MOVE has a long and storied history in Philadelphia, and West Philadelphia art teacher Peter Coyle has created a new way to detail that history, writes Shae Lake for NBC10 Philadelphia.
Coyle is the creator, author, and illustrator behind the new webcomic series, “MOVE vs the System.”
The first comic strip launched on June 21, and Coyle plans to publish a new one every two weeks.
Founded in Philadelphia by John Africa in 1972, MOVE was a Black liberation group and revolutionary organization that advocated for a number of issues, including the environment and animal rights.
On the dreadful date of May 13, 1985, Philadelphia police officers dropped a bomb on the MOVE headquarters on Osage Avenue after a 90-minute shootout with the group. This resulted in the death of six adults and five children and a large fire that burned down 60 homes and left 250 people homeless.
Despite a 1986 commission report calling the bombing “unconscionable” and two grand jury investigations, no one from city government was ever criminally charged.
Coyle does extensive research on the organization to create his comics.
“I almost want to tell it in a cinematic way,” Coyle said.
He hopes others will enjoy learning about MOVE through these comics.
Read more about Peter Coyle and his new MOVE-centric comic strip at NBC10 Philadelphia.
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