Last week we launched SHOOTING WAR, Anthony Lappé and Dan Goldman’s graphic novel, a near-future trip into the Iraq war through the eyes of vblogging sensation Jimmy Burns. SMITH typically sticks to non-fiction, but we wanted to present Shooting War because we believe it’s an inspired way to tell the so-true story of the war, or at least one version of that truth, in part based on what Lappé saw while reporting on the war for the Guerilla News Network. We’re serving this up in eight parts (maybe more if economic conditions allow). Chapter Two is live now.

We’ve witnessed a near-instant reaction to SHOOTING WAR (imagine how long it would have been to hear from readers if this thing was a printed comic book?). One of my favorites comes via a poster called “Dubya” who asks: “Don’t know how many ‘kitchen table’ names contribute on this site under pseudos, but it is hella fun to imagine.” Well, my friend, I’m afraid to say it’s just us: but we love our kitchen and the great people who come in on by and join us for a meal. We could always use a better table, of course.

Here’s a smorgasbord of your thoughts so far.

tingbudong: looks good, especially Goldman’s artwork. I like the concept and character, but I’m assuming the storyline behind the starbucks bombing is going to stay within conventional notions of terrorism. Maybe some group is angry at the global corporate economy and is protesting or they’re anarchists who see no future. That sort of story would be safe and have some moral lesson, but it would be disappointing to me. I hope you surprise me, but anyway it’s a creative use of new media.

alexander: I was wondering a number of things, though. For example, do people still have the right to read in your year 2011? :). What about Digital Restrictions Management? Does global news “broadcast” rights exceed Jimmy Burn’s to his own blog thanks to the WIPO broadcast treaty? Well, any other possible comments would likely touch more upon potential plot elements :).

truthcansuck:Like the story line. Lots you can do with it, looking forward to seeing what directions you are going to go with it… I do hope you can make it a challanging read for lefties like us as well as for more right-leaning readers… not parroting GNN talking points/opinions/stereotypes…The art is fine. Reminds me more of the comic-bits in the ‘Kill Bill’ movies more than anything else. Most people didn’t attend Comic-Orgasm 84’, so there’s no need to asume most people have seen the style of artistry too much in the past to the point that it seems dated… The realism implied by the use of the photos was a nice touch. Your internal dialogue/story is pretty sparse at this point, besides the one info-dump about ‘Emminent Domain’. Are you going for a minimalist approach with this, or is it simply a matter of only having introduced one character so far?

Dubya: very proud to be part of a site that possesses so many people with so much writing talent. a talent that seems to run in your family. don’t know how many “kitchen table” names contribute on this site under pseudos, but it is hella fun to imagine. what compliments the coolness of your project is that you’re the creator/co-creator. sort of brings the experience home. and the trailer is very cool.

pumo: I can’t believe i am meant to take you seriously as you create a comic book which transfers the very real illegal US occupation of Iraq into a civil war (nice bit of reworking history) in which you break it down into religious factions (kinda like what the corpo whores have been doin for the last few years).
Your character is a blogger that becomes an embed (what?), you are predicting that mccain becomes pres, and Iran gets bombed, and yes as the pres talks and media says the stakes are higher than vietnam, you cut it to the muslim call to prayer, right after a shot of an embed kidnapped by ‘hooded muslims’, which seems to imply a war on the west by islam (another fine reworking of the truth).