Joe Sacco launches free comic series 'The War on Gaza'

Joe Sacco, the acclaimed Maltese-born American cartoonist known for his 1990s graphic novel 'Palestina: A Nation Occupied', has launched a new free online comic series titled 'The War on Gaza'. Published sporadically in The Comics Journal, the series offers Sacco's personal perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict that escalated in October 2023. The first episode was released on January 26, 2024, and is available for free online. Gary Groth, editor-in-chief of The Comics Journal and co-founder of Fantagraphics, wrote the introduction, stating that both he and Sacco felt a cultural responsibility to address the war. Groth emphasized Fantagraphics' commitment to the Palestinian cause, noting that the publisher has kept Sacco's 'Palestina' in print with 25 reprints over 31 years. He condemned the October 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians as a war crime but argued that it does not justify Israel's own war crimes and disproportionate suffering inflicted on Gaza's civilian population. The series aims to share reflections and questions about the ongoing conflict, continuing Sacco's long-standing focus on Palestinian experiences.