A Suicide Bomber Sits in the Library is a new comic/picture book written by Rotten Ralph and Joey Pigza creator Jack Gantos and drawn by filmmaker and comics creator Dave McKean, and was to be published by Abrams in May 2019.

Five days ago, comic book journalist, publisher and distributor Zainab Akhtar noted its existence and pointed out some rather troubling aspects to the book about, as she put it, 'an illiterate brown Muslim boy who goes into a library with a suicide bomb only to start having second thoughts because people seem so into the world of books and if only he could read.'

Oh, did you know Dave McKean and Jack Gantos (2 white dudes) have a comic out next year about an illiterate brown Muslim boy who goes into a library with a suicide bomb only to start having second thoughts because people seem so into the world of books and if only he could read — Zainab Akhtar (@comicsandcola) November 19, 2018

The book has a tagline of "People stop thinking when they cease to read." Because reading will help the ignorant brown Muslim boy question/renounce his beliefs, you see, in addition to being some vague kumbaya about how a specific interpretation of culture will save the barbarian — Zainab Akhtar (@comicsandcola) November 19, 2018

I hate that I can see how this plays out: if the book gets any pushback at all, it'll be the 'free speech & censorship' whatabouttery: 'because i'm a white man i can't write about Muslims and brown people??', and any controversy it may get will likely boost its profile further — Zainab Akhtar (@comicsandcola) November 19, 2018

This led to considerable discussion of the comic book online. Artist of the comic Dave McKean responded, writing

The boy can read, I removed any inference that he couldn't from the book. You may still be disappointed, but I'd rather you judge the actual book and not a misreported version of it. — Dave McKean (@DaveMcKean) 20 November 2018

Which led to significant back and forths, with Zainab's followers, McKean replying to many, including this sample.

And not taken sarcastically, and if a script came along that expressed that brilliantly, I would do it tomorrow. In fact, the time I've spent talking to culturally appropriate consultants on this book may well lead to my writing that book. — Dave McKean (@DaveMcKean) 20 November 2018

Hi – thanks for your considered comment. I had just this anxiety when the script came to me. I just hoped we'd moved beyond each of us only being able to talk to and from our own little cultural bubble. My responsibility was to research, talk to consultants… — Dave McKean (@DaveMcKean) November 20, 2018

… and try and see the events in the book from all sides. I hope I have done this. I understand that my own cultural position may blind me to a genuine understanding of the issues, but what else can we do? Never ask questions? Never try to understand each other? — Dave McKean (@DaveMcKean) November 20, 2018

You may well be right. It's always unfortunate when people criticise something before actually reading it, but the shopwindow of this book, the title, the perception of it, was always going to be tough. I'm still learning and listening. — Dave McKean (@DaveMcKean) November 20, 2018

But reviews on Goodreads from people who had read preview galley copies (and posted art examples) began to plummet, giving the book 88 ratings and 30 reviews with an average of 1.7 stars. 1 star is the lowest.

The Asian Author Alliance wrote an open letter to Abrams also expressing their concerns, which was signed by over a thousand names, asking Abrams to 'look at the process that allowed this book to be acquired/written and to do better.'

Calling all authors, readers, teachers, librarians & pub professionals! Please consider signing an *open letter* to Abrams about their harmful new graphic novel by Jack Gantos & Dave McKean #ASuicideBomberSitsintheLibrary Our kids deserve better!https://t.co/0rhOM2NfL5 — Asian Author Alliance (@Asian_Authors) November 21, 2018

Yesterday, Abrams issued the following statement, cancelling the book.

ABRAMS has decided to withdraw publication of the adult graphic novel, A Suicide Bomber Sits in the Library, which was to be published on its Abrams ComicArts list in May 2019. While the intention of the book was to help broaden a discussion about the power of literature to change lives for the better, we recognize the harm and offense felt by many at a time when stereotypes breed division, rather than discourse. Therefore, together with the book's creators, we have chosen to withdraw its release.

Although Akhtar noticed some issues with that language as well.

In this highly disingenuous statement by Abrams announcing the pulling of Dave Mckean's and Jack Gantos' 'A suicide bomber sits in the library,' the book has magically made the transition from kids title to adult graphic novel. https://t.co/LPKXU6jzDi — Zainab Akhtar (@comicsandcola) November 23, 2018

They also weirdly bemoan a time when 'stereotypes bred discourse instead of division'?? Which is a strange way to acknowledge the Muslim character is a stereotype, not to mention ahistorically incorrect. — Zainab Akhtar (@comicsandcola) November 23, 2018

Checking the Google cache confirms that the 'adult graphic novel' aspect attributed to the comic book is indeed a new one and that the author bios on the page emphasised Jack Gantos' books for young readers and Dave McKean's children's books The Graveyard Book, and Coraline. Oh, and the tweet at the top of this article came from the ABRAMS Kids imprint.

Comic book writer G Willow Wilson had some insight both into the origin and funding of the comic book and how she had been approached to work on similar volumes.

APPARENTLY, this story was first solicited as part of an ostensibly CVE (countering violent extremism) anthology put out by a human rights NGO. CVE is a buzzword you've almost certainly heard if you are a Muslim living in the West and possibly never heard if you aren't. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

Essentially, CVE is a blanket term for social engineering strategies to keep people from becoming terrorists. It sounds like a great idea until you discover how it is implemented and who is implementing it. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

As far as I can tell, CVE is deployed almost exclusively within Muslim communities–and not, for example, within white supremacist groups or militias. You'll notice there is no Lil School Shooter Goes To The Library picture book. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

(And there won't be. Think about the Fox News coverage that would occur if a picture book aimed at children referred to its main character–also a child–solely as The School Shooter.) — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

Anyway, since everybody is understandably invested in preventing terrorism, there is a lot of money in CVE these days. And the people running these programs will throw literally anything at the wall to see what sticks. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

The problem is that these people are SO far removed from the communities they are attempting to socially re-engineer that their 'strategies' are at best complete farcical BS and and worst blatantly harmful. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

One of the more popular strategies they've deployed in recent years is–you guessed it–comics! How do I know? I've been approached to write this stuff. Needless to say, I have refused. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

It sounds like such a great pitch–your voice matters! Art can change the world! You could be the one to turn this all around! Remember that NYT interview I did last week when I talked about no longer accepting the Books Matter stuff uncritically? This ish is exactly what I meant — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

I would urge creators (esp minority creators, because they will come to you first for credibility purposes) to research any governmental or nonprofit project with CVE overtones thoroughly before saying yes. Who is the audience? Can you speak to the subject with integrity? Etc. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018

The absolute best thing you can do to prevent terrorism has nothing to do with art. The best thing you can do to prevent terrorism is elect leaders who do not bomb countries into rubble, leaving its youth with 3 career choices: refugee, extremist, or corpse. — G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) November 20, 2018