10 YEARS OF THE BF SIX TO WATCH! Icon’s series of graphic guides have, for some years, provided readers with an accessible and easily digestible entry point to subjects that may be either complex or outside of their direct lived experiences. In the past we have covered some of their guides on sexuality and gender here at Broken Frontier, remarking on how that mix of clear text, complementary visuals, and sequential art combines so well in illuminating and communicating the concepts and ideas involved. That’s something that is very much the case with Icon’s Class: A Graphic Guide but this time with the added bonus that writers Laura Harvey and Sarah Leaney’s analysis of the topics broached is illustrated by original Broken Frontier ‘Six to Watch’ artist Danny Noble.
By definition a book like this has an ambitious remit, seeking to give an overview of the origins, intricacies and effects of social hierarchies from a global and a historical perspective in under 200 pages. But Harvey and Leaney structure the chapter layouts of the book in an intuitive way, carefully guiding the reader through the history of class and theories therof. This acts as the foundation for subsequent discussions of key markers like labour, land and culture, and exploring ideas of activism and change.
Compact and by necessity even compressed, this is nevertheless an excellent introduction to the key motivating factors involved. Class: A Graphic Guide asks us to think about the economic, social and cultural origins of class, how it is often conflated with morality and/or respectability, and how capitalism manipulates and underpins class structures to allow itself to thrive. To manage to be both succinct and thorough would seem completely contradictory and yet each section and subsection gives the reader ample information to act as a springboard for further investigation, whether that be discussions as to the reasons for class inequality and its perpetuation or analysis on how class intersects with race, gender and sexuality.
Danny Noble’s visuals are a perfect fit here, jumping between that frenetic, frantic, inky cartooning that has become so familiar over the years to long-term fans of her work and a style more rooted in direct representational reality. From the diagrammatic to the metaphorical she hits the right tonal notes every time. But it’s in the bustling, busy crowd scenes – protests, events, workplaces, depictions of police brutality – where she really shines, giving gravitas and a sense of urgency to every scenario.
For those wanting a primer Class: A Graphic Guide is an excellent introduction to where our class structures originated. It not only provides experiences of those divisions from multiple perspectives, it also presents ideas on how class inequality can be combatted. A thought-provoking book from an ever informative series.
Laura Harvey & Sarah Leaney (W), Danny Noble (A) • Icon Books, £14.99
Review by Andy Oliver
2024 marks the tenth year of Broken Frontier’s ‘Six to Watch‘ initiative. Look for articles throughout the year celebrating the work of those artists who have been a part of the programme.
