Connect with us
'The Secret History of the War on Weed' mixes comedy and politics well
Image

Comic Books

‘The Secret History of the War on Weed’ mixes comedy and politics well

Celebrate 4/20 with ‘The Secret History of the War on Weed.’

Image Comics is wishing everyone a happy 4/20 this week with the comedic and somewhat historical The Secret History of the War on Weed. The one-shot is by Deadpool collaborators Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn with art by Scott Koblish. It’s a series you can get more insight on if you listen to AIPT Comics podcast’s exclusive interview with Posehn and Koblish. It’s an extra-sized issue that blends ultraviolence with the stupidity of the government crackdown on drugs.

The story is set in 1983 and focuses on Nancy Reagan’s desire to eliminate Northern California cannabis farms. She sends an agro Arnold Swarzenegger type named Scotch McTiernan to burn up the crops and send the farmers’ lives into disarray. At the start, Scotch is disgusted by these criminals, but after being captured and forced to get high things to change for him. He realizes the herb isn’t bad at all. It’s way over the top and a good time.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

Early on you’ll get Deadpool vibes thanks to the captions which break the fourth wall and reflect on the action in the moment. They also poke fun at the intentionally bad one-liners by Scotch. Unfortunately for the comedy side of things, the creative team clearly had to scale back the violence. Scotch is our hero, after all, so killing the farmers wouldn’t have worked, but it ends up making some of the violence less gratuitous.

Koblish positively nails the weed scene. It’s straight out of a glow-in-the-dark poster with trippy weirdness exemplifying Scotch getting high. In fact, some of the imagery will make you want a Swamp Thing book drawn by Koblish. Hi-Fi colors the entire book and it looks as good as anything on the shelf. The colors in the trippy scene are also great. Koblish’s action is perfectly over the top and it’s a fun ride from beginning to end.

While the first half is a straight-from-the-’80s action frenzy, the second half opens up into more of a superhero action fest. Scotch takes the fight to the United States government, and while he’s still as American as they come, he must vanquish the evil that opposes God’s great herb. The super-types Scotch must fight are fun and eclectic. Koblish does a great job designing all of them which helps make the story feel fantastical.

'The Secret History of the War on Weed' review

Note the captions.
Image

All that being said, this one-shot would probably be far funnier if you were high. It certainly has funny moments–who doesn’t like a Nancy Reagan blowjob joke?–but a lot of the hilarity leans on over-the-top moments that require a specific type of mood.

To add to the fun quotient, there are some activity pages to close out the book. The joke is of course this isn’t a comic for kids, but after understanding the messaging, maybe it should be? The overall nature of stopping unnecessary wars is one we should be passing down to children.

If the messaging wasn’t clear enough, this is a political sort of comic. Note that portions of the proceeds will be going to charities working to free cannabis prisoners. It’s an incredible gesture, especially in a country that continues to open up cannabis sales seemingly daily. Charities include Last Prisoner Project, NDICA, Freedom Grow, and Americans for Safe Access. If this comic resonates with you, consider donating to these causes.

It’s not every day New Comic Book Day falls on 4/20, so it’s likely in your best interest to pick up The Secret History of the War on Weed. Not only because it helps good causes, but it shows off the genius minds that know how to pull off over-the-top comedy and sharply drawn action. This is a rare comics experience that you don’t often get, which is why it’s an easy recommendation to add it to your read pile.

'The Secret History of the War on Weed' mixes comedy and politics well
‘The Secret History of the War on Weed’ mixes comedy and politics well
The Secret History of the War on Weed
It's not every day New Comic Book Day falls on 4/20, so it's likely in your best interest to pick up The Secret History of the War on Weed. Not only because it helps good causes, but it shows off the genius minds that know how to pull off over-the-top comedy and sharply drawn action. This is a rare comics experience that you don't often get, which is why it's an easy recommendation to add it to your read pile.
Reader Rating1 Vote
9
Tons of over-the-top action
Second half takes a more superhero angle with the action
Koblish is great at capturing the action with good colors by Hi-fi
Helps good causes
The comedy isn't necessarily laugh out loud hilarious...unless you're high of course
8.5
Great
Buy Now

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024 WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024 AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024 AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup