SHOULD WE BUY A GUN?
A graphic novel about the gun debate aimed to help heal our polarized divide.
Should We Buy A Gun? unites a provocative, humorous, heartfelt story with simple, evocative, enchanting drawings.
Maggie & Adam are newlyweds building a life in Austin, TX.
He's a NYC transplant and school counselor.
She's a native Texan and NPR journalist.
The like-minded pair are eager to try to start a family.
But everything changes after a mugging.
They're shocked to find they have opposing views on guns.
Whether to buy one, try for a family, or even stay together is now in question.
11 years in the making, authored by a politically left writer and illustrated by a politically right artist, this graphic novel doesn't claim to have the answers, it only asks that we stay open-minded.
Dave Cowen, Author
Cowen has authored ten other books including two featured in The New York Times. He has written for The New Yorker and McSweeney’s. He also produces two Substacks, the NPR-celebrated Shuffle Synchronicities and SerioComics.
Gabriel Wexler, Illustrator
Wexler has made storyboards for film and TV, drawn for newspapers and magazines, taught art at schools, and illustrated a book for children.
Pages: 330
Book Size: 6 × 9
Paperback: $35
eBook: $6
“A brilliant and complex distillation of the relationship between gun rights and today’s mental health crisis and Hollywood’s depiction of violence. This book may well fill the gap for a Great American (Graphic) Novel about guns in our culture.” —Rebecca Yeldham, Producer, The Kite Runner, On The Road, The Motorcycle Diaries.
“What starts as a simple plot with simple drawings, slowly unfolds into a complicated and nuanced comic, rich with history, context, and relevance. A beautiful genuine story.” —Shannon Wheeler, two-time Eisner-winning Author
“Both daring and hopeful, this will be a conversation starter at a time when we urgently need one.” —Ieva Jusionyte, Ph.D., Author of EXIT WOUNDS: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border
"For folks of any age to get their head around this ... a swift plot, characters I liked and cared about, innovative artwork ... an arresting and moving read ... terrific." —Eric Orner, Author of SMAHTGUY: The Life and Times of Barney Frank and THE MOSTLY UNFABULOUS SOCIAL LIFE OF ETHAN GREEN, 2024/25 Cullman Fellow at NY Public Library
"A fresh look...Cowen and Wexler craft a compelling graphic novel that challenges us to rethink the complexities - and our own prejudices." —Laurie Sandell, Author of the Eisner-nominated THE IMPOSTOR'S DAUGHTER
"There was a lot of humor and it was very thought provoking. It got me in the heart many times, and I could feel the fear bubbling up inside me when I worried about the final outcome. I was glued." —Jon Macy, Author of the Eisner-nominated DJUNA and the Lambda-winner TELENY and CAMILLE
"SWBAG is not only a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the ethics of gun ownership in America - presenting multiple perspectives on the issue - it's also a poignant rumination on the role of masculinity in progressive culture. Definitely a relevant read for the current American zeitgeist." —Graham Chaffee, Author of Fantagraphics' LIGHT IT, SHOOT IT and TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
"Romantic, sincere, endlessly enjoyable." —Kerem Sanga, Filmmaker of the Sundance-winner FIRST GIRL I LOVED, Screenwriter of MADAME WEB
"The brilliantly understated approach to the look and tone of the graphic novel can't be overlooked. The seemingly simplistic drawings by Gabriel Wexler create a stark contrast to the complex subject matter; Wexler manages to convey an impressive range of emotions experienced by the characters through an uncluttered and minimalistic perspective." —Kirkus Reviews
"This book was born out of a fruitful collaboration between a left-wing scriptwriter, Dave Cowen, and a right-wing cartoonist, Gabriel Wexler, - which, in such a polarized country, is a kind of event in itself...it is a book of intervention, which uses comics to enrich the public debate." —Thierry Groensteen, Author of THE SYSTEM OF COMICS
"A tool designed to cut through political polarization and model how we might find common ground around this topic...Given my own commitments to working past political divides, I salute these efforts...my bet is that you will leave it less certain of your own stance than you were before reading it." —Henry Jenkins, Author of COMICS AND STUFF, CONVERGENCE CULTURE and BY ANY MEDIA NECESSARY
"SHOULD WE BUY A GUN? feels like an episode of THE SIMPSONS - back when THE SIMPSONS was hilarious, sharp, biting. It reminds me of Kyle Baker's graphic novels, with that kind of fine irony that hits you right in the chest. And at the same time, it's a serious portrait of the gun control debate in the US — which is no longer just a left-versus-right issue." —Érico Assis, Award-winning Translator, Editor, Journalist and Author of the Virapágina newsletter
"If American politicians could have more candid conversations about guns like the characters in this exceptional book, perhaps we could all work together to find common ground..." —Marc Sobel, two-time Eisner-nominated editor of THE LOVE AND ROCKETS COMPANION
"This intentionally messy exploration of the prickliest of subject ends, surprisingly, on an optimistic note, despite the story's smart ambiguity." —BookLife (Editor's Pick)
“Unique and could be a good fit in an adult graphic novel section. I think it’s a subject we need more serious coverage of in graphic novels and manga and I see Should We Buy A Gun? as a first step in a difficult ongoing conversation." —Jessica Luetger, Librarian, Moraine Valley Community College, Contributor, No Flying No Tights
"What emerged most from Should We Buy a Gun? is not a strong position on gun-rights vs. gun control, but rather a criticism of the lack of communication that can easily destroy personal relationships and, at a higher level, political discourse." —Hank Kennedy, The Comics Journal
“I suggest getting a copy of Should We Buy a Gun? and using that for your book club to start a discussion on this important topic.” —Kevin Wolf, GraphicMedicine