(W/A/CA) Box Brown
From the nineteenth century to the twenty-first, cannabis legislation in America and racism have been inextricably linked. In 1518 Cortés introduces hemp farming during his violent colonial campaign in Mexico. In secret, locals begin cultivating the plant for consumption. It eventually makes its way to the United States through the immigrant labor force. It doesn't take American lawmakers long to decry cannabis as the vice of 'inferior races' and spread lies about the dangers of cannabis. As a result, the plant is given a schedule I classification, alongside heroin. Box Brown delves deep into this complex and troubling history and offers a rich, entertaining, and thoroughly researched graphic essay on the racist legacy of cannabis legislation in America.
(W/A/CA) Box Brown
In Child Star, bestselling author Box Brown creates a biography of Owen Eugene, a fictional 1980s child actor. Owen had it all: a hit sitcom on prime time, a Saturday morning cartoon, and a memoir on the bestseller list. The secret to his success was his talent for improvisation... and his small size. But Hollywood ate him alive. On screen he made the whole world laugh, even as his life fell apart behind the scenes. Inspired by real-life child stars, Box Brown created Owen Eugene, a composite character whose tragic life is an amalgam of 1980s pop culture. In this fictional documentary-style graphic novel, we see how growing up in the spotlight robs young actors of a true childhood.