The Department of Truth, vol. 5: What Your Country Can Do for You

The Department of Truth #5

by James Tynion IV, Martin Simmonds (illustrator), Alison Sampson (illustrator)

"A wonderfully dizzy mixture of Men in Black, John Carpenter, Stephen King, The Matrix, and 1970s conspiracy thrillers." —Forbes

Confronted with an enemy intent on exposing their secrets to the world, the Department of Truth made a shocking choice—go public first. But to understand Lee Harvey Oswald’s risky gambit, we have to return to where it all started: Dallas, 1963, as President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade passed the grassy knoll…and a woman in red with X’s for eyes picked up a rifle in the window of the Texas Book Depository.

ALSO IN THIS VOLUME: Marilyn Monroe’s life was stranger than fiction. So strange that she may have slipped out of reality herself.

Multiple Eisner Award-winning writer James Tynion IV (W0RLDTR33, The Nice House on the Lake) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Martin Simmonds (Universal Monsters: Dracula) reveal the truth behind the shot heard around the world, while acclaimed artist Alison Sampson (Sleeping Beauties) joins for a very special tale about a uniquely American icon.

Collects issues #23-27.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction, Mystery

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2025

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Ziyad Baksh · Rating 3 out of 5]

down the fog of history

we get the backstory of how Lee Harvey Oswald became the director and what really happened with JFK's assassination.

solid work.

[PMB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting for Dept. Of Truth to get to JFK. Worth the wait. If this title reaches 50-75 issues, it will be considered alongside the greatest comics of all time. Department of Truth is Tynion’s masterwork, and this arc was the high point of the series. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Jake Kilroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved the dissection of America as an experiment, a story, a theory, or even a plague—somewhere that is as much a fever dream as it is a fable that's spiraled into monsterdom. It is a destination of promise, but who holds the reins or reign of said promise is continually up for debate (more or less). It's always been the ruling class, but a good count of the people believe it's the people. We vote! We rally! We believe in the system! But the real power of the people is our faith in our own potential—and that could be anything. America could be anything. It's the land of everything from cryptids to martyrs. We love the tale of ourselves, or however we've lied to ourselves. So to get this volume, much of it a lengthy speech from this world's version of Lee Harvey Oswald—a man swept up by the tides of a major tipping point in our country's history, a man keenly aware of how the power of people is to ultimately change reality—it's as if I've been waiting for this summary my whole life. Even though this is sci-fi. Even though this country is a fantasy. Even though America is both easily recognizable and foreign to the touch. I loved what this thing puts down, messy and glorious—the artwork always perfectly reflecting the chaotic beauty, or the beauty of chaos, as the founding fathers would have you believe, supposedly, as it's been told to us, mangling the dream of better.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, incredible, no notes.

The political horror is so well done and well established, and the way the series discusses conspiracies and why they exist and how malignant they can be is just phenomenally done. Likewise, the social commentary on what America could be and should be versus what it is and what it will become is so apt. Perhaps even more so now than when the series initially started.

This just really feels like a series that was tailor made to me and it continues to be my favorite graphic novel series.

Not to mention the absolutely gorgeous artwork by Martin Simmonds. It's genuinely beautiful and melancholy and slightly sinister in a way that fits the series perfectly. This series genuinely wouldn't be the same with a different artist at the helm.

And it has been two years since the previous volume came out, so before getting into this one I re-read the series and it just solidified how fantastic this series is. However, I do think the author knew that it's been a hot minute since they've continued the series and they did a great job at catching us up to speed, and providing us another fascinating tied-in side plot. And I actually think this could be an entry into the series for some people because it doesn't spoil too much and it recaps everything succinctly and uses one of the biggest conspiracies in American history to do so.

I'm just sad now that I have to wait probably another year for the next volume to come out.

[Estibaliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite volume so far, an absolute five stars read.

It might have to do with the fact I've been reading other series lately that are both, extremely chaotic at times, and also too confusing and bland in their narrative, but the contrast has just made this whole plot stand up in such a major way.

With an always interesting art, that mixes different styles when it comes to materials and use of color, 'The Department of Truth' manages to capture today's world in a really horrifying way, via conspiracy theories and mysteries of past History.

This volume puts the focus in Lee Harvey Oswald (current director of the Department), the whole JFK thingy, and Marilyn Monroe to boot, and it is just a masterpiece that will keep you mesmerized and fascinated from start to finish. With, once again, a lot of food for thought, in a story that certainly is provoking, without falling in old boring platitudes and pseudo-philosophy.

This series sure is paying off.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my money, Department of Truth is one the best recent comics and one of the bets Tynion's comics. That said, this entry in the series, the fifth one, is its weakest to date. The brilliant concept is still there, but the series feels at bit out of steam at this juncture, and this book doesn't seem to drive the story forward. it's more of a pause, and like some pauses, a slightly awkward one at that.
It also extensively veers into a Marilyn Monroe story, using a different and lesser artist.
Mind you, Simmonds is so spectacularly talented that anyone next to him would seem lesser, but this was just ... well, a very weird way to draw Marilyn.
So, hopefully this is just a placeholder while the series regains steam and not a sign of things to come. Overall, it's still a fun read, and SImmonds' art alone is worth checking it out. Onwards.

[Alex Sarll]

Ever since we found out that the Department of Truth was run by a surprisingly not-dead Lee Harvey Oswald, it was inevitable that the series would have to explain that, and now the moment has arrived. I can't recall whether we already knew that his predecessor was Frank Capra, but this is the story of how one man's America became the other's. The other side of the story visits someone else forever associated with the Kennedys: it was enough of a headfuck being Marilyn Monroe here, but what about in a world where what people believe becomes the truth ?

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little worried about getting back into this series’s convoluted conspiracy mythos after a 2+ year hiatus, but Tynion mostly leaves the contemporary plot alone and instead jumps back to midcentury to flesh out Oswald and the Dept’s origins. That naturally means finally telling what happened with JFK in this universe, plus a bit of Marilyn Monroe’s story too. Simmonds’s painting makes it all looks wild and fantastical, plus we get a few neat guest artist pages in a middle issue for thematic effect. Very much looking forward to where this series goes next now that it’s back.

[Jonathan Crabb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well crap. I didn't know that this series is still ongoing as I thought it was finished. I give this volume 4 stars as I was expecting an ending, but got nothing of the sort. I am still very interested in this series as it is my new favorite, but the interesting place that the authors are at now is that they are getting closer to the real villains of the book. Interestingly, they are more mundane than many of the highlights of the book which is the way it always tends to be. Evil is mundane, but still has to be fought.

Now literally waiting for the next issue to come out.

[Siegfried · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean... ok.
The art was a bit on the TOO MUCH this time, kinda hard to read even
And ok. We all know Lee killed JFK. Or in this case, didn't. It was Babalon, aka the Woman in Red
But this is being dragged on and on... and I can't see any payoff.
The exception is Marilyn. Holy f*ck, that was amazing.
Loved the concept that she became so "big" in everyones mind that she basically collapsed into something else.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flashes back to the JFK assassination and how Lee became involved with the department in the first place. Also, a nice side story about the final days of Marilyn Monroe. Maybe not as focused as some of the other volumes, but this is just a great ongoing story, so I'm going to forgive it for letting things slide a bit.

[Andrew Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am conflicted about continuing the series after each volume, but the concept is just so intriguing and relevant to the times. This volume serves as a convoluted and possibly altered origin story for Lee Harvey Oswald, and includes a tragic interpretation of Marilyn Monroe. I wish there was a way to tell this story without so many scene of men sitting in rooms or walking down hallways talking.

[Austin Mackinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional as always for this series!

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate this volume as a question answerer. Lots of good sideways history and lore I really enjoy that.

[M.i. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and end up being compelled into believing this is a true recount of the History of the country.

It’s that good!

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Further down the rabbit hole we go

[Kirstin Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightfully strange, remarkably horrifying book. Reading it while we watch the world turn upside down around us makes it that much better and that much worse.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep lore re: Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK and Marilyn Monroe. Beautiful artwork by Simmonds as per.

[Michael McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

a bridge to vol 6. i hope the wait is brief.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Department of Truth Vol. 5 What Your Country Can Do For You collects issues 23-27 of the Image Comics series written by James Tynion IV with by Martin Simmonds, Ela Charretier, Tyler Boss, John J. Pearson, David Romero, Alison Sampson, and Jorge Fornes.

The ‘real’ story of Lee Harvey Oswald and that fateful day in Dallas, Texas and the tragic final days of Marilyn Monroe.

This issue didn’t grab me like other volumes have. I felt like it was retreading a lot of the same ground but we got a little more involvement with The Lady in Red. This book is most definitely a slow burner but with its slow release schedule, I’m forgetting more than I remember for this series.

[Jason Roemaat · Rating 4 out of 5]

If enough people believe something, it will become true. That is the premise for this series. The Department of Truth is using this knowledge to shape our world. This volume shows us the JFK assassination as well as the Marilyn Monroe / JFK relationship.