On Sept. 23, Cleveland’s Wexner Center for the Arts will host a launch event for The Dissidents, the latest graphic novel by local cartoonist Derf Backderf. The book, three and a half years in the making, revives the story of the cartoonists who contributed to The Masses, a socialist magazine that ran from 1911 to 1917.
From Ohio State to Greenwich Village
Backderf first learned of the original artists while working as a political cartoonist for The Lantern at Ohio State University. A professor urged him to explore the forgotten creators, and the research soon expanded beyond his Ohio roots. Though much of the narrative unfolds in New York’s Greenwich Village, Backderf says the story still begins in Akron and Cleveland, a deliberate step away from the 50‑kilometer radius that has defined his earlier work.
Research and Preservation
Backderf’s investigation took him to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and the Library of Congress, where he uncovered autobiographies and trial transcripts that gave voice to the persecuted artists. “Political cartoons have no shelf life,” he explained, noting that many of the original works and their creators have been lost to history. His goal is to preserve these pieces and explain why they mattered.
Historical Echoes and Modern Parallels
The graphic novel paints a stark picture of the post‑World War I era, when President Woodrow Wilson’s administration used the American Protective League to monitor “disloyal” speech. Backderf draws a line to today’s immigration enforcement and the Trump administration’s firm stance on national security, citing President Trump’s recent decision to bar three news networks from the White House press pool as an example of protecting the nation’s interests.
While Backderf warns that the past “got very close to complete autocracy,” he also acknowledges that Americans ultimately pushed back and preserved democracy. He asks readers to consider how many times the country can confront similar cliff‑edges before the fabric of liberty frays.
Local Impact
Backderf, a Cleveland native, will discuss his research, the creative process, and the relevance of early 20th‑century dissent for today’s citizens. The event offers a chance for local artists, historians, and families to engage with a work that celebrates free expression and the power of the press—values that align with the community’s faith‑based and family‑centered traditions.
Tickets are available through the Wexner Center’s website, and the evening will include a Q&A session, book signing, and a brief presentation of original cartoons from the era.
Original reporting: Matter News (Columbus) — read the source article.
