Category Archives: Art

abolition, Anarchist, Art, General, Haymarket Books, Transcribed, zine

Vicky Osterweil on Disney, Intellectual Property and Storytelling

book cover of "The Extended Universe: How Disney Killed Movies and Took Over the World" with a picture of Mickey Mouse from behind, looking at his hand as he removes his white glove to show a shriveled claw, plus "TFSR 5-2-26 | Vicky Osterweil on Disney, Intellectual Property and Storytelling"
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This week, we’re featuring a recent, live interview that I did at Firestorm books with Vicky Osterweil, anarchist writer and worker, author of In Defense of Looting and more recently The Extended Universe: How Disney Killed The Movies and Took Over the World (Haymarket, 2026). Vicky is a member of the Collective of Anarchist Writers (CAW), and you can also find her on Bluesky and what she’s thinking about what she’s watching at Letterboxd.

During the chat Vicky talks about intellectual property and how it overlaps between entertainment and other elements like technology and medicine, the shaping and limiting effects IP has on popular culture and imagination, the film industry and more.

To hear Vickys past appearances on our show check out:

Announcements

Support Jason Reynard Walker

Incarcerated activist and journalist Jason Reynard Walker is asking for support as he nears the end of his state sentence in Texas prisons and before starting his Federal sentence. He’s concerned about the shifting of his release dates around that may put him in a dangerous position where he’s more likely to have a hit on him placed by prison authorities. Read more at: https://jasonsprisonjournal.com/a-rogue-within-tdcjs-bureaucracy-changed-my-release-date-with-malice-aforethought-to-get-me-murdered/

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Featured Track:

Continue reading Vicky Osterweil on Disney, Intellectual Property and Storytelling →
activism, Anarchist, Art, Author, Black Panther Party, Cartoons, Comics, History, Transcribed, United States, zine

Black Arms To Hold You Up (with Ben Passmore)

In this episode, we have two segments.

Ben Passmore

two hands holding the book "Black Arms To Hold You Up" featuring two cartoon figures running in the bottom corner and the words "TFSR 12-28-25 | Black Arms To Hold You Up (with Ben Passmore)"
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First up, Ian talks with Philadelphia-based cartoonist Ben Passmore about his new book, Black Arms to Hold You Up: A History of Black Resistance. They discuss the research and making of the book, Passmores anarchism, the themes of inter-generational struggle, contextualizing history through lived experience, and the pitfalls of mythmaking. In addition, they spend some time discussing Ben’s martial arts practice and the legacy of Assata Shakur in light of her recent passing.

Other titles by Ben:

Mikolo Dziadok

Then we’ll hear a brief interview with Mikola Dziadok, a Belarusian journalist, anarchist activist, blogger, and former political prisoner. Mikola is now about 3 months out of prison and starting a new life in exile. The interview was conducted in mid-November by comrades from Frequenz-A and appears in the December 2025 episode of B(A)D News from the A-Radio Network. Check our show notes for links on how to support Mikola’s next stage of life

Follow Mikola’s Channel in YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Radixbel

Support Mikola financially (it is needed for setting up life in a new country):

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Featured Track:

  • Keep On Keeping On by The Impressions from Dead Presidents OST
Continue reading Black Arms To Hold You Up (with Ben Passmore) →
activism, Art, Canada, Cartoons, Comics, Palestine, Politics, Protest, Transcribed, Xinachtli, zine

Michael DeForge on Art and Organizing + Xinacthli Medical Emergency

Michael DeForge

"Michael DeForge on Art and Organizing | TFSR 12-14-25" and a screenshot page of 4 black and white comic panels featuring bolt cutters cutting a fence ("We performed our little rituals around security"), masks reflected in windows ("the masks were one of them, 'skeletons' idea. we'd go on not knowing each others faces"), building in the dark with broken windows and masks hovering ("at the debrief later that night, I'd start an argument"), masked people walking ("I wouldn't participate in the argument, I'd instead set two other members off against each other, I'd instigate in a way that wasn't obvious")
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This week we’re sharing Ian’s talk with cartoonist Michael DeForge about the intersection of organizing and art. The conversation touches on Michael’s recent organizing efforts in solidarity with Mskwaasin Agnew, who was among those detained by Israel as part of the Flotilla to bring aid to Gaza. They also discuss the good and bad of instructive political stories and Michael shares details about his upcoming collection from Drawn and Quarterly, scheduled for release in early 2026.

Xinachtli

But first we’re sharing an interview that Outlaw Podcast did with Jazz from the support crew for Xinachtli. Xinachtli is a Chicano anarchist who’s been serving a 50 year sentence since 1996 for aggravated assault, and now, nearly 30 years into his sentence (22 of which have been in solitary confinement according to his support website) is suffering accumulated health issues. During a collapse of his health, he was moved to the infirmary but he’s been denied any treatment, diagnosis or access to his medical care. While in infirmary, he had personal items from his cell  thrown away, including his commissary card The demands for Xinachtli are simple and you can find the numbers and links in our show notes:

  1. Call to put pressure for his demands on TDCJ and McCConnell unit.

  2. We are asking organizations to sign our demand letter to TDCJ. Link can be found in our bio or tinyurl.com/xsupportletter

  3. Join us on December 13 to protest in Austin, Texas.

  4. Donate to the campaign to support legal expenses.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NO. 1: PHONE AND EMAIL BLAST

  • Call the McConnell Unit to demand they give X access to commissary and his medical records IMMEDIATELY. McConnell Unit: (361) 362-2300
  • Call TDCJ Health Services to demand X receive his medical records and is transfered to a hospital for treatment IMMEDIATELY.

    TDCJ Health Services: (936) 437-4271
  • Call or email TDCJ State Classification Committee to demand they reclassify X so he can be transferred to a medical facility.

    TDCJ SCC: (936) 437-6231

    classify@tdcj.texas.gov

Phone blast signup: https://bit.ly/xphoneblast

If you’re on instagram, you can learn more about Xinacthli’s condition and how to get involved via his site @FreeXinacthliNow and if you can hear our conversation from 2024 with Xinacthli or a recording of him speaking about his arrest from 2010.

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Featured Track:

  • Slip by Autechre from Amber
Continue reading Michael DeForge on Art and Organizing + Xinacthli Medical Emergency →
Art, Author, Cartoons, Comics, Transcribed, zine

Aaron Losty on Comics Composition and the Cartoonist Cooperative

Book cover of "The Hanging" showing two adults looking confused and one child looking up toward the viewer
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This week, Ian talks with Cartoonist Aaron Losty about his new graphic novel, The Hanging, out now from Strangers Publishing. Among other topics, they discuss formative works, collaboration, and making genre comics for a small press audience. In the back half, they talk about Aaron’s experience as a co-founder of Cartoonist Cooperative, the state of the organization three years after its inception, decision-making processes, and recent campaigns. Apologies for the audio quality of the interview.

Aaron Losty

  • Bluesky: @aaronlosty.bsky.social
  • Instagram: @aaronlosty
  • Patreon: patreon.com/aaronlosty
  • Website: aaronlosty.com

Cartoonist Cooperative

  • Bluesky: @cartoonist.coop
  • email: hello@cartoonist.coop
  • Instagram: @cartoonistcoop
  • Mastodon.art: @cartoonist.coop
  • Tumblr: @cartoonistcoop
  • Website: cartoonist.coop
  • YouTube: @cartoonistcoop

Strangers Publishing

Then we share a portion of an interview from September of 2024 about the case of the H5, 5 people who were facing criminal criminal charges of human trafficking for providing humanitarian aid to refugees crossing the Polish and Belarusian border through the ancient Bieloweza forest. In this interview, we spoke with a member of Szpilla anti-repression collective. The members of the H5 case were acquitted this month in a legal victory, though the state might renew it’s accusation. Meanwhile, with fly-overs by Russian drones and planes in Estonia and Poland, we see an increasing militarization of the border from states on both sides.

Continue reading Aaron Losty on Comics Composition and the Cartoonist Cooperative →
A-Radio Network, Anarchist, Anarchist Media, Antifa Ost, Art, Ausbruch, B(A)D News, Chile, General, Germany, History, Police, Political Prisoner, Prisons, repression, Transcribed, zine

International Solidarity and the 2025 Week of Solidarity With Anarchist Prisoners

poster of the "International Week of Solidarity With Anarchist Prisoners, August 23-30 2025 | https://Solidarity.International" featuring a prison being attacked by a grandmother with a molotov, a goose, a goat with a hammer, a dog, a cat toppling towers, drones and people dropping banners and leaning out the windows + "International Prisoner Solidarity, Red Help in Germany, art and organizing in so-called Chile + Sean Swain on Conspiracy Thought"
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This week, we’re sharing three segments. First up, you’ll hear Yara speaking about Solidarity International, a new initiative to support prisoner support and anti-repression work beyond borders initiated by various anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups networked together, including the International Anarchist Defence Fund and various anarchist black cross groups across the world. Yara’s voice has been re-recorded for anonymity. [ 00:02:19 – 00:29:02 ]

We’re releasing this in the run up to the 2025 Week of Solidarity With Anarchist Prisoners (or WOSWOP), August 23-30th, in which people are invited to gather, connect and take action against borders and against prison walls. You can find more about Solidarity International at their website, Solidarity.International, find them on their mastodon, bluesky, telegram or instagram accounts, and see the 2025 WOSWOP call for solidarity on that site or linked in our show notes. We read the statement here as well. [ 00:29:21 – 00:32:37 ]

Then, you’ll hear 2 segments from recent episodes of B(A)D News, a monthly podcast in English from the international A-Radio Network. More audios like these, plus archives, can be found at A-Radio-Network.Org

  • The first of these is from the Anarchist Assembly of Biobío near so-called Concepción, Chile from the June 2025 episode of B(A)D News, featuring a chat with the art collective Mesa 8, where they discussed memory, art, and the military dictatorship that began in 1973. [ 00:33:18 – 00:38:23 ]
  • Following this, Ausbruch from Freiburg in the German territory spoke with the Red Aid, “der Rote Hilfe” about their work and current challenges from it’s founding over 100 years ago by the German Communist Party (KPD) into it’s current iteration. This segment can be found in our July 2025 episode of B(A)D News. [ 00:39:12 – 00:53:34 ]

Finally, you’ll hear a segment from Sean Swain… [ 00:53:36 – 01:01:50 ]

Some Materials Related To Mentioned Cases:

  • Roman Shvedov, fallen comrade
  • Antifa OST & Budapest Complex including Maya who just ended a hungerstrike (TFSR ep)
  • Moscow ABC and Solidarity Zone supporting Russian dissidents
  • Marianna, Dmitra plus their fallen comrade Kyriakos Xymitiris, of the so-called Ampelokipoi case in Athens (TFSR ep)
  • Women Prisoners of Iran facing death: Sharifeh Mohammadi, Pakhshan Azizi, Verisheh Moradi and Nassim Simiyari
  • Stop Cop City 61 RICO defendants

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Featured Track:

  • Vitamin C by Can from Ege Bamyasi
Continue reading International Solidarity and the 2025 Week of Solidarity With Anarchist Prisoners →
Art, Author, Comics, Transcribed, zine

Simplicity (with Mattie Lubchansky)

book cover of Simplicity featuring a cartoon character being drawn toward glowing vines with flowers and hands reaching down toward their feet
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This week, Ian talks with cartoonist Mattie Lubchansky about her new book, Simplicity, out July 29 from Pantheon Graphic Library. The conversation touches on Mattie’s work as Associate Editor for The Nib, her history with comics, and her ambitions beyond the printed page, but mostly focuses on the role of art in organizing and living our politics amid all the compromises required of life in the Real World.

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Featured Track:

  • Take The ‘A’ Train by Duke Ellington from The Duke – The Essential Collection (1927-1962)
Continue reading Simplicity (with Mattie Lubchansky) →
Art, Author, Autonomia, Capitalism, History, Labor, Music, Transcribed, zine

Labor Resistance on Vinyl (with Josh MacPhee + Kennedy Block)

collaged book cover for "Strike While The Needle Is Hot: A Discography of Workers Revolt", "TFSR 7-20-25 | Labor Resistance on Vinyl (with Josh MacPhee + Kennedy Block)"
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This week, we’re sharing a recent interview with Kennedy Block and Josh MacPhee, editors of Strike While The Needle Is Hot: A Discography of Workers Revolt from Common Notions. We speak about audio strike records, their role, what they tell us about the struggles they cover or were produced to amplify, and a bit about where music and popular resistance stand today.

Until the end of the month, the book is available from CommonNotions.org with a 15% discount if you check out using the code: strike15 .

Josh can be reached on instagram via @jmacphee or via email at josh@justseeds.org

They’re also both involved with Interference Archive (which produced audio of this collection of Stop Cop City communiques for their podcast, Audio Interference), and Josh is a co-founder of JustSeeds.Org, produces Signal Journal (he was interviewed by Ian for the show on the topic)

Free Jack, Free The Airwaves zine can be found here

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Featured Tracks:

  • Sciopero Interno by Fausto Amodei from Sciopero Interno, 1968, Italy [ 00:17:04 ]
  • More Percent by Kirk Thorne from Songs from the NCU Strike, 1987, UK [ 00:36:11 ]
  • A Year and a Bit by The Hindle Strikers with TBE from Part of the Union!, 1984 , UK[ 00:58:04 ]
  • Viva La Huelga! by Polibio Mayorga from La Huelga, 1982, Ecuador [ 01:18:12 ]
Continue reading Labor Resistance on Vinyl (with Josh MacPhee + Kennedy Block) →
Anarchist, Anarchist Media, Art, Author, Cartoons, Comics, History, New Orleans, PM Press, United States

“Anarchy In The Big Easy” with Max Cafard and Vulpes

book cover of "Anarchy In The Big Easy" depicting comics of riotous scenes in the history of Bolbancha
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This week, we spoke with author Max Cafard and illustrator Vulpes about their new book, Anarchy in The Big Easy: A History of Revolt, Rebellion, and Resurgence. Among other topics, they discuss Cafard’s Surregionalism Manifesto, the origins and production of the book, and what the media gets right and wrong about New Orleans. The book came out from PM Press on April 15, 2025.

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Featured Track:

  • Four Corners (part 2) by Lee Dorsey from Four Corners EP
Continue reading “Anarchy In The Big Easy” with Max Cafard and Vulpes →
activism, Anarchist, Art, Feminism, General, LGBTQ, NO Bonzo, Queer, Transcribed, Turkey, zine

A Left Trans Voice from Turkey + no Bonzo on Art and Anarchism

Bonzo drawing of rats in revolt, throwing beakers, holding flowers and flags and a book with a circle A
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This week, we’re sharing two segments.

First up, you’ll hear comrades from Frequenz-A out of Germany speaking with Eylem Çağdaş, an activist and a trans woman from Istanbul about current protest, queer and feminist perspective, anarchist participation and needs of solidarity. This segment was featured in the April 2025 episode of Bad News: Angry Voices from Around The World, the monthly English-language podcast from the A-Radio Network, which will be available early this week, so keep an eye out in our social media and updated links in our show post. You can find more work by Frequenz-A at frequenza.noblogs.org and more from the A-Radio Network and its contributors at a-radio-network.org. Eylem mentions Bianet and Birgun as good places to get introduced to ongoing news from leftists in Turkey.

Then, a chat with no Bonzo, anarchist historian, printmaker and artist, about how they developed their art, the historical work they do and some upcoming projects. You can find more of their work at https://noBonzo.com

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Featured track:

  • Isyan by Bandista from sokak meydan gece
Continue reading A Left Trans Voice from Turkey + no Bonzo on Art and Anarchism →
abortion, Art, Author, Comics, Feminism, gender, General, Health, Politics, Transcribed, United States, zine

Bodily Autonomy and Health Education In An Easy To Swallow Package (Abortion Pill Zine)

Abortion Pill Zine Cover featuring flowers and houses
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This week, we’re sharing an interview Ian conducted with cartoonists Isabella Rotman, Sage Coffey, and Marnie Galloway on the subject of the Abortion Pill Zine: A Community Guide to Misoprostol and Mifepristone out now from Silver Sprocket (and freely readable on their website). They discuss the process by which this resource was assembled, the benefits of local, focused abortion organizing, the timeliness and timelessness of the fight for safe abortion care, and the power of comics to disseminate valuable and complex information.

Links

Announcements

BAD News for February 2025

The A-Radio Network of anarchist and antiauthoritarian radios and podcasts just released the latest in their monthly series, B(A)D News: Angry Voices From Around The World for February 2025, episode 88. This one features Parias from Athens sharing an interview about resisting wind farms and green developmentalism in the Greek mountains as well as Črna luknja from Ljubljana speaking with antifascists from Budapest and Sofia about resisting Europes largest annual neo-nazi rally, the LukovMarch.

Support for Anarchists in Sudan

You can read a short publication by the Sudan Anarchist Gathering called Al-Amal in English thanks to the translation work of CNT-AIT France (or the original Arabic as well) at this blog. From the blog:

If you want to receive the next
issues, please contact us : contact@cnt-ait.info
If you want to support financially the Sudan Anarchist Gathering, you can use our paypal
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cntait1
(please validate “Sending ‘money to an individual’ to pay less bank charges) Send an email to contact@cnt-ait.info to inform us of the donation and also so that we can keep you informed of its use.

Continue reading Bodily Autonomy and Health Education In An Easy To Swallow Package (Abortion Pill Zine) →