Comic book review: Winterworld #3- The cult of Gore

Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artist: Butch Guice
Publisher: IDW Comics
Released: 8th October 2014


Why was I reading a comic book about some bloke, his teenage ‘charge’ and her cute badger? Why was I reading what is ostensibly just another post apocalyptic, dystopic wasteland book? I wasn’t quite sure. There was something about the writing, something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, until now.

Issue #3 has clarified a few things in my mind. I know why I’m reading the book now, and I’m glad that I let my subconscious mind guide my comic book reading choices.

This isn’t going to be a long review. I hate them, and who reads them anyway? There’s going to be nothing about the art here. There will be no analysis of the panel layout and narrative flow. I have something very simple to say, a quick point, and so I’ll make it and get out of here.

Creepy cults are common in comic books and action based narratives. You know how it goes, right? Charismatic leader, brainwashing, ridiculous ideas, end of world scenario, cult is bad.

There’s a ‘cult’ comic book out there at the moment that’s doing pretty decent business. That book is called ‘Sheltered, by Ed Brisson and Johnnie Christmas. It’s not a bad book, it’s okay, and it’s doing the cult thing quite well. The problem however is that it’s just another cult book, in a long line of cult books. The book is William Golding's Lord of the Flies, updated, somewhat, for the ‘Prepper’ generation. The main problem I have with ‘Sheltered’ is that the cult it chooses to demonise is a cult that is politically safe to do so. It’s a safe area, and because it’s safe it doesn’t really say anything. The biggest cult problem of our times is the cult of government worship, but comics don’t go there. Some cults must not be discussed.

Winterworld #3 introduces a cult that isn’t often acknowledged, at least in the neo-liberal mainstream media, as a cult at all. No, it’s not the cult of government worship, but it’s a good second best.

The cult that is being addressed here is the cult of man-made global warming believers.

I couldn’t believe it when I first read this. A 2014 comic book where the UN funded, Al Gore worshipping corporate man-made global warming fanatics are shown to be the deluded, nonsensical cult of gibbering, creepy morons that they actually are.

Chuck Dixon, thank you.

I have in my hands a comic book that appears to be mocking the corporate sponsored, anti-human, anti reality cult of man-made global warming. How did this get pass the liberal censors? Has anybody noticed this yet? I’m reading a ‘cult’ book where the cult is based on a real-life, ideology driven cult.

Wow.

Brilliant.

I knew there was something about this book, something that was keeping me reading. Now I know what it is. It’s the writer.

Chuck Dixon is a rare comic book writer who knows what is going on, and I’m so grateful that I’ve managed to find him. Somehow, subconsciously I’ve managed to stumble into something alive, something refreshingly honest in this age of corporate mainstream deception.

Winterwold is a book that is exposing a cult that actually needs exposing. This is what comic books should be doing, but so few of them actually are.

Thank you Chuck Dixon. Thank you for sticking your head above the parapet. Thank you for treading the less trodden path. Thank you for introducing real world ideas and concepts into the depressingly conformist and painfully politically correct neo-liberal world of 2014 comic books. This might start a new fad. Reality being addressed in comic books. That would be something new, and something worth exploring, don’t you think?

Rating: 9/10