Billionaires, The Lives of the Rich and Powerful by Darryl Cunningham is out from D+Q today! Darryl Cunningham is known for distilling nuanced, layered concepts (like mental health, and some of the most fiercely-debated issues in popular science) into simple and accessible comics. Now, he takes his keen eye to the shady dealings of some of the world’s most influential billionaires, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, oil and gas tycoons Charles and David Koch, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. His book analyzes their origin stories, political influences, and their incredible hold on the global economy. It’s a takedown like no other. 

Cunningham focuses on a central question: Can the world afford to have a tiny global elite squander resources and hold unprecedented political influence over the rest of us? His answer is told with tremendous research, evocative cartooning, and an unbridled wit. He leaves us with some advice on how to move on from a toxic capitalistic system as well. 

Cunningham investigates the ways in which Murdoch’s media empire has effectively swung the United States to the right, peddling misinformation on FOX News and supporting the rise of Donald Trump, an incredibly divisive and inflammatory leader. He then takes his focus to the Koch Brothers whose family helped fuel Nazi Germany, and finally to Amazon founder Bezos, whose earnings have shot up profoundly during the global pandemic. You can read more about Bezos and the working conditions at Amazon here in Darryl’s excerpt on Buzzfeed. 

Billionaires is in store today. Pick up a copy now!