Supertruck

With inspiring faith in the power of hardworking municipality big rigs, Stephen Savage plots a carefully-worded vehicle-based pictorial storyline about a humble garbage truck’s evening overtime.

“He just collects the thrash,” writes Savage. Under the cover of night, however, the truck takes on an entirely new role with elevating significance: a snowplough. With his new equipment, he becomes Supertruck, striking out on his route with renewed purpose. Supertruck saves an imperiled New York from a colossal snowstorm. The story, however, takes an almost unparalleled twist here.

At the end of his overtime battling the elements, Supertruck returns to his garage without a word. His fulfillment of civic duty is entirely a pleasure unto itself. His modesty is thus a refreshing break from the sweeping accolades, exaggerated laurels, or media choruses singing unending hymns to this or that hero. The real hero is the garbage man.

With simple, colored linocut, Savage’s Supertruck, conveys complex ideas to further the development of an emotional intelligence in young kindergarten or first grade children.