Chick Tracts
99% Invisible11 Heinä 2023

Chick Tracts

In the 1980s, the little Christian comic books known as Chick Tracts were EVERYWHERE. You’d find them in movie theaters and bus station bathrooms, on subways, and all over shopping malls. People would slip them inside VHS rentals or library books.

Many Chick Tracts are black and white Christian horror stories that pull from a huge cast of characters: witches, bikers, Hindus, rock and rollers, Catholics, queer people, truckers, Masons and trick-or-treaters. And at some point in the tract, the protagonist often has to make a choice: either accept Jesus as their savior, or get tossed like cordwood into a Lake Of Fire.

Chick Tracts have left a really complicated legacy. Collectors are mesmerized by their edginess and kitsch. The Smithsonian regards Chick Tracts as American religious artifacts, and keeps a bunch of them in its vaults. At the same time, many of these comics are filled with some ugly and dangerous messages, including homophobia and Islamophobia. So the same tracts that have been hoarded and preserved have ALSO been boycotted and banned, and condemned as hate speech.

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.

Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaksot(778)

Where the F*** Are We?

Where the F*** Are We?

For centuries, the world's greatest minds were stumped by the deadly mystery of longitude, until an obsessive underdog entered the fray and changed navigation forever. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ ...

3 Maalis 47min

Constitution Breakdown #7: California AG Rob Bonta

Constitution Breakdown #7: California AG Rob Bonta

This is the seventh episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article IV, which outlines the relationship between states and between st...

27 Helmi 1h 17min

The Longest Fence in the World

The Longest Fence in the World

How a fence meant to protect sheep transformed the entire Australian landscape. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free ...

24 Helmi 31min

Molar City

Molar City

How a small Mexican border town transformed itself into the dental tourism capital of the world, where dental care costs up to 80% less than what it might cost in the United States. Subscribe to Siriu...

17 Helmi 41min

Artistic License Redux

Artistic License Redux

Idaho was the first state to slap a slogan on a license plate, “Idaho Potatoes,” which may not seem like a big deal, but it turns out this idea would end up having outsized consequences, and not just ...

10 Helmi 33min

The Em Dash

The Em Dash

The strange history of a punctuation mark that makes writing feel human, and why people now think it proves the opposite. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-...

3 Helmi 39min

Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak

Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak

This is the sixth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside New York Times...

30 Tammi 1h

What’s in a Name

What’s in a Name

Throughout Africa and beyond, Zimbabweans are known for choosing some of the most bold, head-turning English-language names. Zimbabwean producer Kim Chakanetsa tells the story of how her country's jou...

27 Tammi 26min

Suosittua kategoriassa Liike-elämä ja talous

sijotuskasti
mimmit-sijoittaa
rss-rahapodi
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-rahamania
herrasmieshakkerit
ostan-asuntoja-podcast
taloudellinen-mielenrauha
rss-sami-miettinen-neuvottelija
rahapuhetta
juristipodi
rss-startup-ministerio
rss-paasipodi
rss-draivi
pomojen-suusta
rss-lahtijat
rss-rikasta-elamaa
rss-pinnan-alla-kiehuu
rss-sisalto-kuntoon
rss-seuraava-potilas