I have just finished reading yet another excellent, succint short book by Jimmy Akin (of Catholic Answers, yet!), The Nightmare World of Jack Chick (San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2008). It is, if anything, even better than another Jimmy (James) Akin favourite of mine, his booklet on Mormons (i.e. L.D.S. Mormons). For those disturbed by tracts and other publications from Jack Chick, it is very worth reading for yourself and also passing along Akin’s small (and inexpensive) book to those whom these publications and their ideas influence all too strongly or in whom they give rise to needless doubts about the Holy Catholic Fatih.
Jack Chick himself, apart from the nefarious impact on him of Alberto Rivera, is very much an acolyte of Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, with whose views he is in total agreement. If you know how to counter “Ruckmanism”, then you know how to confront “Jack Chickery”. I always was sceptical, to some degree, about Jack Chick, though I reserved some admiration for his more truly evangelical tracts, e.g. the famous “This Is Your Life”, one which, indeed, can have a positive impact on unbelievers without so many lies and exaggerations. In person, I heard Alberto Rivera preach (in Montréal) twice (as also there I heard Ruckman, in person, on two or three occasions), which only deepened my suspicions, since Rivera (unlike the surely sincere Ruckman) seemed such a “con-man” in his pulpit style, and also had a disturbingly demonic air about him. Rivera was forceful and strikingly good-looking (an “handsome devil”), and he knew how to manipulate those who heard him. I have subscribed for years to “Battle Cry”, Jack Chick’s own periodical, which is useful for keeping up to date on this deluded crusader for all that Fundamentalistic, “fundamentally wrong” error.
Anyway, I can aver with full confidence just how balanced and truthful is Jimmy Akin’s portrayal of Jack Chick and Chick’s “faith comics” empire. (Akin even interviewed this reclusive huckster!) Get Akin’s book on Chick and, for sure, you will have a good head-start on dealing with “Jack Chickery” and its religious trickery!