The Political Is Personal: INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, viewed through one lens, is a look at the dissolution of a government from the point of view of a reporter on the ground. The atmosphere that government engendered, the people who were trampled while it came to power, and the secrets that were kept from the populace are all subject to inspection, and the result is a very close, holistic look at an idea that is often left as being a faceless, impenetrable monolith in these kinds of stories.
The Personal Is Political: Viewed through another lens, INVISIBLE REPUBLIC serves as a Secret History, telling the tale of what really happened when those recently removed from power first came to power. They say history is written by the victors, but that's only partially true. History is written by the victors and enshrined by the culture, once we accept that the victors' words are true. At the heart of INVISIBLE REPUBLIC is a secret that's just on the cusp of coming to light. We see the secret in all its glory, but the characters? They have to discover it over a period of time, dodging death and destruction along the way. We know the truth: the question is, will it stick?
We Tell Stories That Tell Us About Ourselves: In keeping with the theme of secret histories, the stories we tell ourselves, both fictional and factual, create our idea of the truth. The fact that we call George Washington and friends "The Founding Fathers" suggests a specific tone and approach to American history. While you're reading INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, consider what the stories the characters have accepted say about the culture they belong to. On top of that—what does it mean for a culture when the base of it is a lie?
What The Future Looks Like: INVISIBLE REPUBLIC creators Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman are masterful storytellers because they know that telling a story is about more than putting words in a balloon and pushing characters from Point A to Point B. The world of INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, and even the various locations in time, are not just clearly delineated but expertly designed, thanks in no small part to colorist Jordan Boyd. Pay attention to the mood that is created by the shadows, the layouts, and how the characters are situated in the panel. Everything counts, and when you have a setting that has been realized this well, the places people visit are as much a part of the story as the words coming out of their mouths.