulitzer for: COMICS.
I can't improve on your capsule summary - it possesses both 'scale and relativity' (as the Sages say!) IF.. we ever start seeing censored comics, wholesale Fundamentalist (and other signifiable pressure groups - as protest out of all proportion to numerical bloc) achieving their aims; ie if Comics fail - that will be the last.. minute source of fresh air in this increasingly Fearful thus Authoritarian society.
As with HUAC, SISS - I Will be out on Those barricades.
(Odds Bodkins in the '70s, and several others: were the Tom Paines of their time.) I really *miss* Calvin & Hobbes, though his material was Timeless anyway.. Others are more wont to weave-in current events.
Non Sequitur Lives (so far). And he gets Quite political in his lampoons, every time. We need More COMICS! as our historically-ignorant and pampered culture is forced to face the philosophical consequences (always there, just ignored) of our worldwide hegemony. Oh.. and what greed might actually mean, in the end. Christians got That one right :-\ufffd
{sigh}
Ashton
PS - as to numbers. Read/write 'Literacy' is only a useful tool for those with continuing Interest (large I) in educating self. We settle (95.238% ;-) for amusement, inane passive infotainment. Hard to measure the effects of that - numbers are such crude crutches.. thus we Love stats on Everything.
[old refrain]
..especially Economics, our Achilles Heel.
[/refrain]
