Synopses & Reviews
A triumphant memoir of grassroots activism and change in New York CityIn Second Avenue Caper, the renowned graphic-book author Joyce Brabner brings to life the true story of a male nurse, a jazz piano player, a drag queen, an actor, an author, and others, who were living in New York City in the early 1980s when they were suddenly affected by a new, mysterious illness. At the center of this emotional, character-driven memoir of the AIDS crisis as it emerged in the city are a small group of friends who gathered at a Second Avenue apartment on the Lower East Side late one night to come up with a new way to respond to the crisis.
Struggling to understand what exactly this disease was, how they could alleviate the suffering of those afflicted, and how to combat the terrible discrimination they all witnessed and faced, the friends hatched a plan that set in motion an underground pharmaceutical drug smuggling deal to bring illegal drugs across the border—drugs that a rogue group of doctors believed would help their patients.
Selling marijuana to help with their real business of getting illegal pharmaceuticals into the hands of those in need, this group of brave, selfless, caring young men and women fought to make grassroots change. Fast-paced, poignant, and beautifully illustrated by the award-winning cartoonist Mark Zingarelli, Second Avenue Caper is both witty and wise, a book that will be cherished by fans of graphic memoirs for years to come.
Review
Praise for
Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me A
New York Times Hardcover Graphic Books bestseller
“This posthumous publication reflects the seminal graphic memoirist at his edgy best.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Review
“With visuals that blend cartoon-style appeal with documentary realism, Brabners (American Splendor) chronicle of grassroots activism in N.Y.C.s gay community during the early days of the AIDS crisis grabs readers from its opening splash page . . . Zingarelli crisply illustrates a story long hidden.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A graphic memoir detailing a pot-dealing scheme that helped finance treatment for those dying from AIDS in the early days before the epidemic even had that name . . . [written with a] humorous spirit of irreverence, though the subject is deadly serious . . . a story of early warning, recognition and action.”
—Kirkus
“Neatly converting the old NRA bumper sticker to proclaim that if drugs are outlawed, only outlaws will receive proper medical attention, with Second Avenue Caper Joyce Brabner and Mark Zingarelli expertly document a recent moment in history that already seems medieval in its ignorance. In an irresistible narrative crammed with drag queens, drug smugglers, and desperadoes, Brabner brings her considerable skills and experience as an activist and chronicler to bear upon an emblematic tale of our times, as classically heroic and moving as it is absurd, all brought to life by the beautifully honest and lucid artwork of the tremendous Zingarelli. This is a marvelous piece of work and a significant contribution to future histories of our stupefyingly complex times. I cant recommend it highly enough.”
—Alan Moore, award-winning graphic novelist and author of Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell
“At that liminal moment when it became clear that a pattern of infection threatened to become a deadly epidemic, heroes emerged from the ranks of the ordinary. They were motivated by the desire to help friends survive this pitiless disease, or, in many cases, to make sure they died loved and cared for. Second Avenue Caper presents portraits of a few of these heroes, bringing them to life on the page as they describe, in their own words, ingenious plots to secure medication and provide care for those who had fallen ill with AIDS. These stories are told with humor and poignance, in such a way that the reader feels included in the conversation, as if listening to war stories narrated by old friends. This brilliant collaborative work between Joyce Brabner and Mark Zingarelli is an important contribution to the social history of the AIDS epidemic.”
—Phoebe Gloeckner, author of The Diary of a Teenage Girl
“I love Second Avenue Caper! Joyce Brabner has crafted a tight tale that is a powerful, intimate, and inspirational reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable tragedy. Mark Zingarellis artwork is nothing short of spectacular. Theres a brilliant cinematic quality to his work, and the drawings delight with exceptional detail and sympathetic portrayals. Zingarelli is a master craftsperson, and this book shows him at the top of his form. Second Avenue Caper really is the perfect blend of words and pictures.”
—Robert Newman, creative director of Newmanology and former design director of Entertainment Weekly, Details, New York, and Vibe
“The earliest days of the AIDS epidemic in America can seem a world away now, but Joyce Brabners illustrated oral history, as brought to life by Mark Zingarellis crisp illustrations, reminds those of us who were there—and will enlighten those who werent—about that eras paradoxical mix of terror, death, and heroism in behalf of a community.”
—Howard Cruse, award-winning artist and author of Stuck Rubber Baby and The Complete Wendel
Synopsis
Winner of the 2015 Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBT Graphic Novel
A Village Voice Best Graphic Novel of 2014
The renowned graphic-book author Joyce Brabner's Second Avenue Caper is the true story of a tight-knit group of artists and activists living in New York City in the early 1980s who found themselves on the front lines in the fight against AIDS.
Struggling to understand the disease and how they could help, they made a deal with a bona fide goodfella, donned masterful disguises, piled into an "A-Team" van, and set off for the border, determined to save their bedridden friends by smuggling an experimental drug into the United States from Mexico.
With their community in crisis and the world turned against them, this impassioned gang of misfits never gave up hope as they searched for ways to raise awareness and beat the plague. Fast-paced, poignant, and beautifully illustrated by the award-winning illustrator Mark Zingarelli, Second Avenue Caper is a heartfelt tribute to the generation that faced down AIDS.
Synopsis
Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBT Graphic Novel
A Village Voice Best Graphic Novel
A triumphant memoir of grassroots activism and change in New York City from renowned graphic novelist Joyce Brabner.
Second Avenue Caper is the true story of a tight-knit group of artists and activists living in New York City in the early 1980s who found themselves on the front lines in the fight against AIDS.
Struggling to understand the disease and how they could help, they made a deal with a bona fide goodfella, donned masterful disguises, piled into an "A-Team" van, and set off for the border, determined to save their bedridden friends by smuggling an experimental drug into the United States from Mexico.
With their community in crisis and the world turned against them, this impassioned gang of misfits never gave up hope as they searched for ways to raise awareness and beat the plague. Fast-paced, poignant, and beautifully illustrated by the award-winning illustrator Mark Zingarelli, Second Avenue Caper is a heartfelt tribute to the generation that faced down AIDS.
Synopsis
The renowned graphic-book author Joyce Brabners
Second Avenue Caper is the true story of a tight-knit group of artists and activists living in New York City in the early 1980s who found themselves on the front lines in the fight against AIDS.
Struggling to understand the disease and how they could help, they made a deal with a bona fide goodfella, donned masterful disguises, piled into an “A-Team” van, and set off for the border, determined to save their bedridden friends by smuggling an experimental drug into the United States from Mexico. With their community in crisis and the world turned against them, this impassioned gang of misfits never gave up hope as they searched for ways to raise awareness and beat the plague. Fast-paced, poignant, and beautifully illustrated by the award-winning illustrator Mark Zingarelli, Second Avenue Caper is a heartfelt tribute to the generation that faced down AIDS.
About the Author
Joyce Brabner is an award-winning author of nonfiction comics about tough social issues. She frequently collaborated with her late husband, Harvey Pekar, on his
American Splendor series. Her own titles include the
Real War Stories series,
Activists!,
Brought to Light (with Alan Moore), numerous short stories, and
Our Cancer Year (also with Harvey). She lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and is rather more lighthearted than any of the actresses who have portrayed her in various plays or in that movie.
Mark Zingarelli is an American comics creator, illustrator, and writer who has worked as a freelancer for the past thirty-six years. His first comics stories were published in Robert Crumbs comics anthology magazine WEIRDO in the mid-1980s. He worked with Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner on American Splendor and contributed to the film biopic of the same name. His illustration work and comics have appeared in many national publications, including The New Yorker, Esquire, and Time. He lives in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.