Land–labour–capital: Henri Lefebvre’s Rhythmanalysis and Ben Katchor’s comic ‘The Deep Tub’

This editorial for issue 12.1 of the Journal of Urban Cultural Studies takes a look at a twelve-panel comic by New York-based creator Ben Katchor through the lens of spatial theory. Returning to the triad of land, labour, capital, mentioned by Henri Lefebvre in Rhythmanalysis – which is consistent with the thinker’s broader post-war critique of urbanism and everyday life – provides a way of explaining the comic’s significance and social critique. In line with an urban cultural studies approach as developed in these pages (see editorials from issues 1.1 and 1.2), close attention is given to the comic’s artistic properties.