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The struggles and injustices faced by workers during the Great Depression spring to graphic life in this powerful wordless novel, which traces a middle-class family's downward spiral. Recounted in 128 striking black-and-white linocuts by artist Giacomo Patri, the story takes place between 1929 and 1933, from just before the stock market crash to the devastating years immediately afterward. The protagonist, an earnest young man with a promising career in advertising, descends into unemployment, debt, and homelessness. Desperate to provide for his family, he discovers common ground with blue-collar workers and the benefits of union organising. Because of its controversial depictions of class struggle, unionization, and abortion, White Collar was shunned by publishers, and the author was forced to print his own editions. Early copies are extremely rare; this Dover edition marks the volume's first return to print in decades, and its very first appearance in hardcover. Suggested for mature readers.… (more)
User reviews
While I never review novels, White Collar is hardly that. It is graphic art as dramatic as anything you might have seen. It is also largely autobiographical, and a clear message from the political left. All these things attracted me, and I was more than amply rewarded.
Patri seems to have made this effort to show Labor that white collar workers were just as much at risk, just as much abused, and just as greatly suffering in the Great Depression as blue collar workers were. It’s a simple story of struggle and loss, but done without text – a graphic novel from 80 years ago. He had to print it himself, of course, but it has gone on to worldwide acclaim (and publication) ever since.
It took Patri, a largely self-taught illustrator, Italian immigrant, and polio victim, two years to produce the 125 images in the book. They are linocuts – cuts in linoleum mounted on a wood base. As an advertising illustrator by profession, Patri seemed to want to shed blood to send his message this way.
The style reminds me of my own favorite illustrator of the same era, Boris Artzybasheff. They both have an art deco, stylish swirl, a high contrast starkness, and an eye-catching dramatic effect on the viewer.
I am delighted Dover has resurrected this book for a new age – of wage slaves, foreclosure victims, and debtors. It might be an old story, but it remains fresh.
David Wineberg
The story begins in 1929 when the illustrator is gainfully employed. He seems to look down on or at least ignore the struggling blue collar workers he passes on his commute. He is the proverbial company man. Then the stock market crashes. He loses his job, and we see his family's journey on the downward spiral. White collar is obviously socialist labor movement propaganda; however, the simple truths it embodies are profound.
Like a silent movie, the novel has no dialogue or traditional narration panels. Patri sparingly uses words on books, bills, and signs to give clues of the action taking place. He captures a remarkable amount of emotion in the stark black and white of the linocuts. The interactions between the illustrator and his wife are particularly painful. As a graphic novel, this is a early example of illustration being used to deliver a long-form story with serious content meant for adults.
The original copies hand made by Patri are difficult to find and very expensive. Luckily, Dover Graphic Novels has recently published affordable versions in hardcover and paperback. It's a very nice piece of graphic novel history.