We all need a good laugh considering how 2020 has shaped up so far. With that in mind Life in the Stupidverse by Tom Tomorrow from IDW may just be the remedy to help alleviate some of your 2020 blues just in time for the upcoming U.S. election.
Life in the Stupidverse collects Tom Tomorrow’s Pulitzer nominated, This Modern World strips from 2017 to 2020 and chronicles his observations of Donald J. Trump’s run for the White House and his subsequent presidency. Tomorrow takes Trump’s words and plays them straight, which is where the humour lies. Tomorrow touches on some of the hallmarks of Trump’s campaign and presidency including his connections to Russia, his refusal to release his taxes and his handling of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Tomorrow’s brand of satire is particularly effective when he gives Trump semi alter egos including ones based on a hard-boiled private eye and two of Marvel Comics’ most iconic heroes. Reasoning that Trump’s inability to feel shame is the result of being bitten by a radioactive toddler provides fodder for comic book fans and is laugh out loud funny at times.
Looking back at President Trump’s run up until now, when reading Life in the Stupidverse it’s sometimes difficult to determine when Tomorrow is using hyperbole to bring out the humor or when he’s playing it pretty close to how things occurred. Therein lies the beauty of this collection of cartoons.
While Tomorrow’s take on what has transpired over the last four years may put off Trump’s base and appeal to those who don’t support him, it feels as though Tomorrow’s real target is those in power, including the media and the Democrats, as well as the general public who have enabled Trump to succeed and continue to beat the odds.
When spin begets biting satire, you’ve got a winning combination and Tom Tomorrow’s Life in the Stupidverse provides just that. It’s a fun way to look back on what has happened since President Trump came down the escalator in Trump Tower to announce his intention to run for the White House and offers some comic context of what to expect as election day approaches.
