A gripping tale of disaster, injustice, and resistance in America’s industrial age.
Set against the backdrop of one of the nation’s earliest man-made ecological catastrophes, Fire on the Water is a powerful historical fiction graphic novel that exposes the racial and economic divides of the early 20th-century Midwest.
Written by Scott MacGregor and illustrated by Gary Dumm, this graphic novel brings to life the harrowing events surrounding the 1916 East Ohio Gas explosion in Cleveland, Ohio—an industrial tragedy that devastated a working-class neighborhood and revealed the stark inequalities of the era.
Through vivid storytelling and expressive artwork, the book follows the lives of those affected by the disaster, weaving together themes of corporate negligence, environmental recklessness, and the resilience of marginalized communities. Fire on the Water is not just a chronicle of a forgotten tragedy—it’s a searing commentary on the costs of progress and the voices too often left out of history.
Perfect for fans of socially conscious graphic novels and readers of historical nonfiction, this is a haunting and timely reminder of the human toll behind industrial ambition.
Praise
“A plucky tale of survival and heroism.”Publishers Weekly
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“…compellingly utilizes biographical elements, political machinations, corruption, humor, and even light touches of fantasy to weave a nuanced tapestry about the richness of human experience under the most trying circumstances.”Library Journal
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"A powerful vision that exposes the far-reaching impacts of greed and oppression."Booklist
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"...a story that feels contemporary in its confluence of environmental disregard, racism and economic inequality."Cool Cleveland
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“Solid, well-told history of an industrial disaster in early 20th century Cleveland.”Forbes
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