Darryl Cunningham's Elon Musk Graphic Novel Finds An English Publisher

Last November, Bleeding Cool reported that British graphic novelist, Darryl Cunningham's latest work on Elon Musk has been published in French, but not in English. Elon Musk: Enquête sur un nouveau maître du monde, or " Inquiry about a new master of the world" was published in May 2024 but had not found a publisher for the original English version.

The Guardian picked up the story a couple of weeks later. At the time, Darryl Cunningham said "My book on Elon Musk came out last year from Delcourt Editions in France, but its publication in other countries looks unlikely. I'm told that there was interest from various international publishers at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair, but there was concern over possible legal consequences. This shouldn't be a problem as I was careful not to write anything that hadn't already been published elsewhere, and Delcourt's lawyers examined every word and line for problems. Nevertheless, we live now in a climate of fear where the worst people have immense power, and because of this, there's going to be a tendency for individuals, institutions, businesses, and the state to run for cover. Big thanks to Delcourt for having the courage to publish the book."

Well, at the London Book Fair today, it seems that someone stepped up. A poster on the wall at the Turnaround Distribution Services booth, which doubles as a get-together spot for comic book folk at the show, was identified as coming from Seven Stories Press. And it checks out… named Elon Musk: American Oligarch, it will be published in September this year.

Founded in 1995, Seven Stories Press has previously published the likes of Ted Rall's political biographies, and the Graphic Canon anthologies edited by Russ Kick that have introduced hundreds of illustrators and graphic artists to a new reading public. And now Darryl Cunningham and Elon Musk!

Elon Musk:American Oligarch by Darryl Cunningham
An unvarnished, critical graphic biography of the tech innovator, white supremacist, and presidential confidant by the author/illustrator of Putin's Russia: The Rise of a Dictator and Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful. Darryl Cunningham's new graphic biography of Elon Musk is a riveting deep-dive into the audacious mind and tumultuous journey of the world's richest man. Using his signature pictographic style—clean lines, vivid colors, and lean panel compositions—Cunningham peels back the layers of myth around Musk to deliver a timely portrait that is provocative and informative. Spanning several generations, the book traces Musk's journey from his family roots in apartheid South Africa and his grandfather's role in the Technocracy Movement to his current position at the apex of tech power and far-right politics. From Musk's early education and influences, the creation of PayPal, and the meteoric rise of Tesla and SpaceX thanks to millions in government handouts, to his ascension as a "dark MAGA" influencer and kingmaker, Elon Musk: American Oligarch captures the tension, tumult, and chaos in which oligarchs thrive today. Cunningham's award-winning clarity and style sparkle as he presents freewheeling financial and engineering concepts used by startups and tech companies. This fast-paced biography reveals the complex interactions of visionary ideas, relentless drive, and unyielding ambition. Elon Musk: American Oligarch offers a fresh, unvarnished look at Musk's rise, aggressive leadership style, and appetite for risk-taking that have propelled him into a unique position as an unelected private business owner with unprecedented access to political power.