World War 3 Illustrated

World War 3 Illustrated

Cover of issue #1, published in 1980, Cover Art by Ben Hillman.
Editor	Various, rotating editorial board
Categories	Political magazine
Frequency	bi-annual
Circulation	3,000–4,000
First issue	1980
Company	World War 3 Illustrated
Country	United States
Language	English
Website	World War 3 Illustrated

World War 3 Illustrated is an American comics anthology magazine with a left-wing political focus, founded in 1979 (though the first issue was published in 1980) by New York City comic book artists Peter Kuper and Seth Tobocman, and painter Christof Kohlhofer, and subsequently produced by a collective with a rotating editorship. Other frequent contributors, mostly based in New York City, include Isabella Bannerman, Sue Coe, Scott Cunningham, Eric Drooker, Sandy Jimenez, Sabrina Jones, Mac McGill, Kevin Pyle, and James Romberger.

The magazine initially began as a home for comic book work and graphic/illustrated storytelling that was anti-establishment and aggressively critical of the social and political right-wing conservatism in ascension after the election of President Ronald Reagan. In the spirit of the then burgeoning DIY approach prevalent among independent punk and hardcore bands and musicians, the magazine took control of the means of production and distribution, foregoing possible relationships with established publishing institutions or companies for the sake of its own editorial integrity and political independence.

In the first decade of the magazine, its focus ranged from the global, to the hyper local, specifically addressing the politics and concerns affecting the neighborhoods of the Lower East Side of Manhattan: housing rights; gentrification; police brutality; racism; economic oppression. The Tompkins Square Park Riot (1988) was a watershed event for the magazine’s founders and artistic contributors as much of the work in the anthology had focused squarely on the political issues leading to the riot, such as the city government’s policies towards squatters and the homeless. When tensions brought the riot to its most dangerous points across the two day conflict, much of the notable imagery associated with the grassroots resistance on improvised signage and wheat-pasted posters was appropriated from published work in the magazine created by Eric Drooker, Seth Tobocman, and others.