Nearly 800 public and charter schools throughout Pennsylvania are set to receive copies of a graphic novel that envisions the consequences had the efforts to overturn the 2020 election succeeded.

The publisher, OneSixComics, is distributing “1/6: The Graphic Novel” to high schools across 495 public school districts, 87 charter schools, 76 career centers, and eight state juvenile correction facilities as part of a campaign promoting pro-democracy education.

According to a news release from One Six Comics, “In the vein of speculative fiction like 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale, it tackles themes of autocracy, scapegoating, and strategic disinformation, tracing the path from secretive meetings and white supremacist rallies to the violent assault on the Capitol.”

The graphic novel series comprises four issues, created by Harvard Law School professor Alan Jenkins and New York Times bestselling author and artist Gan Golan.

Jenkins shared with the YSL News Network that he and Golan began working on this graphic novel over two years ago due to the ongoing “myths and lies” surrounding the 2020 election and the subsequent violent events.

“It became clear that we needed to narrate the events of what happened — and what could have transpired — and to do so in a manner that would connect with everyday people who care about our democracy but might not have the time to delve into the extensive 800-page House Select Committee report on the insurrection,” Jenkins remarked.

He added that the decision to target Pennsylvania schools was intentional, as the state is widely considered the “birthplace of democracy,” and it ranks among the top states for the most banned and challenged books in public schools, as highlighted by organizations like PEN America and the American Library Association.

Which schools in PA will receive “1/6: The Graphic Novel”?

A comprehensive list of 780 schools has been shared with the YSL News Network by the publisher, including 58 schools located in Philadelphia, 18 in Bucks County, 17 in York County, and 14 in Erie County.

Central Bucks School District, boasting one of the largest student bodies in Pennsylvania, will receive copies for each of its five middle schools. The remaining 12 school districts in the county will also obtain copies for their high school libraries, including the Bucks County Technical High School, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, and Upper Bucks County Technical School.

The donations are aimed at enriching school libraries with physical copies of the book, but Jenkins mentioned there is also a digital platform available for teachers wishing to include the graphic novel as part of their lesson plans.

The donation package comprises an educational guide crafted by the Western States Center, a national nonprofit that opposes “undemocratic social movements” and hate groups, according to details on their website.

A detailed list of all the schools receiving books from OneSixComics is provided below.

Is “1/6: The Graphic Novel” accessible in my school’s library?

While the publisher has commenced sending copies of the graphic novel to various schools, it’s important to note that school districts often have regulations regarding the acceptance and distribution of donations.

Districts are not obligated to utilize any donations they receive.

For instance, according to Central Bucks policy 702 on gifts, grants, and donations, the school board “holds the right to decline any gift that does not support the district’s goals or could negatively impact it.”

All donated items are subject to the same rules and policies that apply to other school properties.

What’s included in “1/6: The Graphic Novel”

The final two issues of the graphic novel will be distributed following their release in the upcoming months, but the publisher has provided the first two issues to the YSL News Network, including the Bucks County Courier Times and The Intell.

The storyline is set in the near future in Washington, D.C., focusing on a few main characters including a nurse, a journalist, a former congressional aide, and a Trump supporter whose child lost their life in the Capitol riot.

The first issue mainly introduces these characters and outlines an America under a totalitarian regime.

A news broadcast station faces a violent takeover by a paramilitary group during a live transmission after the station breaches the “Fair and Balanced Media Act of 2021”

During a rally that commemorates the insurrection, a speaker labels someone “an enemy of freedom,” pinpointing “antifa” and “Black Lives Matter” as the culprits behind the hanging of former Vice President Mike Pence. Members of the resistance discreetly communicate through their meal orders at a diner.

The second issue mostly recounts the timeline of events leading up to January 6, 2021, tracing back to the Unite the Right rally held in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, where a large group of neo-Nazis and white supremacists gathered to protest the removal of Confederate statues.

The narrative pulls from legal documents, sworn testimonies, and media sources, but Jenkins mentioned that he and Golan also held their own interviews, which helped shape some of the central characters.

Some panels in the comic reflect scenarios documented by eyewitnesses; however, the specific language and settings are often either unverified or unknown.

Jenkins pointed out that the graphic novel doesn’t include nudity or sexual content, nor does it depict unnecessary violence.

The violence represented in the comic strictly pertains to the events of January 6 or the actions that were intended to take place, Jenkins clarified.