#5: WTF Can Artists Do During a Fascist Takeover, Issue 2

October 2025

Comic by Jordan Seaberry, based on a conversation with Nadine Bloch

When I sat down to make a follow-up to WTF Can Artists Do During a Fascist Takeover?!, I froze. Every idea felt too small for the scale of crisis we’re in.

So I turned back to a place where I’ve found real clarity and possibility: movement wisdom.

This summer, the U.S. Department of Arts & Culture partnered with Beautiful Trouble to host a training called Artists Against Authoritarianism. The session was led by the brilliant Nadine Bloch, who reminded us that resistance isn’t magic, it’s a strategy. I left that training energized and clearer than I had been in a long time.

Instead of trying to solve everything at once, I decided to focus this next comic on three simple (but essential) questions:

  1. What do authoritarians around the world actually do?

  2. How do we organize effective resistance?

  3. And what role can artists play in that struggle?

These questions cracked something open for me, and I hope this comic does the same for you.

“Resistance isn’t magic, it’s a strategy.”

One of the great gifts of being part of the USDAC community is the constant reminder to bring your whole self into the work. So yeah, in this issue I’m joined by some of my most trusted advisors:

🤖 Optimus Prime, my favorite military leader

🦇 Batman, my favorite toxic agro-bro

🦫 Beaver, my favorite animal

View the full comic below.

Want to learn more?

  • Much of the content of this comic was adapted from the Authoritarian Playbook by United to Protect Democracy. You can read the full report here