Art Spiegelman: US Needs a Counter-Revolution Against Fascism

In a recent interview, cartoonist Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of Maus, expressed deep pessimism about the state of American politics, calling the Trump administration fascist and saying he does not see a way out of the current political mess. Spiegelman, 78, discussed his life and career, from his early days in the underground comics scene to his iconic Holocaust graphic novel, which took 13 years to create. He reflected on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, noting that his book 'In the Shadow of No Towers' is being reissued to mark the occasion, though a shipment is delayed in the Strait of Hormuz. He drew direct links between post-9/11 security crackdowns and the creation of ICE, and the excesses of the Trump administration. Spiegelman also touched on his ambivalence about Maus's success, his creative struggles, and his life in Soho, where he has lived with his wife, Françoise Mouly, for five decades. He described the US as needing a 'counter-revolution' but expressed doubt that the Democrats can provide it. The interview took place at his home in New York on a sweltering June day.