JAN’02
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™ FOR MATURE READERS USD $2.99 JAN’02 ROB THANKS : Ed, Russ and Neil for taking a chance and pushing Cla$$war all WRITTEN AND CREATED BY ROB WILLIAMS the way. Trev, for amazing artwork and loving the script. Len, for the top colouring job. Sam, for encouraging and always being there. Mam & Dad, for always PENCILLED AND INKED BY TREVOR HAIRSINE supporting my love of comics. Bill Hicks, for the inspiration. COLOURED BY LEN O’GRADY Cla$$war couldn’t have been created without reading/watching/ listening to: Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs and The Press – Alexander Cockburn, LOGO, LETTERING AND DESIGN BY EDDIE DEIGHTON Jeffrey St Clair; Dangerous, Relentless, Arizona Bay, Rant in E Minor – Bill Hicks; Class Warfare – Noam Chomsky; Hidden Agendas – John Pilger; Billy Bragg; The EDITED BY EDDIE DEIGHTON Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr; Rage Against the Machine; Underworld, PUBLISHED BY COM.X : EDDIE DEIGHTON | NEIL GOOGE | RUSSELL UTTLEY Libra – Don Delillo; Bob Roberts; Brought to Light – Alan Moore, Bill Sienkiewicz; Public Enemy; All the President’s Men – Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein; Them, CLA$$WAR WAS CREATED USING QUARK 4.1, FREEHAND 9 AND PHOTOSHOP 6.0. CLA$$WAR WAS NOT CREATED Adventures with Extremists – John Ronson. USING MAC OS.X. OR UK OS.€. FONTS USED : GARAGE GOTHIC ROMAN AND STENCIL, KID KOSMIC ROMAN AND The Cla$$war soundtrack: Find them, stick them on a tape in this order and BOLD (AVAILABLE FROM BLAMBOT.COM) AND A LITTLE DAB OF HELVETICA. FOR OUR AUDIBLE DELECTATION : LAMB, listen as you read... CRYSTAL METHOD, THE TROUBLEMAKERS, DAVID HOLMES, LO-FIDELITY ALLSTARS, CRAIG ARMSTRONG (KISS OF Side 1 :1This Land – Woody Guthrie 2For what it’s worth – Buffalo Springfield THE DRAGON), BOOM BOOM SATELLITES. THIS MONTH WE BE MOSTLY READING : THE TEMPLE AND THE LODGE, 3 Fight the power – Public Enemy 4 Days like these – Billy Bragg 5 (What’s so HIGH CONCEPT, OCEAN’S ELEVEN, X-FORCE - NEW BEGINNINGS, THE SENTRY, FORTUNE AND GLORY. REMEMBER : funny ‘bout) peace, love and understanding – Elvis Costello 6 Living for the city – Stevie Wonder 7 Gimme some truth (live) – the Wonder Stuff 8 Shipbuilding – ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW... www.comxcomics.com Suede 9 Know your enemy – Rage Against the Machine 10 Feel like I’m fixin’ to die rag – Country Joe and the Fish. Side 2 :1Waiting for the great leap forward – Billy Bragg 2Tramp the dirt down – Elvis Costello 3 Rockin’ in the free world (live) – Pearl Jam 4 The Revolution will not be televised – Gil Scott-Heron 5God Part II – U2 6All you fascists – Billy Bragg & Wilco 7 Donation (live) – The Wonder Stuff 8 Come together – The Beatles 9 Wake up – Rage Against the Machine 10 For what it’s worth – Public Enemy. TREV THANKS: I'd like to thank Maria for making me tea and putting up with my COPY little tantrums. Ed, Russ and Neil for their ridiculous positivity and unwavering support. Len for making me look good and Rufus, Robbie, Debbie, Jim and Anabelle for their company and companionship. And to Ben for sleeping on the floor.
LEN THANKS : Tara - see, you can make a living out of this stuff. Moira & Tommy for encouraging me way too much. To Bridget, for keeping my feet on the ground. Chris for making me feel 10 feet tall. Karen & Colin for helping me get my first real job in Comics. Andrew & Jenny for the big move. Ed, Russ & Neil for making it possible for me to work in the best publishers in the best industry there is. FNORD. RESALE FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT : PRINTED IN THE UK BY NULEAF GRAPHICS. WHY ARE YOU READING THIS? GET ON WITH THE COMIC!!!! THE WITH ON GET THIS? YOUREADING ARE WHY GRAPHICS. NULEAF BY UK THE IN PRINTED : THE OF LTD COM.X OF PERMISSION PRIOR THE NONE WITHOUT PUBLICATION THIS MAYREPRINTED OF CONTENTSBE : COINCIDENTAL PURELY IS DEAD OR LIVING PERSONS TO SIMILARITIES ANY : LTD 2001 ROB WILLIAMS/COM.X LTD : ALL RIGHTS RESERVED : IS COM.X A DIVISION OF THE X.CORPORATION DICKINS INN, KIRK STREET, LONDON WC1, ENGLAND : ALL STORIES, CHARACTERS AND ™ ARTWORK & © 6 OF ISSUE#1 CLA$$WAR : FIRST PRINTING - JANUARY 2002 : COM.X PUBLISHING LTD : THE : LTD PUBLISHING COM.X : 2002 JANUARY - PRINTING FIRST : first things first. i want to make it clear. i love my country.
i have always considered myself a patriot. a good American. just as my Daddy taught me.
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i was born to serve my country. i was made in America. i have served this land. i have done its bidding.
but now i findRESALE that i have discovered certain... truths. i have been misled. i have been used. and now, all this. all that i previously believed in... FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT i’m going to DESTROY it.
rip down this lie. this... deceit. COPY
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i have seen the truth. i recognise their treachery. and I know there is no other choice.
there is no turning back. COPY
CREATED & WRITTEN BY ROB WILLIAMS • PENCILLED & INKED BY TREVOR HAIRSINE • COLOURED BY LEN O’GRADY • LETTERED & DESIGNED BY EDDIE DEIGHTON
RESALE FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT NO SHIT “we have a situation.” i can see the boy. the whole world can see him. that’s kind of the point.
mr President. Sir, we have a situation.
Sir, we’re mobilising units and we’d like to get you and the first lady out of here.
damn SON. what you gonna do? barring a nuke ain’t nothing can even put a crack in his ass. ain’t you read the files?
mr President, sir... COPY
there ain’t no point going nowhere. that boy can outfly the chopper in his sleep. ,sides, the First Lady’s loaded, out cold and RESALEdreaming of Ricky Martin. FOR because I am not THE PRESIDENT of THE UNITED STATES of America, COMPLIMENTARYNOT MR PRESIDENT. SIR.
perhaps it would be prudent to uhuh... umm... go and speak yeah. good point... to AMERICAN, mr ummm... president? the people need to hear the truth. Shit.
SAY WHAT? why don’t you go speak to him, JEFFERSON? No more lies.
well, Frank, people here are confused and a little apprehensive. we’re not entirely sure what AMERICAN is doing and, so far, he isn’t telling. COPY
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FORi want them to see. i want them ALL to see. COMPLIMENTARYNOT
what they’ve done to the heart of this country.
“...we still don’t know what’s going on. for security reasons guns have been trained upon AMERICAN but, given his heroic service to the American nation, it’s difficult to believe that he could pose a threat.” Oh...no...this isn’t... no...not pink, not hairy pink... prolapsed bad. Harvey won’t...Harvey SHUT IT, won’t be happy. looney tunes. i’m watching the box.
whoever said there,s nothing sniff... good on tv?
“Well Frank, it now appears that the President himself is coming out to talk to AMERICAN.” COPY
SHIT. the old man’s going to put on a show. Pass the fucking popcorn, this is going to be good.
it’s official. He’s AWOL. RESALE We finally get to cremate the prick. I’ve been looking forward to this. What about the boy wonder? FORHe toast too? COMPLIMENTARYNOT
yes.
Great balls of fire. “We’ll be ensuring that all of America can see what transpires here.”
“Wait for my order then, if necessary, shut it down.”
let’s do it.
understood... “This is KP7 Washington, telling America the truth.”
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RESALE FOR American was specific about this. No killing, he said. No one dies. COMPLIMENTARYTime to grow up, boy. One thing I learnt early on, everybody dies. NOT We at war, boy. and it was during the short-lived Despite rumours of their war in the Persian Gulf that the team existence throughout the eighties, of super-powered American heroes it was only in the build up to the code-named Enola Gay came to conflict that Enola Gay world-wide prominence. were actually introduced to the public.
President Bush made it quite clear that, should Saddam Hussein not leave Kuwait, Enola Gay would be unleashed upon Iraq within 24 hours. COPY
Read my lips... RESALE FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT
When Hussein did not comply, Enola Gay was sent in to clear a path for American and Allied troops. Thanks to Enola Gay’s intervention Iraq pulled out of Kuwait within 48 hours of American troops first setting foot in the region. Since then Enola Gay has acted as the front line for American forces around the globe. Helping to bring order to a chaotic world and dealing with domestic uprisings such as the L.A. riots and the siege at WACO.
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RESALE FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT And team members such as American and Young American have become spokespeople for a better country. Appealing to youngsters to stay in school, to turn their back on drugs and to use firearms sensibly.
...that doesn’t mean drugs, that doesn’t mean turning your back on your education. That means being all you can be. Achieving your potential. Being the best. Being a young American.
Charlie, I just want I don’t know to show you my about this... autograph collection, that’s all.
Unless you’re COPY not that interested in it, that is?
Now, I didn’t say that, did I?
So, you want to show me some RESALE of those super- powers? FOR COMPLIMENTARY I think I NOTknow how to get them flowing.
I LOVE being Oh yeah? Well, they a superhero. need to, y’know, Oh shit. get worked up. Wha... Wha...
Evenin’ Charlie. Having a party? COPY
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This your girlfriend Charlie? Sorry doll, no witnesses. Wrong place, wrong time. Nothing personal. aiiieeee!!!
NO!!! Bastards!
You bastards! She was no one... no one important.
That’s the point You’re important, though, . aren’t you? On TV. Endorsing Charlie products. Screwing actresses. Putting a ton of coke up your nose. That’s why American turned his back on you, ain’t it? He found out about the back-handers? At least I’m not a What you are, son, murderer. is a star, with Hollywood good-looks. Well, let’s see if we can do something about that, shall we?
I’ll kill you, COPYyou bastard.
Grrrrrrahhhh!!!! RESALE
Confusion!
Confusion! FOR
Don’t, don’t COMPLIMENTARYwant to... to do the thing. The bad thing. NOT
Ahhh... ahhh...
and this is The moment of his death... so he forgets the lies and the compromises and leaves with one clear thought...
I just wanted to be a hero. You little bitch. You were supposed to stun him. You almost got me killed! ggkkkk!!
Shut up Burner. SHUT UP. You didn’t need to kill that girl. This isn’t a vessel for your inadequacy issues. This wasn’t about how many actresses went down on him when you can’t get laid. It was about negating a threat. It’s about winning a war.
Alice, I know you can hear me, and I know you liked Charlie. So did I. And, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. But if you disobey a direct order again, I’ll kill youCOPY myself. Do you understand?
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...sorry... COMPLIMENTARYNOT I need some air. Clean this mess up. I’ll see you downstairs in fifteen minutes. Confusion, if anyone sees, make sure they don’t remember a thing.
Come on then Ice cold, baby. psycho-bunny. Time to do your head thing. Make sure no one What you sees this. talking about? We all worked with the little dick.
muh... muh But the rest of us never slept with him. COPY
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What? What are you dribbling about now? FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT
America is bleeding. Funny. The first time I’ve seen my own blood since the experiments in ’81. No... COPY
No, not the first time. RESALE
FOR HELLO LIAR. COMPLIMENTARYNOT
HELLO SON. Now, I’m presuming you ain’t just popped over to say hello to me and the First Lady. So, son, you’re worrying people. Folks who trust you. Who believe in you. So, whatever’s troubling you, why don’t you come down here where us normal folk walk and you and I can talk about things. Waddya say?
Thank you, son. Now maybe we can talk.
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What are you planning to do, little soldier? Surely you know there’s nothing you can do. This war was FOR won a long time ago without people knowing it took place. COMPLIMENTARYNOT
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to there’s no need to panic here. Everyone relax. Me and the talk to you, young man here are going to Mr President, SIR. go inside and... Now you’ll listen. Now you’ll all listen.
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Arggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
Extraordinary. The power. All that power. The power that we gave, and can give again. Play the tape, Janice. Quick there’s not much time.
You realise that as soon as I override the main broadcast the whole building’ll be up here trying to break down that door?
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You leave that to me. You got your story straight? RESALE Yes... I suppose so... I know I promised him but, I can’t believe all the things he FOR told me... You want to make a change for the better Janice, you got to be willing to fight for things. For what COMPLIMENTARYyou believeNOTin.
It’s playing. Put me down. Oh Jesus. Put me down. Oh fuck. Shit. Ahhhh.
Anything you say...
You wanted to talk Mr President. Let’s talk. This is about as private as things get, sir. COPY
You see this? What you’re going through now? This is how it feels to be under the control of powers America’s that you can do nothing about. hearing the truth This is how every single right now. person in the country feels while you screw with Ahhhh....ahhhh. RESALE their lives.
This is how I’ve felt doing your dirty work for the last twenty years. But no more. I won’t do it any more.FOR I’m free. I’ve woken up. And now I’m going to let everyone else know. COMPLIMENTARYNOT Hello fellow Americans. I’m sorry to interrupt your normal evening’s viewing but I have something important to share with you. There is a war being undertaken upon the people of America.
A group of the rich and powerful, through multinational corporations, control you through television, advertising, alcohol and other drugs - They send American children to foreign lands to die to make them richer. They assassinate those who would question the status quo. They smuggle drugs into poor areas so the lower classes turn their anger upon on each other, instead of where it should be directed.
How do I know these things? I... have done some of these heinous acts on their behalf. I have... killed for my country. I will not do so again. I believe in the foundations that this country was built upon. I believe in truth and justice and COPY democracy. I believe in the beauty of every individual. I have not turned my back upon our country. I am going to be fighting for America and its people ...those who believe in the same ideals held sacred by our fore-fathers. You are being lied to, people of America. It’s time to do something about it. RESALE FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT
Copies of this tape have been sent to every major newspaper in America, along with evidence that backs up my earlier claims. I urge you: read, think about what I’ve said. And when you hear of my actions over the next few months, know what I am fighting for.
Thank you for listening. Message delivered... Now there’s just the God bless America... small matter of getting out of here. So, what? Big deal. You’ve told America the TRUTH. American knows the truth. America doesn’t care. I always took you for stupid but I never thought you were this out of it. Why you think you was chosen, boy? ‘Cos you were so heroic? Don’t be an idiot. You were chosen ‘cos you were a soldier and you’d toE the line. And we got you. You as big a part of all this as I am. Worse.
I ain’t never COPYHow can you actually killed anyone say that? face to face. I’ve given orders, sure. But I never saw a man up close and still did it. You have. RESALE FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT
You a killer, boy. We made you a killer.
And as he waved on the edge of consciousness I saw the flicker in his eyes. The light drifting away...
...This man, this human being who I never even knew, who had done nothing to me. His life slipping away in his hand. And as my punches rAIned down upon him I ignored the pleading in his eyes and took away all his love, all he was. I ended him. And I... took pride in it. You’re a dead man. I am speaking to a dead man, you know that?
Shut up.
And now we’re going to kill you. Like we’re killing your friend Charlie right now. Don’t fuck with us boy. We’ll make you pay.
Charlie? What are... you doing?
This won’t hurt. Much. COPY
Don’t... RESALEarrghhhhhhhh.
Spin your way out of that. He’s going to get away. He planned this. He’s more intelligent thanFOR I thought.
Oh... Oh... Goddammit. What took you so long? COMPLIMENTARYPut me down. NOTPut me down. Arggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Your head. Shouldn’t we go you stupid to a secure... NOW whore! That is an order.
Whatever you say... sir. 8 o’clock. You better be on time, boy. Or they’ll be cleaning Isaac off the sidewalk for weeks.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit...
Time to flyyyyy...
Our father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy... COPY
... HOLY SHIT.
Ohshittttttt RESALE ttttttttttt... FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT You play the last minute cavalry shit with me again and I’ll kill you. Took ten years off my black ass.
I said 8 o’clock. 8 o’clock it was. Janice ok?
Should be. She’s out cold. They’ll suspect.
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RESALE They killed Charlie.
I’m sorry. Another soldier, man. Lot of soldiers die in FORa war. Hard road we’re following here. No turning back now. COMPLIMENTARYNOT
...no turning back. Son...
Yes SIR!
Help me up will you. I seem to have shit in my pants. COPY
RESALE This could be... problematic. FOR COMPLIMENTARYNOT END OF ISSUE ONE... ISSUE OF END