{"id":35402,"date":"2026-05-01T11:37:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T11:37:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=35402"},"modified":"2026-05-01T11:37:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T11:37:40","slug":"noisy-valley-the-art-of-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2026\/05\/01\/noisy-valley-the-art-of-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"Noisy Valley: The Art of Protest"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nBy Myfanwy Tristram<\/strong> (SelfMadeHero)
\nISBN: 978-1-914224-43-0 (THB)<\/p>\n

The world has always been hierarchical in nature. Moreover, the ever-expanding, shamefully selfish human portion of it has never missed any opportunity to exploit, impose upon and oppress its own \u201clower orders\u201d. Historically, those who put themselves above us have systematically entrenched and weaponized wealth, ownership, culture – and weapons too – to suppress those they deem \u201clesser\u201d in some arbitrarily decided way you were never consulted upon. This is called lawmaking and \u201ckeeping public order\u201d.<\/p>\n

The other side (the only un-oppressed minority in existence) uses divisive popularism, money-thuggery and lawyers, because they believe most ordinary people don\u2019t give a toss about anything until it affects them in the pocket or impacts their kids and, no matter to what end of the political spectrum one belongs, they can be bought or placated by gestures rather than actual change.<\/p>\n

And what can the rest of us do? Grumble, complain and, if all else fails, be disruptive. We unite in protest because all we have going for us is numbers and shared goals…<\/p>\n

Having, in my militant radical youth, marched a few miles and punched (far less than) my fair share of neo-Nazi thugs and bovver boys – kids, don\u2019t do this unless you really, truly have to – I still ascribe to old-fashioned ideas which don\u2019t properly fit in a modern society, but I\u2019m still angry and reasonable enough to be willing to listen and entertain new options…<\/p>\n

Generally speaking, politics is composed of and utilised mutually by firebrands, coldly calculating grandees and wannabe despots, but in recent years universal failures in leadership large and small have prompted exponential growth in movements of gentle resistance and persuasion. It has to be gentle now, because each increasingly innovative exhibition of concern and dissent has been met with revision of laws already calculated to defang protestors and quash opposing opinions.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what Noisy Valley<\/strong> is all about…<\/p>\n

All governments change laws and tinker with norms of social compliance to reduce resistance to the people the elected ones actually serve. This is done in pursuit of a mythic general weal that translates as \u201cme\/my donor\u2019s money is more important that your concerns or lives\u201d and \u201cwe value your opinion, but keep it to yourselves\u201d…<\/p>\n

This compelling graphic report documents a long history of hands-on dissent via local, global and grass roots responses to abuses by those-in-power, gleaned from firsthand witness accounts by those who were involved at the time. \u00a0Here they are transformed into rousing modern fables that sprang from an art project celebrating democratic crusading activists and the stirring histories of South Wales\u2019 Rhondda valley.<\/p>\n

It was 2022, a time when everybody in Britain – and on Earth – had plenty to protest about. It was around that twenty minutes or so when Liz Truss \u201cled\u201d the nation that assorted ordinary folk were making their way to The Workers Gallery of Ynyshir<\/em> to view an exhibition of protest drawings by Brighton-based social historian\/comics creator Myfanwy Tristram (Draw the Line<\/strong>, Running Out<\/strong>)…<\/p>\n

That exhibition and the people she met there became the basis for a graphic catalogue of eyewitness stories focused on when protest evolved, why it is embattled in the UK, and how it is under threat of being legislated out of existence now…<\/p>\n

Here in easily-accessible snippets of the past are the observations of those fighting public spending cuts and library closures; Anti-Consumerism<\/em>, The Greenham Common Peace Camp<\/em> and Police responses to the question \u2018Do we have a right to protest?\u2019<\/em>
\n\"\"
\nExamination of how laws have been changed and the Courts deployed to suppress societal disruption accompanies scrutiny and testimony on Schoolgirl strikes<\/em>; The Aldermaston Marches<\/em> (by on-scene photographer David Hurn); the Miners\u2019 Strikes<\/em> and Hospital closures<\/em> (specifically a schoolboy marcher protesting the loss of Llwynpia in South Wales).<\/p>\n

More factoids about US\/Welsh historical connections, global suppression of dissent, increasing size of protest movements and the apparently not-quite-officially-genocide in Gaza bracket personal reports of Women in the Workplace<\/em> from the 1960s to today; Politician Jill Evans\u2019 fight to make safe deadly landfill sites of Nantygwyddon<\/em> and poet Patrick Jones\u2019 battle to save ancient woodlands of Sirhowy Valley<\/em> before the stories close with climate change protestor Jenny McLelland<\/em> and an overview of what happened since the Noisy Valley project began in 2022 (…so many Prime Ministers and lawmakers gone since then…!)<\/p>\n

Closing the celebration are \u2018End Notes\u2019<\/em> comprising illustrated mini briefings on all \u2018The Protestors\u2019<\/em> storied here; a copious section of contacts for further study compiled as \u2018References\u2019<\/em>; Acknowledgements<\/em> and a pretty impressive biography of auteur Myfanwy Tristram.
\n\"\"
\nThe greatest enemy of the impassioned ideologue is apathy. This simple fact forces activists and visionaries to ever-more devious and imaginative stunts and tactics. However, all entrenched Powers-That-Be are ultimately hopeless before one thing: collective unified resistance by the very masses they\u2019re holding down through force of arms; artificial boundaries (class, race, capitalist dogma); forms of mind control like bread, circuses and religion; divisive propagandas or just the insurmountable ennui of grudging acceptance to a status quo flavoured with an orchestrated fear that unknown changes could make things worse.<\/p>\n

From its earliest inception, art – and especially cartooning – has been used to sell: initially ideas or values but eventually actual products too. In newspapers, magazines and especially comics the sheer power of narrative – with its ability to create emotional affinities – has been linked to unforgettable images and characters. When those stories affect generations of readers, the force that they can apply in a commercial, social or especially political context is almost irresistible…<\/p>\n

The power of graphic narrative to efficiently, potently and evocatively disseminate information and advocate complex issues with great conviction through layered levels has always been most effectively used in works with a political or social component. That\u2019s never been more evident than here…
\nText and images \u00a9 Myfanwy Tristram, 2026. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n

Noisy Valley: The Art of Protest<\/strong> will be published on May 14th<\/sup> 2026 and is available for pre-order now.<\/p>\n

A national promotional tour is underway and you can meet the creator and exchange all the views you cherish at a number of venues. These include<\/p>\n

7th<\/sup> May: GOSH Comics<\/strong>, London launch party for Noisy Valley<\/strong><\/p>\n

16th<\/sup> May: Beyond the Book Festival<\/strong>, Brighton<\/p>\n

18th<\/sup> May: Waterstones, Brighton<\/strong><\/p>\n

24th<\/sup> May: BorthFfest<\/strong>, Wales<\/p>\n

27th<\/sup> May: Hay Festival<\/strong>, Hay-on-Wye, Wales<\/p>\n

29th<\/sup> May: The Worker\u2019s Gallery, Rhondda<\/strong>, Wales celebration event<\/a> for Noisy Valley<\/strong><\/p>\n

6th<\/sup> June: Leeds Litfest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Please seek further details from them. I just type stuff…<\/p>\n

Today in 1919, we welcomed astoundingly versatile Canadian comics all-star James Winslow \u201cWin<\/em>\u201d Mortimer<\/strong> (Superman<\/strong>, Batman<\/strong>, Robin<\/strong>, Superboy<\/strong>, Stanley and His Monster<\/strong>, Spider-Man<\/strong>, Night Nurse<\/strong>) while in 1940 the Philippines was blessed by the comings of both Cal Sobrepe\u00f1a<\/strong> (Lovelife Komiks<\/em>) and the iconic fantasy master Alex Ni\u00f1o<\/strong> (Captain Fear<\/strong>, Thriller<\/strong>, Space Clusters<\/strong>), and Argentina greeted future mega-scripter Carlos Trillo<\/strong> (Cicca Dum Dum<\/em><\/strong>, Cybersix<\/strong>, El Negro Blanco<\/strong><\/em>, El Loco Ch\u00e1vez<\/em><\/strong>, Borderline<\/strong>, Clara de noche<\/strong>). The US struck back in the creative wonder stakes by birthing cartoonist Phil Foglio<\/strong> (Buck Godot<\/strong>, Dynamo Joe<\/strong>, Girl Genius<\/strong>, Angel and the Ape<\/strong>) and illustrator Tim Sale<\/strong> (Billi 99<\/strong>, Batman: The Long Halloween<\/strong>, Spider-Man: Blue<\/strong>) in 1956, and author\/painter Christopher Moeller<\/strong> (Iron Empires<\/strong>, Rocketman: King of the Rocketmen<\/em>, Star Wars<\/strong>, JLA: A League of One<\/strong>) in 1963.<\/p>\n

Landmark launches today include Ken Reid<\/strong>\u2019s fantastical Face Ache<\/strong> in 1971; adult French comics magazine L\u2019\u00c9cho des savanes<\/em><\/strong> in 1972 and Barbara Slate<\/strong>\u2019s boldly groundbreaking Angel Love<\/strong> for DC in 1987, but the date also marks the passing of veteran Belgian writer\/artist Sirius<\/em><\/strong> AKA Max Mayeu<\/strong> (Les<\/em><\/strong> Timour<\/em><\/strong>, Niki Lapin<\/strong>, L\u2019\u00c9pervier Bleu<\/em><\/strong>, Pemberton<\/em><\/strong>, Bouldadar<\/em><\/strong>) in 1997, and gone-too-soon Tomosina Cawthorne-Artis<\/strong> AKA Tom Artis<\/em><\/strong> (Tailgunner Jo<\/strong>, Judge Dredd<\/strong>, Sensational She-Hulk<\/strong>, The Spectre<\/strong>, The Web<\/strong>) in 2007.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Myfanwy Tristram (SelfMadeHero) ISBN: 978-1-914224-43-0 (THB) The world has always been hierarchical in nature. Moreover, the ever-expanding, shamefully selfish human portion of it has never missed any opportunity to exploit, impose upon and oppress its own \u201clower orders\u201d. Historically, those who put themselves above us have systematically entrenched and weaponized wealth, ownership, culture – … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Noisy Valley: The Art of Protest”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[81,115,166,104,122,343],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-art-books","category-biography","category-educational","category-graphic-autobiography","category-historical","category-reportage"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-9d0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35402"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35407,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35402\/revisions\/35407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}