The System

Peter Kuper's The System (1997–present, DC) is a single-issue, wordless graphic novel that follows a single dollar bill as it passes from hand to hand through a cross-section of New York City lives. Kuper, who wrote and illustrated the entire work, uses intricate scratchboard art to trace the bill's journey from a street vendor to a junkie, a mugger, and beyond, creating a silent, interconnected portrait of urban survival. Its stark, expressionistic style and focus on systemic inequality mark it as a unique, socially conscious entry in DC's publishing history.