Wobblies: A Graphic History [Paperback]

fighting the battle for justice." Mother Jones

This sentiment from one of the founders of the International Workers of the World ("IWW") better known to the world as the Wobblies captures the underlying spirit that permeated the Wobblies. It also captures the spirit of the entertaining and informative "Wobblies! A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World". For those not familiar with the Wobblies, some brief background information may be helpful.

The IWW was created at a convention in Chicago in June 1905. In attendance were some of the leading figures in the American labor movement, including Big Bill Haywood, Eugene V. Debs, Daniel De Leon, and the above mentioned Mother Jones to name a few. The disparate groups who came together to form the IWW shared two common bonds: a disdain for the elite, seemingly pro-capitalist craft unions that made up the American Federation of Labor (AFL); and a belief in the necessity of `the class struggle'. Membership in the IWW was open to all workers. This stood in stark contrast to the tough entry requirements of the AFL's craft unions. The IWW, unlike the AFL, welcomed both women and racial minorities into its ranks. As a result, the IWW may be said to have created the first `rainbow coalition' of American political thought. There were socialists, anarchists, communists, syndicalists, and just about every type of `ist' one can imagine in the IWW. Membership grew rapidly in the early days of the movement and the IWW became much feared by the corporations they did battle with and loomed large in the public imagination. John Dos Passos captured the IWW beautifully in his landmark USA Trilogy. At the same time, the fragmented ideology of its membership resulted in quite a bit of internal strife and the somewhat anarchic nature of the IWW as an organization created some difficulties for it. The IWW's growth reached its peak in the days leading up to the 1917 entrance of the United States into the First World War. The war and the subsequent `Red Square' following the Russian Revolution led to a series of federal legislative and judicial measures that hampered severely the IWW's organizing activities.

"Wobblies!" is at once both an entertaining and informative graphic history of the IWW. This is not a full blown, chronological history. Edited by Paul Buhle and Nicole Schulman, both of whom have deep connections to what may be called the American Left, Wobblies! consists of a series of illustrated vignettes of notable events in the history of the IWW. Virtually all the writers and graphic artists who contributed to Wobblies!, perhaps the most well-known being Harvey Pekar, have roots in or sympathy with contemporary radical political action groups. I found the simple story lines to be coherent and I found the graphic artwork to be excellent.

The stories seem a bit random and the narrative lacks a certain element of continuity at times. Yet these elements struck me as being fully consistent with the rather chaotic nature of the IWW itself and I found it to be amusing rather than annoying. Further, as its title indicates, this is a graphic history. The reliance on graphics seemed to be an appropriate vehicle to tell the story of the IWW. Significant portions of its membership were immigrants who either did not speak English or who were illiterate. The IWW relied heavily on oral (songs) and visual (street theater) means to promote itself. With that in mind the use of graphics to tell the story of the Wobblies seemed perfect.

The year 2005 marks the centenary of the founding of the IWW and this book may be viewed as an admittedly admiring commemoration. Having said that, it should be noted that the fondness the contributors have for the IWW does not lessen the quality of the graphics or the quality of the breezy, informative narration. This book may only find favor with readers politically pre-disposed to the IWW. In a sense that would be a shame. I think the graphics and the information contained in Wobblies! could appeal to a wider audience who either like graphic artwork generally or who are interested in a work that happens to tell some stories in a compelling manner of a by gone era.

This is one of the most enjoyable books on the hidden and suppressed labor history of American workers. Made all the more enjoyable by the variety of people's artists/cartoonists that have contributed to what is surely a labor of love. This is not what you're going to be taught in schools or colleges. This book portrays clearly that long memorable struggle for dignity among the working class that continues to the present day.
The Wobblies held to a grass roots approach of organizing workers, prefering "crude vigor to polished banality", a system of priorites too little seen in these waning days of capitalism. Each young person, parent and school should have this information available to them, for any soul not born with a silver spoon wedged in their mouth will come away from this history with a lump in your throat and a new spring in your step. In light of encroaching globalism (that is no friend to worker's anywhere) this is a handbook to inspire and encourage a new generation to take control of their own destiny.
Solidarity Forever!
P.S.- Check out the recordings of Utah Phillips, the modern troubadour/sage of the Wobblies.

As a youth activist, organizer, and scholar, I find Paul Buhle's "Wobblies!" to be a refreshing and unique reminder of the revolutionary tradition of the Industrial Workers of the World. Combined with amazing graphics and informative texts, "Wobblies!" is not just *any* graphic novel--it's a historical testament to the creative, inspirational, and rebellious struggle for freedom and justice that the Wobs fought (and continue to fight!) for. From the Paterson and Lawrence Strikes, Free Speech Fights, various interesting graphic-biographies of Rebel Girl Elizabeth Gurley, Ralph Chaplin, and Joe Hill, to the role of Black and Mexican Wobblies--usually not the focus of most scholarship--this book is a treasure to all and anyone interested in, as Mike Davis writes, "REPLANTING THE SEEDS OF REBELLION."

I recommend this book with utmost sincerity. You won't be disappointed!

"Perhaps some fading flower then

would come to life and bloom again"

--from Joe Hill's last will ["WOBBLIES"!]