The Life and Comics of Howard Cruse: Taking Risks in the Service of Truth

Published by Rutgers University Press in 2021, this single-issue comic explores the career of Howard Cruse, the pioneering underground cartoonist and gay rights advocate. The book examines how Cruse's work, from Barefootz to Stuck Rubber Baby, consistently pushed boundaries by blending personal vulnerability with political conviction. As a scholarly yet accessible graphic essay, it positions Cruse as a vital figure in both the alternative comics movement and LGBTQ+ storytelling.