Cartoonist R. Sikoryak will discuss his new graphic novel, Declaration/Emancipation Illustrated. This unique title features the unabridged text of the Declaration of Independence, alongside the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address in a double-sided book, rendered in the bright, bold, and iconic styles of over 100 different American comics, cartoons, and graphic novels from over a century. 

In a profusely illustrated talk, R. Sikoryak will show the development of his graphic novel: how it grew out of his previous book Constitution Illustrated and his Unquotable Trump comics; how he researched American history; and how he reinterpreted 100 years of American cartoons.

We’ll also consider the ways the Declaration of Independence has been reinterpreted since 1776, how it directly inspired Lincoln, and how we’re still arguing about it today.

The talk will be followed by a Q & A and discussion.

Biography: Cartoonist R. Sikoryak is the author of Constitution Illustrated, Masterpiece Comics, Terms and Conditions, and The Unquotable Trump (Drawn and Quarterly). His comics and illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, The Nation, The Onion, MAD, and more. He’s done storyboards and character designs for Augenblick Studios on various animated projects. Sikoryak teaches in the Illustration Program at Parsons School of Design and presents his live comics performance series, Carousel, around the United States and Canada.