Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir is a very pro vegetarian/vegan lifestyle memoir. There are intense images of animal abuse/cruelty as well as human death, blood, and talk of war. I wonder what Chai Simone (illustrator) was thinking when they were asked to do this graphic novel. Because for them this was a debut and they are being asked to create images of slaughtering animals, missing limbs on humans and a guy barfing in a toilet holding a giant bong. There is also mention of suicide and homeless veterans.
Michael Anthony has a girlfriend, Coconut, a vegetarian who seemingly out of the blue goes full frontal into The Movement (activism, animal rights, marches, tossing paint and yelling Murder to anyone eating meat or wearing leather/fur), and tries to push him into this eating and value lifestyle as well. What follows is a snapshot of Anthony’s time trying to come to terms with her lifestyle changes (when she was just a vegetarian she respected him and his meat eating choices, but now she is an animal rights activist, she has gone extreme. See above). At first, he tries balancing his own values and his feelings with this, then realizes maybe the way to beat her is to pretend to be converted to The Cause, then manipulate her “back to his side.” He uses not so subtle hints and even tries hypnotism when she’s asleep. These attempts and talking to others about his “problem” actually start convincing him more that maybe it is not such a bad idea to go vegetarian (later vegan). In fact, he even accidently “converts” a friend into going vegetarian. When everything boils over, and Michael confesses to his scheme, there is a small point where she says, “Well I was manipulating you (Michael) too.” (You think? The serious trigger warning images of slaughter and abuse of animal videos and imagery? And the constant “Murders eat meat” comments?) But that’s it. No, “I am sorry for trying to change you, Michael. I was a dirtbag, too,” just Michael is the dirtbag. In fact, he even starts the story off by telling us he was a dirtbag. Was what he did wrong? Yes! But they both were doing some really cruddy things to each other. 
The thing I came away with is that while this is a true story and there really wasn’t a message meant to be given other than the vegan lifestyle message, is that a lot, if not all, of this would have probably been not necessary is the two of them communicated with each other! Michael’s PTSD and Coconut’s angst with an abusive mother are important to consider, but honestly, if Michael had said “Hey I have body image issues and the war really numbed me” and she said, “I have compassion for others and I don’t want them to hurt like I did,” we wouldn’t have needed this book.
If you have not guessed, I am a card carrying meat eater. I try to respect others’ choices, but these guerilla tactics are not necessarily the way to handle the situation. But that’s just my opinion. And this book was one more way of being that guy with the opinion that sticking “I am George the Cow and you killed me” stickers on the meat in the store is okay.