Women Rebel: The Margaret Sanger Story

Bagge is perhaps most famous for his slacker character Buddy Bradley, as well as Neat Stuff and Hate, and his recent work in the libertarian magazine Reason. He’s an accomplished cartoonist and a master of satire and black humor, and Margaret Sanger, the influential birth control activist and sex educator, seems like a bizarre choice of subject for him. But his graphic biography is a modern masterpiece, both educational and entertaining. Bagge treats the famous activist as a real person, rather than an untouchable icon, though still handling her with great respect. The book recounts Sanger’s life from her childhood (her mother had 18 pregnancies, and 11 live births) to her work as a women’s health advocate. She bursts into life on the page, via Bagge’s wonderful facial expressions and exuberant line work, in a manner that no historical text can match. Bagge has conducted meticulous research to separate the truth about Sanger from the fiction, and he documents his work with extensive notes. (Oct.)