Peter Bagge is the pre-eminent libertarian cartoonist. An intelligent, anti-authoritarian streak runs throughout his canon, especially in his hit comic book from the 1990s, HATE , a hilarious and politically incorrect series focusing on the semi-autobiographical slacker-misanthrope Buddy Bradley. Bagge frequently contributes his own brand of “cartoon journalism” to the pages of Reason magazine where he also serves as a Contributing Editor.
Bagge discusses how he came to define his libertarian political worldview at a young age, and laments his frustration at being an artist who’s political views are frequently mischaracterized as “right wing” by other artists, simply for failing to be in lock-step with the rest of the predominatly progressive-left art world.
He also discusses a recent Reason assignment which took him within the walls of a women’s prison, and how the experience led him to question his own preconceived notions about the drug war and involuntary incarceration for drug users.
His funny, outrageous and often introspective anthology of Reason cartoon journalism, “Everyone is Stupid Except Me (And Other Astute Observations)” is available from Fantagraphics.
Shot by Alexander Manning. Interview by Nick Gillespie. Edited by Anthony L. Fisher
About 5 minutes.
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