Preview — ‘Elon Musk: American Oligarch’ Gets English Language Release This September
by Richard Bruton
Well, there was some speculation it might not get an English language release due to its subject matter in these politically charged times, but thankfully, Seven Stories Press announced it’s publishing Elon Musk: American Oligarch by Darryl Cunningham in September.
Originally published in French by Éditions Delcourt, the new English edition will be an updated version – after all, there’s been rather a lot happening in the world to do with this particular subject.
Seven Stories Press is a publisher that seems perfectly suited to this one -describing itself as publishing ‘works of the imagination and political titles by voices of conscience under our primary imprint.’
And they go on to describe Elon Musk: American Oligarch as ‘an unvarnished, critical graphic biography of the tech innovator and presidential confidant.’
You can see why it might have been seen as problematic of course, with Cunningham himself saying this about it back in 2024, then titled Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter:
‘My book on Elon Musk came out last year from Delcourt Editions in France, but it’s publication in other countries looks unlikely. I’m told that there was interest from various international publishers at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair, but there was concern over possible legal consequences. This shouldn’t be a problem as I was careful not to write anything that hadn’t already been published elsewhere and Delcourt’s lawyers examined every word and line for problems. Nevertheless, we live now in a climate of fear where the worst people have immense power, and because of this there’s going to be a tendency for individuals, institutions, businesses, and the state to run for cover.’
But now we’ll all get a chance to see what Cunningham has done with the story of Musk. He’s done it before, of course, with his work in the last decade and more focusing on graphic reportage, whether that’s the likes of Psychiatric Tales and Science Tales, before going into more political spheres with Supercrash, Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful, and Putin: The Rise of a Dictator.
His spare and effective artwork belies the power he brings to his works, all of them speaking a truth of their own, whether it’s looking at mental health, exploring science, finance, or politics. And this latest on Elon Musk promises to be just as powerful, just as fascinating.
Here’s how Seven Stories describe Elon Musk: An American Oligarch…
‘Darryl Cunningham’s graphic biography of Elon Musk is a riveting deep-dive into the audacious mind and tumultuous journey of the world’s richest man. Using his signature pictographic style – clean lines, vivid colours, and lean panel compositions – Cunningham peels back the layers of myth around Musk to deliver a timely portrait that is provocative and informative.
‘Spanning several generations, the book traces Musk’s journey from his family roots in apartheid South Africa and his grandfather’s role in the Technocracy Movement to his current position at the apex of tech power and far-right politics. From Musk’s early education and influences, the creation of PayPal, and the meteoric rise of Tesla and SpaceX thanks to millions in government handouts, to his ascension as a “dark MAGA” influencer and kingmaker, Elon Musk: American Oligarch captures the tension, tumult, and chaos in which oligarchs thrive today.
Cunningham’s award-winning clarity and style sparkle as he presents freewheeling financial and engineering concepts used by startups and tech companies. This fast-paced biography reveals the complex interactions of visionary ideas, relentless drive, and unyielding ambition.
Elon Musk: American Oligarch offers a fresh, unvarnished look at Musk’s rise, aggressive leadership style, and appetite for risk-taking that have propelled him into a unique position as an unelected private business owner with unprecedented access to political power.’
It’s going to be a great book, I can tell you that for sure just by having read everything Darryl’s had published thus far. But it has the potential to be a big book, coming at just the right time.
Elon Musk: American Oligarch – written and illustrated by Darryl Cunningham, published by Seven Stories Press on 9th September 2025. More from Cunningham on Patreon, Instagram.
