Book Review: Readings

The New Texas History Movies

by Jack Jackson

Texas State Historical Association, 50 pp., $9.95 (paper)

The posthumous New Texas History Movies serves as a fitting coda to the work of cartoonist Jack Jackson. His final project is both a continuation of his acclaimed and realistic historical comics, as well as a reinterpretation of a comic strip that inspired him as a boy. As Jackson explains in the afterword, "A Bit of History About Texas History Movies," reading the original Texas History Movies succeeded in sparking his lifelong interest in the state's history. First published as a newspaper comic in 1926 and later compiled and distributed in a variety of formats to generations of Texas schoolkids, Jackson included, the comic played an important role in shaping the romantic self image of the state. Jackson's new version is the culmination of his desire to produce a more realistic and balanced version of Texas history.

The goal of the original comic strip was to educate the public about the historical heritage of Texas and to entertain them in the process. Each panel was envisioned as being a frame from an epic movie about the state with the captions acting as subtitles. The art conveyed the majority of the story, while the captions added context and facts. The strip was a hit with the public and helped fuel much of the myth of Texas. But it was marred by the racial stereotyping and biases that were common during the time it was produced. With the changing times, the book fell out of favor and was finally dropped as an educational tool. Jackson's book provides a more balanced history of Texas. He adopts the format of the original comic but updates it using his realistic style and a more evenhanded telling of events. Most of the mythologizing has been dropped in favor of a straightforward, matter-of-fact telling of history. Like the original comic, Jackson's illustrations provide the gist of the story while his captions fill in the facts concerning the people and places. His often irreverent, modern dialogue adds a touch of humor to the history.

The book opens with Columbus landing in the Bahamas and closes with the final defeat of the Comanches and the building of the state Capitol. In between, Jackson covers the conflicts, broken treaties, and power struggles that shaped the state. His artwork, with its extensive crosshatching, evokes the style of old woodcuts. The style fits the time period he depicts, which enhances the documentarylike tone. It wouldn't be surprising if New Texas History Movies became a useful educational tool in seventh-grade Texas History classes. Maybe it will inspire some young cartoonist to dig into the history of the state.