[gambit]

Maus by Art Spiegelman. This won the Pulitzer back in 92, and it completely deserves it. It follows Art as he chronicles his father's time in Auschwitz during WWII by depicting Jews as mice and Nazis as cats (and other nationalities as other animals). It's funny, depressing, heart-wrenching, and just a phenomenal piece of art.

Channel Zero by Brian Wood. The religious right has taken over the American government, and has more or less outlawed free speech. Anyone trying to express an opposing viewpoint to the government risks death, but most Americans don't care. In comes Jennie 2.5, a performance artist turned freedom fighter, and she starts a revolution by hacking the airwaves. Originally written and drawn back in 97, I think, it's a pretty damn scary read now, but highly recommended.

Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar (and the artist I can't remember). Y'know how Kal-El landed in the heart of Kansas and was raised on American values? Well, scratch that; Kal-El landed in the Ukraine and was raised on Soviet values, becoming the heir to Stalin. Think about Superman's powers of sight and hearing, and he becomes the scariest Big Brother ever imagined. Just a great twist on a story we all know by heart.