Hipster Hitler - Book Review

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Adolf Hipster is a great name for a band, even the most politically correct man can laugh at it. Unless you're Hipster Hitler, naturally. Hipster Hitler is the Eponymous star of the best comedy you'll get in print this year, another triumph by Feral House . It accurately turns Adolf Hitler into one of the most accurate portrayals of the most ridiculed subcultures today. It all fits: "failed artist, vegetarian, animal rights activist, asshole." How many of these people do you see in Nathan Barley country? Loads, all "expressing their individuality" in the most conformist way possible.

It satirises the conformity of the hipster under the guise of being cutting edge, for which The Dead Kenedys' frontman, Jello Biafra expressed disdain in "MTV Get Off The Air". The funniest bits are in the attention to detail, such as Hipster Hitler's "Save The Panzer" T-shirt. With his silly haircut and toothbrush moustache, it just needs the Buddy Holly Glasses and he's just the asshole you can see in Brick Lane. When I was buying it, the shop keeper in Rough Trade told me that a customer who bought it had such flamboyant face fungus that he had to double take. Yes, it's that funny that you're lauging before the pages are turned. The Shoreditch Twat didn't know the joke was on them. This cartoon strip, and the original webcomic , is a conspiracy against crimes against non-conformity.



We all know the plot: a pretentious failed artist who served in the trenches comes to power amidst the political and economic turmoil of Germany during the Weimar Republic. His public speaking is so powerful that people are overawed, but it makes you wonder whether it is the spontaneous bongo solos that did it. He is so obsessed with being original and avant-garde that Hipster Hitler goes into one of his psychopathic hissy-fits when he starts World War Two, saying: "I'm Progressive!" They could at least call it something like 'The Adolf Hitler Project'." Every hipster knows that sequels are derivative, but so is history.

While I love the fact that it takes liberties with history, it doesn't do it at the expense of accuracy. Broseph Stalin, being the legendary pisshead that he was, is portrayed as a raucous frat boy who pops collars and gets pissed. When tank production is increased, we know the results of what happened when the Pabst Blue Ribbon Vs Natty Lite debate caused a meltdown in German-Soviet relations. It lead to the biggest pub crawl in history. It's true, Stalin loved his drink and when the Berlin S-Bahn he siezed the opportunity and launched the Workers Hot Tub Party of Germany. Anyone who left early got shot. Ghandi was a hippie, whom Hipster Hitler calls "a poseur" when he reads his! It takes one to know one, especially if you're trying to be so underground you're going to kill 60m people.

The whole cartoon makes me wonder whether whether Kim Il-Sung was less a Bond villain and more the man your mother warned you about. I can see him in a dirty mac shuffling down the street and the police in New Malden were looking at someone lurking around primary schools answering to his description. Or was that Lavrenti Beria? Indeed, you even wonder whether other leaders are really something. If there is a downside, It's so funny that I haven't found it yet. If there is one, the hipsters are getting huffy out of political correctness to see their own hypocrisy. Besides, I'm too busy laughing.

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