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We Should Improve Society Somewhat: A Collection of Comics by Matt Bors
Matt Bors makes the bold declaration that We Should Improve Society Somewhat in this collection of comics from The Nib's Editor and Publisher, Matt Bors. Bors has been working as a cartoonist for more than a decade, and this new collection captures a mix of his timely strips based on today's incredibly politically-divided environment, along with a curated selection of his timelessly funny earlier strips.
There's never been a better time to get off Twitter and pick up a book! (Seriously, someone please tell him to get off Twitter and read a book).
There's never been a better time to get off Twitter and pick up a book! (Seriously, someone please tell him to get off Twitter and read a book).
184 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2020
About the author
Matt Bors
30 books39 followersMatt Bors is a cartoonist, writer, editor, and the founder of The Nib. He was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist for his political cartoons in 2012 and 2020 and is the co-writer of the dystopian satire Justice Warriors with Ben Clarkson.
His cartoons have appeared in The Nation, The Guardian, CNN, The Intercept, and were collected in the book We Should Improve Society Somewhat. He also drew the graphic novel War Is Boring written by David Axe.
His cartoons have appeared in The Nation, The Guardian, CNN, The Intercept, and were collected in the book We Should Improve Society Somewhat. He also drew the graphic novel War Is Boring written by David Axe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 11, 2020
***Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm conflicted here...
I love political satire.
I love political cartoons.
And I like Matt Bors's content.
This should be a five stars read for me. But it is not.
The problem is that those cartoons do not relate to something currently happening. It's old news, and it just feels like it's missing the target. It feels like it's missing something.
It definitely feels like making a book on political cartoons definitely does not work. At least for me. Because it has to be quick, react to what's currently happening. It just does not reflect when you read it two years later.
So, yes to political cartoons. Yes to Matt Bors. But no to this format.
I'm conflicted here...
I love political satire.
I love political cartoons.
And I like Matt Bors's content.
This should be a five stars read for me. But it is not.
The problem is that those cartoons do not relate to something currently happening. It's old news, and it just feels like it's missing the target. It feels like it's missing something.
It definitely feels like making a book on political cartoons definitely does not work. At least for me. Because it has to be quick, react to what's currently happening. It just does not reflect when you read it two years later.
So, yes to political cartoons. Yes to Matt Bors. But no to this format.
April 22, 2020
Some skewering political cartoons from Trump's rise until now. Bors gives a lot of knockout punches to the hypocrisy of the right. However, I just didn't find it funny. Maybe, it's just opening a lot of old wounds that I'd like to forget as our personal liberties are trampled and families ripped apart. Maybe it's just that the world is such a nightmare right now that i don't want to be reminded of all the other shitty things that have happened in the recent past. This is, perhaps, the worst possible time to have released this book.
Received a review copy from Clover Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Clover Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
March 5, 2020
An excellent collection, beautifully drawn (his Trump, uh, trumps anyone elses). It almost makes being alive in these ridiculous and disastrous times doable.
Let me try that again.
Matt Bors takes pain, and turns it into funniness. Which then also still reminds you of the pain it started with. Ha ha ow!, like that.
On the right path.. again.
Matt Bors takes the finger of funniness, the funny finger, and squishes it into the stinky open wound of today's news.
Almost..
Matt Bors stick his fun-finger into today's stink-hole. Smell his finger, I dare you!
*chef kissing fingers emoji*
(Received an ARC through Netgalley)
Let me try that again.
Matt Bors takes pain, and turns it into funniness. Which then also still reminds you of the pain it started with. Ha ha ow!, like that.
On the right path.. again.
Matt Bors takes the finger of funniness, the funny finger, and squishes it into the stinky open wound of today's news.
Almost..
Matt Bors stick his fun-finger into today's stink-hole. Smell his finger, I dare you!
*chef kissing fingers emoji*
(Received an ARC through Netgalley)
March 13, 2020
March 13, 2020:
I'm always impressed by political comedy since it string together two vastly opposite notions and creates a sense of understanding and consideration. It's tough to portray current political developments and their consequences in a manner that doesn't make you go all red with anger but still sparks the fire of empathy for those being wrongly affected by disturbing policies, poor structuring, and overall pathetic aggression depicted through gun violence, racism, sexism, deportations, caging up those at the borders, etc. But this collection of comics lays exactly that in front of you and does it in a perfectly balanced way, allowing you to grasp necessary information and also enjoy the art through which it is all being depicted.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this via Netgalley but that, in no way, influences my rating and/or review. Thank you, Matt Bors and Clover Press!
March 5, 2020
Cartoon web comic style of art but with a deeper, way more engage, message, mostly social/political. I find the message important but too often the way it was presented was a bit of an easy shows and I just find that this particular media didn't serve the message to its full potential!
March 8, 2020
Matt Bors have a very cutting type of humor. It is both funny and very very sad at the same time. He gets to the point of what is going on, and goes beyond.
It is a bit on the raw side. Some of these things are still going on, and getting worse. You have to laugh through the pain.
If the current, as of 2020, president of the US is the bain of your existence, you might want to avoid these cartoons until it has passed.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
It is a bit on the raw side. Some of these things are still going on, and getting worse. You have to laugh through the pain.
If the current, as of 2020, president of the US is the bain of your existence, you might want to avoid these cartoons until it has passed.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 11, 2020
Matt Bors creates a clever graphic novel that is entertaining and attractively illustrated. I love the creator's use of humor and the way the text works along with the images. Nicely done indeed!
April 12, 2020
'We Should Improve Society Somewhat: A Collection of Comics by Matt Bors' with comics by Matt Bors and an introduction by Tom Tomorrow is a collection of political cartoons capturing a recent moment in political time.
The problem with political cartoons, and books about recent events, is that they capture a moment. During that moment, they are fresh, but they sometimes don't age well. Matt Bors does not like Trump. There is no end of weird material from our current president, and there is much lampooning here about him and his followers.
Some of the comics are funny, but in a large batch like this, they feel repetive, and like a joke that has outworn its welcome. Perhaps in a weekly format, during the time of the events, they were funnier, but not so much here. It also could be that I've never really been much of a fan of political humor in most forms. Your mileage may completely vary.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Clover Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
The problem with political cartoons, and books about recent events, is that they capture a moment. During that moment, they are fresh, but they sometimes don't age well. Matt Bors does not like Trump. There is no end of weird material from our current president, and there is much lampooning here about him and his followers.
Some of the comics are funny, but in a large batch like this, they feel repetive, and like a joke that has outworn its welcome. Perhaps in a weekly format, during the time of the events, they were funnier, but not so much here. It also could be that I've never really been much of a fan of political humor in most forms. Your mileage may completely vary.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Clover Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Read
December 20, 2020“Funny” but also deeply depressing which is the problem with a book of highly relevant political comics about a terrible time that only got worse. Definitely easier to read like one a week instead of a book in a day.
April 6, 2020
Matt Bors is funny. And depressing. Truly, he is a comic for our times.
March 31, 2020
I think the cartoonist is incredibly talented, but I think that unfortunately this book was just not for me. Some of the strips I really liked, but overall I felt bored and just didnt want to keep reading. But again, that's not due to the author, that's due to me. I tried out this book because I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone, it just wasn't a slam dunk for me. However, if you really like political cartoons, i would say ignore my review and try the book out.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this title in exchange for an honest review ♡
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this title in exchange for an honest review ♡
March 7, 2020
This cartoon collection is by founder of Nib magazine and is collection of political cartoons.
Hero of these cartoons is of course president sir.
It shows issues of racism, immigration, double standards and policing methods.
It is hard hitting.
You have to be aware of current developments in US politics.
It is funny and profoundly sarcastic and exposes hypocrisy commonplace in political galleries.
I liked the cartoons and will like to follow author on twitter and his website.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.
Hero of these cartoons is of course president sir.
It shows issues of racism, immigration, double standards and policing methods.
It is hard hitting.
You have to be aware of current developments in US politics.
It is funny and profoundly sarcastic and exposes hypocrisy commonplace in political galleries.
I liked the cartoons and will like to follow author on twitter and his website.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.
March 8, 2020
I found this to be a little too heavy handed for me, in all honesty. The collection covers a wide range of current affair topics from Black Lives Matter to gun control to US and world politics as a whole. While I don't disagree with the author's viewpoint, I find his humor to be lacking. It came across as more of a sad review of today's world then a collection of comics meant to be humorous.
May 26, 2020
We Should Improve Society Somewhat: A collection of Comics by Matt Bors is a collection of his comics that stretch from the latter part of Obama's term through Trump's debacle of a term.
First, good political satire isn't supposed to be generating belly laughs. The only kind that can do so is usually the weakest form, namely the insult. The ones currently just making fun of Trump without making any reference to anything elicits laughs from some of those who are smart enough to despise Trump, but it makes no actual statement about what is wrong beyond having an imbecile in the White House. Bors points out hypocrisy and/or contradictions within stances within a group. He also is coming from a particular position, not from a particular party. He criticized Obama for his mistakes and miscues just as he does for Trump. It isn't Bors' fault Trump has as many moronic moments in a normal week as Obama (and his entire administration) had in 8 years. So a critique because the book isn't funny enough means that the person either supports Trump's cruel regime or they like a very base level of political satire, or both.
To say it is dated is a way of saying I am a privileged little twit and I don't want to keep rehashing that a moron in office expands my already too large sense of entitlement. This stuff is still going on in mid-2020, so this isn't dated, it is pointing out from comics just a couple years old that Trump is still fooling the people and destroying the country. Oh, but it is too dated or doesn't make you laugh enough. I see. Take your hood off.
For those who appreciate political satire that makes a statement beyond simply choosing a side, you may enjoy this collection. This is not meant to be a collection of new material that speaks to today specifically, but that goes without saying, especially in these times of new unethical and illegal actions daily from the White House. This is a collection that highlights some of Bors' recent comics. He contextualizes many of them by mentioning what event he is responding to or what right wing hypocrisy he is emphasizing.
I highly recommend this collection unless you prefer more base humor or you are anti-democracy (as in, you support Trumpenfuehrer).
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
First, good political satire isn't supposed to be generating belly laughs. The only kind that can do so is usually the weakest form, namely the insult. The ones currently just making fun of Trump without making any reference to anything elicits laughs from some of those who are smart enough to despise Trump, but it makes no actual statement about what is wrong beyond having an imbecile in the White House. Bors points out hypocrisy and/or contradictions within stances within a group. He also is coming from a particular position, not from a particular party. He criticized Obama for his mistakes and miscues just as he does for Trump. It isn't Bors' fault Trump has as many moronic moments in a normal week as Obama (and his entire administration) had in 8 years. So a critique because the book isn't funny enough means that the person either supports Trump's cruel regime or they like a very base level of political satire, or both.
To say it is dated is a way of saying I am a privileged little twit and I don't want to keep rehashing that a moron in office expands my already too large sense of entitlement. This stuff is still going on in mid-2020, so this isn't dated, it is pointing out from comics just a couple years old that Trump is still fooling the people and destroying the country. Oh, but it is too dated or doesn't make you laugh enough. I see. Take your hood off.
For those who appreciate political satire that makes a statement beyond simply choosing a side, you may enjoy this collection. This is not meant to be a collection of new material that speaks to today specifically, but that goes without saying, especially in these times of new unethical and illegal actions daily from the White House. This is a collection that highlights some of Bors' recent comics. He contextualizes many of them by mentioning what event he is responding to or what right wing hypocrisy he is emphasizing.
I highly recommend this collection unless you prefer more base humor or you are anti-democracy (as in, you support Trumpenfuehrer).
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
February 20, 2023
Covering the heart of the Trump era, Matt Bors' latest collection of political cartoons is sharp, frequently funny and unlikely to appeal to anyone who doesn't already agree with him.
In our fragmented media and political landscape, it's hard to see anything having "crossover appeal," but Bors comes at his cartoons from an unapologetic hard-left perspective, lampooning Trump as a clownish, makeup-spattered megalomaniac. Sure, Obama and the Democratics get some too, particularly for normalizing unfettered drone warfare to the point that it becomes an unquestioned tool in Trump's toolkit. But the perspective, on the whole, feels very "2020 online."
That's not to say I didn't enjoy it. As Bors notes in the intro, one of his top comics from this period made the transition into a meme, and deservedly so. It starts with a contrarian conservative busting on a poster for complaining about Apple's low factory wages on their iPhone; the scene shifts back, panel by panel, to a Medieval laborer hauling a bundle of sticks noting, "We should improve society somewhat," to which the troll replies, "Yet you participate in society. Curious! I am very intelligent." (You can see Mr. Gotcha at https://thenib.com/mister-gotcha/ )
At his best, which is often, Bors makes good use of the political absurdities of the past decade, extending Trump-era political arguments to their nuttiest extremes by building them into a Mad Max-inspired, mutant-infested wasteland. But sometimes the book shifts into just lampooning what's on Fox News, which...I get it, but it doesn't really feel like he's transforming his annoyance into something new.
His drawings are colorful and crisp, with clean lines and expressive faces. If you lean left, you will likely find material to enjoy here.
In our fragmented media and political landscape, it's hard to see anything having "crossover appeal," but Bors comes at his cartoons from an unapologetic hard-left perspective, lampooning Trump as a clownish, makeup-spattered megalomaniac. Sure, Obama and the Democratics get some too, particularly for normalizing unfettered drone warfare to the point that it becomes an unquestioned tool in Trump's toolkit. But the perspective, on the whole, feels very "2020 online."
That's not to say I didn't enjoy it. As Bors notes in the intro, one of his top comics from this period made the transition into a meme, and deservedly so. It starts with a contrarian conservative busting on a poster for complaining about Apple's low factory wages on their iPhone; the scene shifts back, panel by panel, to a Medieval laborer hauling a bundle of sticks noting, "We should improve society somewhat," to which the troll replies, "Yet you participate in society. Curious! I am very intelligent." (You can see Mr. Gotcha at https://thenib.com/mister-gotcha/ )
At his best, which is often, Bors makes good use of the political absurdities of the past decade, extending Trump-era political arguments to their nuttiest extremes by building them into a Mad Max-inspired, mutant-infested wasteland. But sometimes the book shifts into just lampooning what's on Fox News, which...I get it, but it doesn't really feel like he's transforming his annoyance into something new.
His drawings are colorful and crisp, with clean lines and expressive faces. If you lean left, you will likely find material to enjoy here.
August 7, 2020
Do you like political cartoons?
Of course you do!
Are you left leaning?
Maybe you are.
But if you are, do I have a collection for you! Wait, you can still buy this even if you are not left leaning and you hate fun.
Matt Bors in this collection gives us his own skewed view here, with the title cartoon and others that show us just why he is a multiple award winning political cartoonist. I really like his simple, rounded style that is a nice counterpoint to horrible things he writes about. I wonder how conscious that juxtaposition is.
Overall, this I a nice collection of cartoons from the last several years. What is really nice is that with the speed of events we do not have time to absorb one thing before another thing comes and takes its place. What that means is that the cartoons feel new and make you remember all sorts of things that you were indignant about before you moved onto the next new thing you were indignant about.
My only notes is that there are many places where he has short paragraphs introducing the cartoons and giving them context. I would have liked more, but who has time to draw a cartoon and then write a little essay? I sure do not! Moreover, Mister Bors is not just drawing his little cartoons; he is running a business, so we will give him a pass on this one.
Of course you do!
Are you left leaning?
Maybe you are.
But if you are, do I have a collection for you! Wait, you can still buy this even if you are not left leaning and you hate fun.
Matt Bors in this collection gives us his own skewed view here, with the title cartoon and others that show us just why he is a multiple award winning political cartoonist. I really like his simple, rounded style that is a nice counterpoint to horrible things he writes about. I wonder how conscious that juxtaposition is.
Overall, this I a nice collection of cartoons from the last several years. What is really nice is that with the speed of events we do not have time to absorb one thing before another thing comes and takes its place. What that means is that the cartoons feel new and make you remember all sorts of things that you were indignant about before you moved onto the next new thing you were indignant about.
My only notes is that there are many places where he has short paragraphs introducing the cartoons and giving them context. I would have liked more, but who has time to draw a cartoon and then write a little essay? I sure do not! Moreover, Mister Bors is not just drawing his little cartoons; he is running a business, so we will give him a pass on this one.
August 6, 2023
This is a gorgeous, sometimes funny (but usually depressing due to the subject matter) collection of "satire" comics that... sadly aren't satirical so much as accurate reporting. Like, the fact that the racist character is angry at the black character protesting racism and progressively protests less, until the racist is finally satisfied when the black character is lying on the ground, clearly shot multiple times.
There's also an uncomfortable amount of a certain horrible president from recent memory, but that's a circumstance of that president actually having been president. (This is part of why a normally one-sitting book took me multiple days to read.)
Still, it's a beautiful effort, given the material Bors had to work with. Possibly the only misstep is the strip predicting Hillary Clinton's win in 2016, but... he had to have something ready to publish, and could you blame ANYONE for assuming at the time that she would've won? (Bors even has commentary along the lines of how much it hurts to see that strip again, for multiple reasons.)
Recommended for preaching to the choir, as it were. I doubt that this book would change any minds, but hope springs eternal!
There's also an uncomfortable amount of a certain horrible president from recent memory, but that's a circumstance of that president actually having been president. (This is part of why a normally one-sitting book took me multiple days to read.)
Still, it's a beautiful effort, given the material Bors had to work with. Possibly the only misstep is the strip predicting Hillary Clinton's win in 2016, but... he had to have something ready to publish, and could you blame ANYONE for assuming at the time that she would've won? (Bors even has commentary along the lines of how much it hurts to see that strip again, for multiple reasons.)
Recommended for preaching to the choir, as it were. I doubt that this book would change any minds, but hope springs eternal!
April 29, 2020
I have to preface my review by saying that this is a very US-centric book. This factor was not something I paid attention to as I chose it. That did not change much for me since I am relatively updated on the goings-on in the US (as any person on the outside of a country with no ties to it can be), and therefore many of the points did make sense.
The next warning would have to be the satire and sarcasm. It is an abundantly used tool, another thing that I get along with so I liked most of what I read. Some of the panels were better than others, but on the whole, they were all quite intelligently presented. It is heavy reading and cannot be read at one go. There is relevant information presented with some panels to add depth to the content. Overall, an interesting read. I would recommend it for those interested or have a vested interest in the American political scene.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
The next warning would have to be the satire and sarcasm. It is an abundantly used tool, another thing that I get along with so I liked most of what I read. Some of the panels were better than others, but on the whole, they were all quite intelligently presented. It is heavy reading and cannot be read at one go. There is relevant information presented with some panels to add depth to the content. Overall, an interesting read. I would recommend it for those interested or have a vested interest in the American political scene.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
June 17, 2020
I have always loved Matt Bors' work, but I've never read it amassed like this and it's nothing short of brilliant. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning for many of the comics in this collection, and I was sad to see him lose. I've witnessed the progression of some of his characters, but seeing them all laid out in chronological order gave them so much more life and purpose. I am a regular monetary contributor to his magazine, The Nib, and I will proudly continue to do so as long as he keeps putting out fantastic work like this.
July 28, 2020
Matt Bors is a hero genius.
What would happen if the non-choir were to be so preached? Would they see the error of their ways, atone, make reparations, or would it just go right over their heads? I considered sending a copy to my racist cousin but I don't think he'd get it, or even read it; maybe it'd be better to send it to his three kids in college. At any rate, I loved reading it, from intro to bio. I'll treasure this on my shelf, and pack it when I go to the next family reunion. Also, I'll keep on subscribing to The Nib forever!
https://membership.thenib.com/
What would happen if the non-choir were to be so preached? Would they see the error of their ways, atone, make reparations, or would it just go right over their heads? I considered sending a copy to my racist cousin but I don't think he'd get it, or even read it; maybe it'd be better to send it to his three kids in college. At any rate, I loved reading it, from intro to bio. I'll treasure this on my shelf, and pack it when I go to the next family reunion. Also, I'll keep on subscribing to The Nib forever!
https://membership.thenib.com/
April 13, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Daaamnnn!! this was really good. He tackled so many issues, that we STILL have to face, in the best way possible. He was so good that I honestly thought he was black. Still very surprised that he isn't but it goes to show that you do not have to be part of a certain community, to have empathy.
Daaamnnn!! this was really good. He tackled so many issues, that we STILL have to face, in the best way possible. He was so good that I honestly thought he was black. Still very surprised that he isn't but it goes to show that you do not have to be part of a certain community, to have empathy.
June 13, 2020
If the political cartoon is a dying art form, don't tell Matt Bors. Not only is he a formidable cartoonist, chronicling these trying times with a sharp pen and incisive sense of humor, but he has taken over the helm of "The Nib", a treasure chest of talent and insightful commentary. I recommend not only this collection of "greatest hits", but also that readers should consider subscribing to The Nib.
July 15, 2020
I really didn't mean to read this and This is the End back-to-back, but I definitely prefer Bors' work and think he makes stronger arguments than Chappatte does. I would say his best work is in the panel he's most known for, but this was a solid read overall and I hope he does release more books.
April 8, 2020
An enjoyable editorial look at the last few years of politics ... which is mostly Trump and Trump-related things (including satire taken to some extremes). Continual solid work from Bors. (e-galley from NetGalley)
April 28, 2020
Maybe this wasn’t the best time to read a book of political cartoons. The cover art is based off a cartoon that has taken off as a meme. The collection is well put together with thoughts about the art underneath some bout not all the panels. But reading it in more small doses was just a steady stream of too much negativity. This is better to be read in small chunks.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Want to read
June 11, 2020Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
June 24, 2020
Love Matt Bors' comics. I really like his footnotes in this collection. It will be fun or maybe depressing to revisit years from now.
Shelved as 'dnf'
July 31, 2020This is in my DNF but don't hold that against the book - I was reading on a laptop that died and am so lazy and in the middle of other things that I haven't gone back to find the d/l yet.
February 22, 2021
Any book of political cartoons is bound to age poorly. But if you still remember any part of the Trump years, and aren't a MAGAist, you're bound to enjoy this collection.
December 25, 2021
The comics are amazing and I love Matt Bors. It’s just that they’re all about trump and I’d rather never think about him ever again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews