With our world on (literal and metaphorical) fire, it’s no time to be silent, so “Noisemakers” provides another tool for the younger end of Generation Z to bang their drum.
Written and Illustrated by VariousCover by Mye de Leon
Edited by Erin BriedDid anyone ever get anywhere by being quiet? To change anything, you have to make some noise! From the creators of the award-winning Kazoo magazine comes a look at the lives of 25 extraordinary women through the eyes of 25 extraordinary comic artists. In chapters titled Grow, Tinker, Play, Create, Rally, and Explore, you’ll meet Eugenie Clark, who swam with sharks, Raye Montague, who revolutionized the design process for ships, Hedy Lamarr, a beautiful actress and brilliant inventor, Julia Child, a chef who wasn’t afraid to make mistakes, Kate Warne, the first female detective, who saved the life of President-Elect Abraham Lincoln, and many more.
In 25 distinct styles from some of the most exciting comic artists, Noisemakers is for everyone who is not afraid to use their voice and for those who could use a little boost.
One of the names for the current generation (2000 – present day) is the New Silent Generation. Anthropologists borrowed and updated the term used to describe their grandparents or great-grandparents (the original Silent Generation) as both are conscientious, anxious, hardworking pragmatists, fearing speaking out as they came of age during the McCarthy era.
To which I say: ok boomer (even though that’s inaccurate). Yes, the kids today have every right to be anxious: climate change, worldwide rise of authoritarianism and white supremacy, human rights under attack, weakening economy. But this generation is far from silent. They are loud, they are proud, and they realize their responsibilities as citizens.
Which then begs the question: why another Strong Female Character(TM) anthology of stories? These kids have peers to look to as role models, be it Greta Thunberg or their own classmates. And this isn’t certainly the first comic anthology focusing on influential women. The market has “She Changed Comics,” “Mine!” and “Femme Magnifque,” just to name a few. For “Noisemakers” that answer is: an obligation to ensure the kids and tweens of today become the activists of tomorrow.
“Noisemakers” firmly positions itself in the 5-12 age demographic (like its sister magazine, Kazoo), with age appropriate stories that puts each of its subjects in a positive, celebratory light, detailing the work and the lessons we can take from their successes and failures. Darker or more adult sides of each subject’s life is handled with a light touch, such as a passing reference in Frida Kahlo’s story to her turbulent marriage Diego Rivera that “nothing lasts forever,” or the omission of Josephine Baker’s bisexuality. In some places it makes sense, others, not so much.
These aren’t full biographies of lives either, easily digestable snapshots focusing on a singular event in that person’s life or providing a compressed biography that captures attention and inspires the reader to learn more. To help the youth of today connect to these women of yesterday, a prelude to each story encourages the reader to find all the things they have in common with each subject. These women may have been born decades and centuries ago, but there’s more we have in common with them than we may think.
The 25 profiles here range from internationally famous (Rosa Parks, Julia Child, Frida Kahlo) to those that may be a bit more unknown to audiences, such as Kate Warne, a pre-Civil War era detective who discovered – – and stopped – – a plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. We can speak chapter and verse about who was and was not included. Personally, I would have loved to see a few more from the world of politics within these pages, such as Noor Inayat Khan, Indira Ghandi, or Benazir Bhutto. It’s interesting to note that all of these profiles are of women who are deceased, and I wonder if “Noisemakers” would have had more impact if one of several subjects were living. Between both of these ideas, there’s enough material for an impactful and engaging sequel.
Editor Erin Bried understands representation matters from the front of the page to behind the scenes. This is not #NoisemakersSoWhite, giving equal time and then some to subjects of color. And all the artists in this anthology are women or nonbinary creators, many also of color. It’s an improvement from similar anthologies in the market. The biographies in the back also emphasize the personal connection each artist has with their subject, whether it be Lucy Bellwood’s memoir of ships (like Jeanne Baret), Lucy Knisley’s and Julia Child’s love of French food, or Maris Wicks’s science comics and work with the New England Aquarium, just like Eugenie Clark and her sharks. It shows in each profile, but not overly so.
Continued belowArtwork has something for everyone and furthers that connection between artist and subject. Emil Ferris uses her sketchy notebook style that we know from “My Favorite Thing is Monsters” for the story of “Frankenstein” writer Mary Shelley. Alitha E. Martinez’s tale of Josephine Baker is as colorful as Ms. Baker’s life. MariNaomi, Little Corvus, and Maris Wicks lean hard into cooler color palettes to emphasize the connection each woman they spotlight have to water, be it ice and snow on a mountain or the English coast. What all 25 stories have in common is a balance between art and text, each complementing the other, neither one too dominant. And that goes back to the personal connection each contributor has with their profile, keeping their own individual style while letting the person they portray, and not how they are portrayed, tell the story.
A fun complement to “Noisemakers” is a Spotify playlist of girl power songs spanning genres from pop to indie rock to riot grrl to hip-hop, another way to connect past to present to future. It certainly got me in the empowerment spirit as I was reading. (Parents may want to take a listen before playing for kids, especially on the younger side – – one of the songs as of this writing is marked explicit.)
This new decade started off on quite a rocky footing culturally and socially. No doubt everyone feels the fatigue. And just in time for Black History month (this month) and Women’s History Month (next month), “Noisemakers” comes just in time for adults and kids to find that footing to be the change they need to be in the world.
