14

Stuck Rubber Baby, Chapters 1-11

Reading the beginning of this novel, I feel like I'm re-reading the first chapter of Blankets. That good chapter at the very beginning. I love the intersection of different issues. Who would think to write a graphic novel about the Civil Rights movement in the deep South, much less incorporate a main character trying to come to terms with his homosexuality?

It makes sense, though. Any time more than one group is striving for change, it makes sense to join together with other groups with this same goal, regardless of specific issue. Right now I'm taking a history class on African American women, and we just got done watching a movie about Ida B. Wells and how she was a the leader of the national anti-lynching campaign in the early 1900s and a prominent leader of the women's suffrage movement as well. Having people campaign simultaneously for two different kinds of civil rights makes complete sense.

Sure, some things in this book are a little off. I too have noticed the super hero jaws on every single person in this book. But while these characters might look "heroic," their personalities and struggles are intensely human. Obviously some characters in this book are completely despicable, like the KKK, but even the main character is hard to completely support because of the way he dumps on Ginger. But I'm excited to see where all of these characters end up by the end of the book.

I think my favorite character in the whole thing is Mabel. I'm with any woman who carries a brick in her purse. You know...just in case.