tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51875207706207836572024-03-11T23:18:52.493-04:00International Journal of Comic Art blogNews about the premier academic journal devoted to all aspects of cartooning and comics -- the
International Journal of Comic Art (ISSN 1531-6793) published and edited by John Lent.Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-12773008471219252022024-03-11T13:17:00.003-04:002024-03-11T19:41:17.013-04:00Manga in Angouleme and Paris<p>So Angouleme Comics Festival / France / possibly most of Europe continues to focus on manga. It did not happen overnight and there was backlash. The same backlash happened in the Philippines in the 1990s but over time, manga style was accepted in most countries like in the case of Malaysia. </p><div>I wrote about the Philippines' response to manga here.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/2013/02/manga-and-philippines.html">https://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/2013/02/manga-and-philippines.html</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-complex-relationship.html">https://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-complex-relationship.html</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And how Malaysian comic artists have also embraced manga style back in the 2000s. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.academia.edu/6454913/Lest_we_forget_The_importance_of_history_in_Singapore_and_Malaysia_Comics_Studies">https://www.academia.edu/6454913/Lest_we_forget_The_importance_of_history_in_Singapore_and_Malaysia_Comics_Studies</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And of course, genres like BL / yaoi led the manga wave in Asia.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/2013/02/bl.html">https://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/2013/02/bl.html</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>These days, Thai BL tv series are very popular in Southeast Asia. And at one time, China BL tv series too. (until they were 'banned')</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's an interview with Bounthavy Suvilay who has insightful things to say about manga style.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://sgcartoonhub.com/swf-2022-an-interview-with-bounthavy-suvilay/">https://sgcartoonhub.com/swf-2022-an-interview-with-bounthavy-suvilay/</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>But back to Angouleme Comics Festival 2024. There was this huge Moto Hagio retrospective of original art (you know the Japanese do not lend out their original art easily) which really helps one to reevaluate the importance of Moto Hagio in comics history. Reading her shojo manga now might be a bit underwhelming. But that's because so many of her innovations in manga have become common vocabulary in the medium. But looking at her original pages, you are reminded she is the pioneer in portraying what we take for granted now - how the inner worlds of characters are visualized on the manga page. She invented the language. That is the power of a good comic art exhibition. They make you think and reexamine your assumptions. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckhxTNq2X2beluDqdvn341tbz87Uz5Bak_z54XIjZq7143V9uYVhIsmwRs8-Ft2Nbx8jm8uMWJbsa4FC8g80NBE5PopQAXA6XjXbE77bwWob0SJ9K7APqAusMaS8m0sF6fqMx256MH4wigZufcXdkhGq9uUJYCj39efaBfmsLYGVM6nEoBCnYeGRJ_Dw/s4032/429422347_7699384440085235_1288028530198941304_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckhxTNq2X2beluDqdvn341tbz87Uz5Bak_z54XIjZq7143V9uYVhIsmwRs8-Ft2Nbx8jm8uMWJbsa4FC8g80NBE5PopQAXA6XjXbE77bwWob0SJ9K7APqAusMaS8m0sF6fqMx256MH4wigZufcXdkhGq9uUJYCj39efaBfmsLYGVM6nEoBCnYeGRJ_Dw/s320/429422347_7699384440085235_1288028530198941304_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalAUL2s2Dz60hkmzGDldgjXe6Sgc8-RpbfoDDZO2biT0Jq4K675zURHyOnhhFWncJvUaA_YFn3JvaM5EOUyqVpOYg-aKSDmZCAleZ5ilXANrLMZI1QqMbpm63zPMvC1FSpBHpe0Rn8IRzJxRG3E09CZCP8sjDqGP36i6nw7bik5udSWe5sZNq4zK3z2w/s4032/429470500_1140450340659950_2005352962603084560_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalAUL2s2Dz60hkmzGDldgjXe6Sgc8-RpbfoDDZO2biT0Jq4K675zURHyOnhhFWncJvUaA_YFn3JvaM5EOUyqVpOYg-aKSDmZCAleZ5ilXANrLMZI1QqMbpm63zPMvC1FSpBHpe0Rn8IRzJxRG3E09CZCP8sjDqGP36i6nw7bik5udSWe5sZNq4zK3z2w/s320/429470500_1140450340659950_2005352962603084560_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I have written about Shin-ichi Sakamoto in a previous <a href="https://ijoca.blogspot.com/2024/03/vampires-rule-at-angouleme-2024.html" target="_blank">post</a>. But I want to talk about Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal exhibition. Which is excellent, of course. That's not surprising. But what is shocking is that some of my friends from Japan (manga profs) are not familiar with Blade of the Immortal. To them, Hiroaki Samura is not a well known mangaka in Japan. This blew my mind as I thought Blade of the Immortal was a popular manga series in Japan. So I am dispelled of this belief. That led me to think that back in the 1990s, the kind of manga that gets translated and published in the West really depends on agents and the kind of rights that get bought and sold in the trade market. Blade of the Immortal is popular in America and France. It was well reviewed in The Comics Journal in the 1990s when manga reviews were not so common. But according to my friends, it is almost unknown in Japan. Today, the world is flat, to borrow a phrase. What is popular in Japan (One Piece, Naruto, Demons Slayer, etc) is also popular in the rest of the comics worlds. This is food for thought as this means the manga translated into English and published for the American comic book market in the 1980s and 1990s was something else altogether. I think it is a good thing to have such anomalies in history. It makes things more interesting.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ACDjo5YHwjy5Liq4X3rrZnIozRrkMkE6if9T_7xqtqbjR54z6gmCs0W4ANXAY3typ3ys1q2ckaMLfaBqrCir8DZBDxRlH2DM-4LclJ93os6WS5jneyvMF-FvSS-jX3hklLBJLrj2IZ-Pduhyphenhyphenotr_LaJISgDU422fD6EXKJQEAjH3lAxWvQRJenm6WKc/s4032/423737850_2103430629991054_4502194834052334419_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ACDjo5YHwjy5Liq4X3rrZnIozRrkMkE6if9T_7xqtqbjR54z6gmCs0W4ANXAY3typ3ys1q2ckaMLfaBqrCir8DZBDxRlH2DM-4LclJ93os6WS5jneyvMF-FvSS-jX3hklLBJLrj2IZ-Pduhyphenhyphenotr_LaJISgDU422fD6EXKJQEAjH3lAxWvQRJenm6WKc/s320/423737850_2103430629991054_4502194834052334419_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLRhDW7_Wks20bRvtwaFxZ_hkdY2dm_dRXoCuuvJaou_W9RcyqV87kuUVsllQnM6xQ6dSRQPl2cd7NlBgOR-Wvvu29PYz_VlFJn39fd_d2jYqvdScSHdfqvqH1-wPFjpglvqp8JgjCixcALimnFYAeWfQB_qyb7sqkbcRXJHDBMZTPPRJ_sPRTE1ETq0/s4032/429451541_369336972641795_8613017592735564221_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLRhDW7_Wks20bRvtwaFxZ_hkdY2dm_dRXoCuuvJaou_W9RcyqV87kuUVsllQnM6xQ6dSRQPl2cd7NlBgOR-Wvvu29PYz_VlFJn39fd_d2jYqvdScSHdfqvqH1-wPFjpglvqp8JgjCixcALimnFYAeWfQB_qyb7sqkbcRXJHDBMZTPPRJ_sPRTE1ETq0/s320/429451541_369336972641795_8613017592735564221_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Which reminds me I should be getting round to review The Early Reception of Manga in the West by Martin de la Iglesia soon. But do I have time to read the extant literature? Casey Brienza wrote an excellent book about Manga in America: Transnational Book Publishing and the Domestication of Japanese Comics (Bloomsbury 2016). She was also the editor of Global Manga: "Japanese" Comics without Japan? (Routledge 2015). I have gone through these books before a few years back but I doubt I have the time or energy to read them again. Maybe the easier way is to read back issues of Bubbles zine as they are also into 1980s and 1990s translated manga in America. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope Iglesia's book will explain why Blade of the Immortal was picked up for translation and publication in America in the 1990s and what led to its success and popularity in the West. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Talking about manga at Angouleme, my friends from Japan (Kazumi, Jessica and Fusami) had a panel about women manga in conjunction with the Moto Haigo exhibition, I think. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a photo of them. (i was appointed by Fusami to be the 'official' photographer)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDLjHHoUSKc7cWT0EPV7QGbKcF79_OP1Kg8Aq2eVAGhJXJ7whJZtSuJr_Cksqz_X24iWa9-PotPTc0kbhTIsY3BsBrUpM2I0N5qIy3qiEx3c4zqULjI1mlZb5ccqpWSEHN8TJ_I2paYrGjQ6M2HDx1XRgXT6ynhkKA46A4gCSBXYy8cnDexNjQAG45To/s4032/420543773_1202364737274156_6703295267163096838_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDLjHHoUSKc7cWT0EPV7QGbKcF79_OP1Kg8Aq2eVAGhJXJ7whJZtSuJr_Cksqz_X24iWa9-PotPTc0kbhTIsY3BsBrUpM2I0N5qIy3qiEx3c4zqULjI1mlZb5ccqpWSEHN8TJ_I2paYrGjQ6M2HDx1XRgXT6ynhkKA46A4gCSBXYy8cnDexNjQAG45To/s320/420543773_1202364737274156_6703295267163096838_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>(L-R: Kazumi Nagaike, Jessica Bauwens, Matthew Loux, Denson Abby, Fusami Ogi, moderator Xavier Guilbert)<div><br /><div>I also had the chance to catch up with the ever popular Peach Momoko and her business partner Yo Mutsu in Manga City. The queues for her signing were less hectic than the Singapore Comic Con last December. So we had a nice chat. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGIdltGNVEr6_tF7rv69KKyXhVq8Y9gN17D1fdmWWm5TF8kqhCrsPkNNZ9KYUum2Jf4NCUkq-7jrhfVDbF2BsN60kuxbg_WdXMj0c_SJhN9hegcH9zpHl0Cvs58qU8yGjGPlwGhRKMo7uFX3jy88WgDYe6H60cynZl4HQPfkwucC4dDn5S_rMNKQWB9A/s3088/420962245_353712444118070_4350469917059387333_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGIdltGNVEr6_tF7rv69KKyXhVq8Y9gN17D1fdmWWm5TF8kqhCrsPkNNZ9KYUum2Jf4NCUkq-7jrhfVDbF2BsN60kuxbg_WdXMj0c_SJhN9hegcH9zpHl0Cvs58qU8yGjGPlwGhRKMo7uFX3jy88WgDYe6H60cynZl4HQPfkwucC4dDn5S_rMNKQWB9A/s320/420962245_353712444118070_4350469917059387333_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div>But it was a different story when she had an event at Pulp's Comics in Paris a few days later. You can see the long queue here. It went all the way till the end of the block. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekQUtuK531aIa1oNmd8jnB5eFRqI0dee0oocdpOERIAScPB9iwbhCsK0mtSCgkSX6fJ0Ht7GfViDWJ-95vYdr4U8k7y1bl1GSlB3rz1N1yPz_kEVGYflgUcrl5Q1Qu4VlJalG1-N0Cs52Q6pROHWghA0abVnZgUnf9yIlIw6YoNu4_NbNLYCGnQVdkyA/s4032/420199634_690848239919179_6032982855377459304_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekQUtuK531aIa1oNmd8jnB5eFRqI0dee0oocdpOERIAScPB9iwbhCsK0mtSCgkSX6fJ0Ht7GfViDWJ-95vYdr4U8k7y1bl1GSlB3rz1N1yPz_kEVGYflgUcrl5Q1Qu4VlJalG1-N0Cs52Q6pROHWghA0abVnZgUnf9yIlIw6YoNu4_NbNLYCGnQVdkyA/s320/420199634_690848239919179_6032982855377459304_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>It was her first time at the Angouleme Comics Festival and in Paris and they were surprised by the warm welcome she received. I asked Yo Mutsu why was manga so popular in France and his reply was: "We don't know. Manga has just been the norm for us, so we don't know what sparked the popularity." </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Just goes to show how manga is ubiquitous in France / Europe now. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, I think that's all the Angouleme / Paris reports I have.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh yeah, Akira Toriyama passed away at the age of 68 a few days ago. Someone should translate and publish Bounthany Suvilay's book on Dragon Ball. </div><div><br /></div><div>(all photos by CT)</div><div><br /></div><div>CT Lim</div></div>cthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16038683480826389850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-38887404127739343912024-03-09T01:40:00.002-05:002024-03-11T23:18:20.206-04:00Comics Happenings in Paris (post Angouleme)<p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Before Angouleme, fellow IJOCA exhibit reviewer Nick Nguyen and I saw the Dan Clowes show at Galerie Martel. Excellent show, even more excellent prices which we can't afford. Just look and weep. </span></p><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some pics.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_vvOO3wTvHMCIJGhGrqpKrVdPme8HFUnRDugivBJ5gEv03E1l9qLvzqvinLSj4YyTOImvRqT1rxGFHptPfil8_N07SFNxXl5ALDsk4fwnOn1y5TWVQywt1Rx_vRZ1cy_u7tgfNoIbbg9-C2elc0LkrawFa5LmAKc1C_401j8Ujn4weQjCGLxeDcDaTY/s4032/423599701_431690245963206_2692918707569818858_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP_vvOO3wTvHMCIJGhGrqpKrVdPme8HFUnRDugivBJ5gEv03E1l9qLvzqvinLSj4YyTOImvRqT1rxGFHptPfil8_N07SFNxXl5ALDsk4fwnOn1y5TWVQywt1Rx_vRZ1cy_u7tgfNoIbbg9-C2elc0LkrawFa5LmAKc1C_401j8Ujn4weQjCGLxeDcDaTY/s320/423599701_431690245963206_2692918707569818858_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqU8NYUHtl1623CjnIa_26HLsdzd6JB38b6SOtGO5pAzCmaJOX0w5KtFLVKcRiN73bPvRa929syUNlBF8EXSDCmZjSOQeWZHf6GaB7j6JXhJzC1T_VFn9wtVq2pnheKwHz50TjZgr4hSUUnwDi2beMIXsUPZxaLzmWm3YYiso5RcFWKY2geaqqOfrbwcw/s4032/428873136_432596912542644_1143714763200392248_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqU8NYUHtl1623CjnIa_26HLsdzd6JB38b6SOtGO5pAzCmaJOX0w5KtFLVKcRiN73bPvRa929syUNlBF8EXSDCmZjSOQeWZHf6GaB7j6JXhJzC1T_VFn9wtVq2pnheKwHz50TjZgr4hSUUnwDi2beMIXsUPZxaLzmWm3YYiso5RcFWKY2geaqqOfrbwcw/s320/428873136_432596912542644_1143714763200392248_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahVH-bB2A7yBkY8LXpAmwxbG2rKhlvxd-N_wa95ibTBY7OuX9RjBlftq-z1N47mA3GyNPEz8I9lsJUQ3OtqTYhnf75SFedAGowyOgiQKTa-NJIXLNafJSWyEM8dwKT2ihGI4DHu7Ln3NbbzaYb3YqODtdoebsIDX4WVto_mvD5cBsP1sWuWv646SOe78/s320/429462831_146509991891080_6684650981876246882_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Post Angouleme, I spent a few days in Paris and like my buddy Dean said in his own report, there are so. many. comics exhibitions in Paris.</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.comicsbeat.com/photos-paris-has-so-many-comics-exhibitions/?fbclid=IwAR2DoXDHZ1qcGsXzLJ6H_riqEW0Nmy43xb1sO4pSFOZkIt3agxqano0f4gc">https://www.comicsbeat.com/photos-paris-has-so-many-comics-exhibitions/?fbclid=IwAR2DoXDHZ1qcGsXzLJ6H_riqEW0Nmy43xb1sO4pSFOZkIt3agxqano0f4gc</a><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I only saw a fraction of the events but what I saw (or failed to see) has a common thread - social satire in our times. If Dan Clowes is the contemporary social satirist of the 1990s and 2000s, then Gilbert Shelton is the satirist of the counterculture 1960s (together with Crumb and others in the underground comix crew). I met Lora Fountain at Angouleme and told her I will visit Gilbert's show (I last saw him in 2014 in London), but it was closed on the afternoon I visited. They were supposed to be opened.. </div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSccC88oVtVw2HbOgcGG-bB2oJwWNrRwlqvNAh9MM0eP0nFFMmAil-Dos2FGm1Yb_FQB003kaNgFCjtLOUvE4kR-vy5U9gklR_ZtU69N_SRkHFEfWpRnUFS11JaeC2R9-0D-uNaRBVLicLwm2ipslXAbkErHZFktIFA6uzoAOZ9-2kGPFpMn4fnMXYTWo/s1024/420994923_7536709939695529_4154919133853034066_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSccC88oVtVw2HbOgcGG-bB2oJwWNrRwlqvNAh9MM0eP0nFFMmAil-Dos2FGm1Yb_FQB003kaNgFCjtLOUvE4kR-vy5U9gklR_ZtU69N_SRkHFEfWpRnUFS11JaeC2R9-0D-uNaRBVLicLwm2ipslXAbkErHZFktIFA6uzoAOZ9-2kGPFpMn4fnMXYTWo/s320/420994923_7536709939695529_4154919133853034066_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Undeterred, I hit the underground again to Maison de Balzac to see the small but delightful / insightful Balzac, Daumier and the Parisians show. Honoré Daumier was of course the prominent social satirist of the 19th Century. Pairing him with Balzac makes sense. </div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'll let the collaterals do the explanation here:</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><i>Although Balzac and Daumier may not have known each other well, they did cross paths in newspaper rooms and publishing houses. Their connection lies mainly in their keen outlook on their contemporaries. As a writer, Balzac painted a broad overview of society, analysing the customs of both the provinces and Paris. Meanwhile, Daumier used drawing mainly as a way of studying the little people of Paris.<br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>This similarity has often been pointed out, particularly by Charles Baudelaire, to the point of suggesting that the two men shared a kindred spirit. Concierges, errand boys, shopgirls, cooks, labourers and merchants all feature prominently in The Human Comedy and in Daumier’s engravings. In both instances, their observations reveal society’s peculiarities, small-mindedness and ridicule, with little room for benevolence but great attention to humanity. The exhibition will highlight both men’s interest in social classification and the accuracy of their analyses of the qualities and shortcomings of Parisians, which still hold true to this day. The exhibition ends with a small selection of “in the manner of” pieces by contemporary caricaturists, which show that while Parisians have indeed changed, Daumier and Balzac’s perspectives are still lenses through which one can observe and understand society.</i><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Not many cartoon fans were aware of this show or visited it. When I was there, it was mainly old folks visiting the house and exhibition. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP_rjSAFkLgXbB_nX1kmRr0f6BPavU1z_iVSzuJRqHDtFMspe3f1wBG0AKHepKcscvWc6KKRUOM8Tz1ufHlwAbOa5AySP9jjddHJDvU3qIVXtXWu5XSR2jt5xYn9p_vc5sKJpg303Lt5dI2bDPso2OCkmPKTbMMvSHdxD1SCif3iCS_5-TFCweq97zpk/s4032/429309803_387317490597217_582328724937395828_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP_rjSAFkLgXbB_nX1kmRr0f6BPavU1z_iVSzuJRqHDtFMspe3f1wBG0AKHepKcscvWc6KKRUOM8Tz1ufHlwAbOa5AySP9jjddHJDvU3qIVXtXWu5XSR2jt5xYn9p_vc5sKJpg303Lt5dI2bDPso2OCkmPKTbMMvSHdxD1SCif3iCS_5-TFCweq97zpk/s320/429309803_387317490597217_582328724937395828_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtol-lNq2whBuut1iFG0kmlJEw8gFt6dNu3yb2ataaLLiMQCjDYviNy5-VsSUySqFbuWXg-hRytODlCsEFcdO42SU7esRFI0hnmntXm4T9lfMD_9Oq0yDnuQ5xjzjKulVAB2UvvK7jg_x7hSLcpENEur-bLoNVaUxkF9PatEhXRm3G_TL1uELO-jiKdQ/s4032/423735882_1388065211846348_7436409598464990298_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtol-lNq2whBuut1iFG0kmlJEw8gFt6dNu3yb2ataaLLiMQCjDYviNy5-VsSUySqFbuWXg-hRytODlCsEFcdO42SU7esRFI0hnmntXm4T9lfMD_9Oq0yDnuQ5xjzjKulVAB2UvvK7jg_x7hSLcpENEur-bLoNVaUxkF9PatEhXRm3G_TL1uELO-jiKdQ/s320/423735882_1388065211846348_7436409598464990298_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGPbNEfra-QX5L5fqxPxI0ryTQw3phGHFSE-EmBVAsNJrEOszG3biWNydZchifQgFYgzUmMqx51JASJwRyMf6_zioG_KDitFthyphenhyphenH2R0mFOWdSQ060Zwo2g5hO40XRW5wJ8t64PCQthKEkdU3vB80nY-nLj7oEN03PAqC9jgxkK3K9jcc1nBBXb8IbDs0/s4032/429434721_1463901511191442_6053876971563811981_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGPbNEfra-QX5L5fqxPxI0ryTQw3phGHFSE-EmBVAsNJrEOszG3biWNydZchifQgFYgzUmMqx51JASJwRyMf6_zioG_KDitFthyphenhyphenH2R0mFOWdSQ060Zwo2g5hO40XRW5wJ8t64PCQthKEkdU3vB80nY-nLj7oEN03PAqC9jgxkK3K9jcc1nBBXb8IbDs0/s320/429434721_1463901511191442_6053876971563811981_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADWnP4RldFd1FJ2jDdfZ9potOUzHMvcD9MnpDWiIIZN20pIOdGkgh5BIbY7KGzk9ZbSAIBBZIPXRrD77BoWftinKxhVZjrs9b3wCDxFBkDjJHern74YxzEaKITjo1XlNT6-FRTPUIzEIXM9Qdb9PGEdawYYUcATb4qPlbYHUvx4SjussmWmueF6dgfDQ/s4032/429450978_369155009329718_3435532935898197813_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADWnP4RldFd1FJ2jDdfZ9potOUzHMvcD9MnpDWiIIZN20pIOdGkgh5BIbY7KGzk9ZbSAIBBZIPXRrD77BoWftinKxhVZjrs9b3wCDxFBkDjJHern74YxzEaKITjo1XlNT6-FRTPUIzEIXM9Qdb9PGEdawYYUcATb4qPlbYHUvx4SjussmWmueF6dgfDQ/s320/429450978_369155009329718_3435532935898197813_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Next, thanks to the recommendation of Harri Rompotti, I walked very fast to the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris before closing time to catch the Dana Schutz: The Visible World show. It is the first time that her work has been shown in France on this scale. While not a comic artist, I could clearly see the comics elements or influences in her paintings and sculptures. Her social commentary and satire of contemporary American life, society and politics reminded me of S Clay Wilson. </div><div><br /></div><div>To quote part of the collaterals:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Dana Schutz is a storyteller. Her work builds a world of unruly characters, human folly, deadpan predicaments and physical calamity. She often paints a dystopic portrait of today’s world, untethered to traditional notions of beauty... Recently her paintings have become more volumetric and allegorical, increasingly populated with clusters of colourful characters who may be floating through the night, perched upon an island of jawbones, or fighting to stand on top of a mountain. These visions of a post-apocalyptic world are influenced by her take on art history, from Bruegel to Alice Neel. They evoke the obsolescence of an ailing world, the vanity of contemporary mythologies and the breakdown of communication. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll just let the photos do their job.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRW5qTtrPg5DRu2C3fEX2tkYniNgbx5nXQHesENiGMwLUVnMwqgfCUZGBuMKCnw281H-wio38a1Et15rFQrATlv-Z3Ex5TgF1i-E1lEfDLwMsPR0nPigI7PjalzJ3aFUPwOmwcd35-KtEeUo2Ic40xsHF2zk3AJ9PhEu3B3QqwXU1u9SUroDJtEINmu0Q/s4032/423472467_3760113967600739_5350628902914905803_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRW5qTtrPg5DRu2C3fEX2tkYniNgbx5nXQHesENiGMwLUVnMwqgfCUZGBuMKCnw281H-wio38a1Et15rFQrATlv-Z3Ex5TgF1i-E1lEfDLwMsPR0nPigI7PjalzJ3aFUPwOmwcd35-KtEeUo2Ic40xsHF2zk3AJ9PhEu3B3QqwXU1u9SUroDJtEINmu0Q/s320/423472467_3760113967600739_5350628902914905803_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpy-iTApWPPpo5HhQltHkDIT0VkGzSRqSPYzMO2d1lOIjVN5TXnzuSVKxCPqLKOLjnPton4nWKxsMEeQO8ivv-xiy_3DpQudPWddB8E6urluSh7nvQm7qAZwYUP6gScF4ew8sNPV-jhIN_G5Gc93lQWKtKez-wQ9M25e9l1jSXlZjcud7VWznMWWBiJs/s320/429308250_429236369489485_6169820806341903386_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbMpQCIHJfpgE8GWm0W5yJhpe1tCbKgky0unDiuY_pZSitCdzlgl1flEuUspIA1PEDe55v7chxF8nl0DkJZlXckmuXu7b1TbLY-nSd6nUOz_SbcYzkjGKZ8HauvBcfccW35rCTL3I0b-DPNkHyYibnEObiTBUMHHTQuhdGI7ceLmLwETB7nv3Llp5va0/s4032/429312584_462634246183461_6210455879727455254_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbMpQCIHJfpgE8GWm0W5yJhpe1tCbKgky0unDiuY_pZSitCdzlgl1flEuUspIA1PEDe55v7chxF8nl0DkJZlXckmuXu7b1TbLY-nSd6nUOz_SbcYzkjGKZ8HauvBcfccW35rCTL3I0b-DPNkHyYibnEObiTBUMHHTQuhdGI7ceLmLwETB7nv3Llp5va0/s320/429312584_462634246183461_6210455879727455254_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaBeFoP3rVTikWMTGY1IA_iZk36MzwBs76ED3ZstzZz2fvvdY9dB34w0xMVb6TM-x63GKtGHKqNDka-d9Dn-m4LUNmGhCp632x-3_ZKWie0NF86BVVm5NI1SH7NfVUf97x6WPkRj_Bt32gGEp-S0EDpRIN3ivYdFTyxLpH3efbGFyUlDBKwJ6NGaYjq4/s320/429456248_358383347176816_7705274569272696100_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAX_uRY8A5QBZhXxBAYcsHUT66LQ43aJ8HmEVcz5qfP9sm4VLe60_qBdtLT71zHeJN22h6qLfdn7DVa0HvcDaet0DOSF7uW56Xr5m-Tk36zHt57NiNZq7G5Am5wt4-CwS9zR7tUxLYtLZG9uVc1OVLfz5gfOVODqQ4_Xj35as-O0DPlBXQaAG7tJ71hgc/s4032/429492523_1422296058374674_8286193500224216326_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAX_uRY8A5QBZhXxBAYcsHUT66LQ43aJ8HmEVcz5qfP9sm4VLe60_qBdtLT71zHeJN22h6qLfdn7DVa0HvcDaet0DOSF7uW56Xr5m-Tk36zHt57NiNZq7G5Am5wt4-CwS9zR7tUxLYtLZG9uVc1OVLfz5gfOVODqQ4_Xj35as-O0DPlBXQaAG7tJ71hgc/s320/429492523_1422296058374674_8286193500224216326_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVGgQhT63G6s22VOWv2CCspO8L8y1J_Pfe30CjPWHKNvOXLLnD8oS0zaDZ8LdhKcqY8hzapTw1SEwniczbGu-qpoANzYDhlKBnKHxqklWUtj6RKKoh03fo-cWOhgyhSh4cK3v6OPjKDX403RX1lV0oAjwhZukFfl3UYUGrkthKLIbt-KkFeuUHywLoyw/s4032/431813140_802495111707681_3964779513505059603_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVGgQhT63G6s22VOWv2CCspO8L8y1J_Pfe30CjPWHKNvOXLLnD8oS0zaDZ8LdhKcqY8hzapTw1SEwniczbGu-qpoANzYDhlKBnKHxqklWUtj6RKKoh03fo-cWOhgyhSh4cK3v6OPjKDX403RX1lV0oAjwhZukFfl3UYUGrkthKLIbt-KkFeuUHywLoyw/s320/431813140_802495111707681_3964779513505059603_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, another nudge from Harri and I was at Halle Saint Pierre, just below Sacré-Cœur. It is the home of art brut, art outsider and naive art in Paris. The current exhibition HEY! CERAMIQUE.S was very good, showing 34 artists from 13 countries and for some, this was their first presentation in Europe. 250 works were on display with one third of them produced for the show. A fascinating display of the fantastic and the grotesque, these works would not be out of place in underground comix pages and transgressive comic works. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS6UHfXVANxm3CmU7BBqK4jP5D1y89fUlejfkU0Pq9-BatMO67ARik0sN2vG0H1Tsu5IY3FWGULgadXMx_6INmul7e2DWUB-B7zWVob_LgzP1FBryLkD3O2ft2v8e7V9tqvsoYxLGzrJdz5jfhT5P5gPSBM0ouzx_IFWnkwLWrpJ1bjd9JYA_pSKnamU/s4032/420649402_1058890911884585_2826396759495710615_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS6UHfXVANxm3CmU7BBqK4jP5D1y89fUlejfkU0Pq9-BatMO67ARik0sN2vG0H1Tsu5IY3FWGULgadXMx_6INmul7e2DWUB-B7zWVob_LgzP1FBryLkD3O2ft2v8e7V9tqvsoYxLGzrJdz5jfhT5P5gPSBM0ouzx_IFWnkwLWrpJ1bjd9JYA_pSKnamU/s320/420649402_1058890911884585_2826396759495710615_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iQOpmXxG12ICgZ6BZqTbNBCFISirmsVmEYS1WRusn7Nq9hy__Mm7A_lztPWSZUEKWesnb2_pDd2BJ_Qo3wUpyufQ_I5Y7uft1xz0Jeriw38LjvvmWD_Ih4aT4ghGR_pL6Woh150Gf7OGgPMOlAE3Oz42TPAyLTh4V4HVunb7beBELQlxNFc5uh5ojcw/s4032/429459278_388029537311586_3487846003578366811_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iQOpmXxG12ICgZ6BZqTbNBCFISirmsVmEYS1WRusn7Nq9hy__Mm7A_lztPWSZUEKWesnb2_pDd2BJ_Qo3wUpyufQ_I5Y7uft1xz0Jeriw38LjvvmWD_Ih4aT4ghGR_pL6Woh150Gf7OGgPMOlAE3Oz42TPAyLTh4V4HVunb7beBELQlxNFc5uh5ojcw/s320/429459278_388029537311586_3487846003578366811_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Another exhibition on the ground floor, At the Frontiers of Art Brut, was mind boggling as well. According to the website, this exhibition “Aux Frontières de l’art brut” (the title of the show in French) presents 15 artists, unclassifiable according to the criteria of art brut or traditional naive art. Most of them did not receive any artistic training but they presented dangerous visions. Roger Lorance is outstanding. Somehow he reminded me of the anarchic spirit of Fletcher Hanks. In fact, for both shows at Halle Saint Pierre, I was pairing the pieces with outsider art I know in Asia. It would make a fun comparative exhibition. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGwKmdhOsU_MEFmBi8HY12I1iDSXWAKdXW_F0Ii08vhWJ7qQ8sbZocOTeHqI8rzTfqsygZJ4VKGsS9XhBBwuOOr-TKc0NLoYG4Ea3JjKvf_2XbumjpoepUOD0t0RdsvCnxObDY5_GPuYuYMMaHDAErhEIx3fW9JP_u0hXZUJgDL1QleIPZGbzIAUv8Lg/s4032/421023904_3699571513622497_6258469302748362628_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGwKmdhOsU_MEFmBi8HY12I1iDSXWAKdXW_F0Ii08vhWJ7qQ8sbZocOTeHqI8rzTfqsygZJ4VKGsS9XhBBwuOOr-TKc0NLoYG4Ea3JjKvf_2XbumjpoepUOD0t0RdsvCnxObDY5_GPuYuYMMaHDAErhEIx3fW9JP_u0hXZUJgDL1QleIPZGbzIAUv8Lg/s320/421023904_3699571513622497_6258469302748362628_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCNf-OBNydUl2Dd_-hpatNe12Pv2atDF_tOtQQn6zNFzOnRSRYqhkYdBGYoxBRfEvfVdStRo7jEqomrosxFlHfmtrPbStANKreGAVDQkbfo1kXxnKli5DwXTIRe5dpGhS5iMGChIig9mUdgyTmLJJbcZiMM6SS0FfvbzxPrFZdyLmgCa506rj8Z4pcmw/s4032/429457843_1093351708575726_4014560686237728921_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCNf-OBNydUl2Dd_-hpatNe12Pv2atDF_tOtQQn6zNFzOnRSRYqhkYdBGYoxBRfEvfVdStRo7jEqomrosxFlHfmtrPbStANKreGAVDQkbfo1kXxnKli5DwXTIRe5dpGhS5iMGChIig9mUdgyTmLJJbcZiMM6SS0FfvbzxPrFZdyLmgCa506rj8Z4pcmw/s320/429457843_1093351708575726_4014560686237728921_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Roger Lorance</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p4RGF-LNJVt3C0XvQhx0I_3M7x48pBY1rHbHl7PjRekETktXBhFT03xOJnt4tbMIu_S2IAjpXCPPBN9tk-2rLJNw1QZED7_7YVV74LLr0DuBezl9OxTYSMmzBAiShqgyc_lGEEcgo9BT9P-cW6XbrRGW5dNaAyXMdQQIvmWSfDk2HmjYEhOLdlvqLq8/s4032/429322512_1330805177611383_5982321999181139773_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p4RGF-LNJVt3C0XvQhx0I_3M7x48pBY1rHbHl7PjRekETktXBhFT03xOJnt4tbMIu_S2IAjpXCPPBN9tk-2rLJNw1QZED7_7YVV74LLr0DuBezl9OxTYSMmzBAiShqgyc_lGEEcgo9BT9P-cW6XbrRGW5dNaAyXMdQQIvmWSfDk2HmjYEhOLdlvqLq8/s320/429322512_1330805177611383_5982321999181139773_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnCfL8eT6lYEG-_67QQHybVGA2_D3RLonvzxhrShyrozqdrTxRC3qLoQoHDRmxtfXVrNRUeKQLOIj4YOEAzFonfFBS5TqeKh5S2QCb5G_CcswT6-xOjav8XS4a8BaMzzDJAMQQwwNq5LxmUHOoWYxFKNKkipGf6ug5gyfhr8yY_KG9tQuzftZjIlk5O0/s4032/429431168_1099731201231783_5779229220700049743_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnCfL8eT6lYEG-_67QQHybVGA2_D3RLonvzxhrShyrozqdrTxRC3qLoQoHDRmxtfXVrNRUeKQLOIj4YOEAzFonfFBS5TqeKh5S2QCb5G_CcswT6-xOjav8XS4a8BaMzzDJAMQQwwNq5LxmUHOoWYxFKNKkipGf6ug5gyfhr8yY_KG9tQuzftZjIlk5O0/s320/429431168_1099731201231783_5779229220700049743_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjM34Mpu2PfumRWMLoetLaWGqOKcGx_m3_RPv0S_GKHSIKxbGcOYFKPaY13QTFSJGnHyyigRRG76uu5qAio-kXN-bXEJ0ePCvrFEkShff5p2N-NyTkLtbGaE-ztSLp5ffuxtweEagrGksJPlpNx3hhZMbYoQAurfWpgbxmrxYbNNJzcvXWrEV7HDqHsOY/s320/429459424_346204221085782_4027056582408806260_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgwp4vX_OjZjNWonGJFKuxnRdc6CTAA_9c2Kdn1gtQ9e0JtwgynEOcTlH5_it8rjXVvs98TI3oBNp8gN_dGmjd6Qmy8oAMMfIN52jZAgZnic5j14Pg8adX6kKm140sTqw51fxH2ahsyPnyBDYZ6x5HMgxlkmIquExjtKX_l8UwrkgKtPj4pOAriKrzdM/s4032/429475516_921929249392793_4325090899521581206_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgwp4vX_OjZjNWonGJFKuxnRdc6CTAA_9c2Kdn1gtQ9e0JtwgynEOcTlH5_it8rjXVvs98TI3oBNp8gN_dGmjd6Qmy8oAMMfIN52jZAgZnic5j14Pg8adX6kKm140sTqw51fxH2ahsyPnyBDYZ6x5HMgxlkmIquExjtKX_l8UwrkgKtPj4pOAriKrzdM/s320/429475516_921929249392793_4325090899521581206_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Okay there were way too many other events to talk about. Posy Simmonds at the Pompidou was good. She remains the predominant critic of our social mores, keeping us grounded. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO-QWMq4-M-AF3kVq0xmAEz-wkAlnrzM_TJWOWVDm5qF4k78HUCnDgQtlILfVFknHJO23iHsxwNbKV6fJvy8B71jvKo7G04xsrDyAtxgcXJsQBJNOYiphv9KV-uZRtEhqf5zbjxN4BwKLE0N6jA6joG07j7hremm7WFscUaZGpJcDhNR3EHdv7VFQcXk/s4032/429443137_3553548418307718_1828895287832965070_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO-QWMq4-M-AF3kVq0xmAEz-wkAlnrzM_TJWOWVDm5qF4k78HUCnDgQtlILfVFknHJO23iHsxwNbKV6fJvy8B71jvKo7G04xsrDyAtxgcXJsQBJNOYiphv9KV-uZRtEhqf5zbjxN4BwKLE0N6jA6joG07j7hremm7WFscUaZGpJcDhNR3EHdv7VFQcXk/s320/429443137_3553548418307718_1828895287832965070_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh1JXM5wo84kNaDB0ZvhlW19y7uXUdTthPXy3k5VFj-YAa4-p1oKW07aCP0X_I6cJg23q9ObX6dzgcy5J6JEFHKA1QVZMWhyphenhyphenIos0QLua50SDYSOHfecv0cn-IAJwzybSe6VClOOC7bz0A7eiMsuIpMUgSbx-Li7UNvZz5cV0Fmcb4EeeaUR0s19h-Vgs/s4032/429810739_1874164306336528_776574933128336841_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh1JXM5wo84kNaDB0ZvhlW19y7uXUdTthPXy3k5VFj-YAa4-p1oKW07aCP0X_I6cJg23q9ObX6dzgcy5J6JEFHKA1QVZMWhyphenhyphenIos0QLua50SDYSOHfecv0cn-IAJwzybSe6VClOOC7bz0A7eiMsuIpMUgSbx-Li7UNvZz5cV0Fmcb4EeeaUR0s19h-Vgs/s320/429810739_1874164306336528_776574933128336841_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4BkPIKQQFhgHOy6MghjjhYxyz06FcUup66VoQWqhHQglS_JYz7zVsRfrDfAKyBQhqCv4lGgkXP2324UBpCXnrlgOB8MIhd7-VMinnJ_axogf7PRGTHb5KwRuaJEWBBXATyDrmSQTUNs0QM3p6_kUSrIeaJXTOAu8RoMaUYaBisfs1ddHnmhb_ax0G4I/s4032/429487442_369183989333520_47621275000684149_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4BkPIKQQFhgHOy6MghjjhYxyz06FcUup66VoQWqhHQglS_JYz7zVsRfrDfAKyBQhqCv4lGgkXP2324UBpCXnrlgOB8MIhd7-VMinnJ_axogf7PRGTHb5KwRuaJEWBBXATyDrmSQTUNs0QM3p6_kUSrIeaJXTOAu8RoMaUYaBisfs1ddHnmhb_ax0G4I/s320/429487442_369183989333520_47621275000684149_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The major Joann Sfar show at the Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaïsme was very, very impressive. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6Tnj48W7ah2Hpy5jA8EeciuwjXpy295TksqQ6DtEtuy1Bmgft5UBF4N4lQEGhpRvx2puKaKNfWCRUBMU3XKMprrT7X623D6C6pXQmHOe2SJc6LpO2VLAdetN5tlBOvMKq4F9ucfIlTM6VAuT72jNcUd0GC9WXmW6f3KMoTJlmNDZpdqJvdfj4TgZW4k/s4032/429437919_243303795537383_5790737485522122383_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6Tnj48W7ah2Hpy5jA8EeciuwjXpy295TksqQ6DtEtuy1Bmgft5UBF4N4lQEGhpRvx2puKaKNfWCRUBMU3XKMprrT7X623D6C6pXQmHOe2SJc6LpO2VLAdetN5tlBOvMKq4F9ucfIlTM6VAuT72jNcUd0GC9WXmW6f3KMoTJlmNDZpdqJvdfj4TgZW4k/s320/429437919_243303795537383_5790737485522122383_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ60OGNCBBqxOSfNX9mHiwjJ3Wifub2C2OwsEmB2E-ghTuyUH3yk0mi6rqwe0rqqsB6KkP7Ecv_9kcAzoY_pzExkp3GUUIlmByGSBGUto2ZPFviwyNJiH9qfsnuhRUJ5Cibcx-w3tf6NlgrMa63dzISOP15J1slsx3xEwSDuBOM8q4xADo7npVAB2_no/s4032/429456078_964458935141498_4871192532589537781_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJ60OGNCBBqxOSfNX9mHiwjJ3Wifub2C2OwsEmB2E-ghTuyUH3yk0mi6rqwe0rqqsB6KkP7Ecv_9kcAzoY_pzExkp3GUUIlmByGSBGUto2ZPFviwyNJiH9qfsnuhRUJ5Cibcx-w3tf6NlgrMa63dzISOP15J1slsx3xEwSDuBOM8q4xADo7npVAB2_no/s320/429456078_964458935141498_4871192532589537781_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtq19K-ofp1iV-na-7Ru-Pk5UD9slJk_QEikpVCn2W9VG4pGbGPCVYR691L-bbo2vdWLDBrlI5lXQfNTbLFMldY3x3CZHyxLJAZ79-L8GZ5oSm_I4zwfu3GXb9fxUhmfNY1Zdjfo5cg9s0wYVT9Mapt80I4EfPtifbmV0axdaDVVZd-dHU7an_bU3uhrg/s4032/423686915_7481260611929932_5354033987835672968_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtq19K-ofp1iV-na-7Ru-Pk5UD9slJk_QEikpVCn2W9VG4pGbGPCVYR691L-bbo2vdWLDBrlI5lXQfNTbLFMldY3x3CZHyxLJAZ79-L8GZ5oSm_I4zwfu3GXb9fxUhmfNY1Zdjfo5cg9s0wYVT9Mapt80I4EfPtifbmV0axdaDVVZd-dHU7an_bU3uhrg/s320/423686915_7481260611929932_5354033987835672968_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3zKKs7QoaY6B5r7kj531OU2VaCCqgKCdKLrt_pPCUWFRSMHl4-JIijLwM93eiD1AYwPZu6FNXnSCS1T8y4o2No-MSDlGMjBzcfrMsb9G-wKXIsfHbi48tqLyrJQac7skkKuXo9_ekyM8uaqLV9_EG81ba4tgsFlwX4VunVEHGGoiCgFuPAH7JwWGrfY/s4032/429451537_3687176024884465_366558102318718065_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3zKKs7QoaY6B5r7kj531OU2VaCCqgKCdKLrt_pPCUWFRSMHl4-JIijLwM93eiD1AYwPZu6FNXnSCS1T8y4o2No-MSDlGMjBzcfrMsb9G-wKXIsfHbi48tqLyrJQac7skkKuXo9_ekyM8uaqLV9_EG81ba4tgsFlwX4VunVEHGGoiCgFuPAH7JwWGrfY/s320/429451537_3687176024884465_366558102318718065_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtc2Sn2972kEzr_ywmdTB_DIRW9b4m0QDz7BhLTrkf9wOZcS0_pk0gV8wZEJG9uLIbPTwQpuQhsWCI2IXOGla21-sMgtbmnkMVOMFMrqbzFQOVyge7eMR1MX9PZjPZHsQZBYprS77tR9vCyoQSshedRWB5yS6NeGQeoUgEdnP50aEAZHgDqftSSeWUIo/s4032/430751116_1524280831685045_6239464220362873225_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtc2Sn2972kEzr_ywmdTB_DIRW9b4m0QDz7BhLTrkf9wOZcS0_pk0gV8wZEJG9uLIbPTwQpuQhsWCI2IXOGla21-sMgtbmnkMVOMFMrqbzFQOVyge7eMR1MX9PZjPZHsQZBYprS77tR9vCyoQSshedRWB5yS6NeGQeoUgEdnP50aEAZHgDqftSSeWUIo/s320/430751116_1524280831685045_6239464220362873225_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOGffzV3tI-OoCg-IaMB1TXm-JwJNcgQgmEwQ2k1ixdzbVs7msg1NEg7jN3po1ErAjXRmQi5iFby28ngBs7qkdXTGLZ82qubqe5YyJyYdrvuB4Nu9ltw8aYK9C_3NpsIMWUy4Y_UBpju56_-C293EjZ2BFThhXGWRgMJXiKmni0eQE-4GkTU6PsBJd9M/s4032/429461016_1103258451128859_4452167164990475748_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOGffzV3tI-OoCg-IaMB1TXm-JwJNcgQgmEwQ2k1ixdzbVs7msg1NEg7jN3po1ErAjXRmQi5iFby28ngBs7qkdXTGLZ82qubqe5YyJyYdrvuB4Nu9ltw8aYK9C_3NpsIMWUy4Y_UBpju56_-C293EjZ2BFThhXGWRgMJXiKmni0eQE-4GkTU6PsBJd9M/s320/429461016_1103258451128859_4452167164990475748_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8aeSc_jyfZBxM3G8liBkeKumkjpX6icFBUV3SpDfKIpzgGWp6HGai9Dk23JkGse5Uiyajkp6q__NFAfN7pACYVea99jn0CJdHJmjFZR2-Q1ACupFeHSddYOKFK_Xj2VTkO3ETbpsEZkJ_KeecAL_FHXt2jUsIjJ-1NxctL657T_sN4xtAK-JdvjaQEI/s4032/429817071_717537210233779_647726333426579793_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8aeSc_jyfZBxM3G8liBkeKumkjpX6icFBUV3SpDfKIpzgGWp6HGai9Dk23JkGse5Uiyajkp6q__NFAfN7pACYVea99jn0CJdHJmjFZR2-Q1ACupFeHSddYOKFK_Xj2VTkO3ETbpsEZkJ_KeecAL_FHXt2jUsIjJ-1NxctL657T_sN4xtAK-JdvjaQEI/s320/429817071_717537210233779_647726333426579793_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96PPSUwfpOeyHQO9GLMavCprhRG0f33jBH52L_-w2OcWHHjrJyTNyx3j1rHd1oME21uKPeeVvs5h9D7cD_bIbnjlMzFJyiC3VvJLGYEZTHJd3D_L-elkdJTm2P6AcnZL3dl5ctiraxljTw7jh5R3cTWqeeKSrYMJcX4x6T7HwCdpr8zqUnAHu90LdYhI/s4032/429443884_1095680271744293_4235413373476605805_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96PPSUwfpOeyHQO9GLMavCprhRG0f33jBH52L_-w2OcWHHjrJyTNyx3j1rHd1oME21uKPeeVvs5h9D7cD_bIbnjlMzFJyiC3VvJLGYEZTHJd3D_L-elkdJTm2P6AcnZL3dl5ctiraxljTw7jh5R3cTWqeeKSrYMJcX4x6T7HwCdpr8zqUnAHu90LdYhI/s320/429443884_1095680271744293_4235413373476605805_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then there were the signings at the comic shops. Wu Shih Hung was one of the breakout Taiwanese artists at this year's Angouleme (together with Evergreen Yeh) and I managed to drop by his signing in Paris to give some support. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5w_mUhZAW0D3jBTlkiNYeFP9DC6yq68nyhqLWYsQH_heBOFn1bhdlZoqTovqFODuCOCO8gwgZQ2M3MWQUTeMBn4Rfaq3uNBsp9WOeWerKy6_0V6nqCMWwED9SB4kX_JgKbb6vGvB6UTN_wqX-E9TZgYNkyl2yyxjext3nioVEgAr4OvyqRYGazlvnJQ/s4032/429400278_929041658672383_495911435380596018_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5w_mUhZAW0D3jBTlkiNYeFP9DC6yq68nyhqLWYsQH_heBOFn1bhdlZoqTovqFODuCOCO8gwgZQ2M3MWQUTeMBn4Rfaq3uNBsp9WOeWerKy6_0V6nqCMWwED9SB4kX_JgKbb6vGvB6UTN_wqX-E9TZgYNkyl2yyxjext3nioVEgAr4OvyqRYGazlvnJQ/s320/429400278_929041658672383_495911435380596018_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w5KxBUOEkdhZdCAVKi4MJBiggvZ6oONo6pbsteyV18H7JPVHbMIKlED7mryEv3GKpgDh_2ZZs2tXXgUbIMSRQpcLU9GsTY8gKU0IVJZcL6QhhG02YXldVAp_nkUubcyQmO24F7NVAOVm8cO5UVOHdxWAmc2m5cDwnf1R8G_Oi19HV8_kzI0qkkPUSps/s4032/429446873_1746699505822222_6204532561794864381_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w5KxBUOEkdhZdCAVKi4MJBiggvZ6oONo6pbsteyV18H7JPVHbMIKlED7mryEv3GKpgDh_2ZZs2tXXgUbIMSRQpcLU9GsTY8gKU0IVJZcL6QhhG02YXldVAp_nkUubcyQmO24F7NVAOVm8cO5UVOHdxWAmc2m5cDwnf1R8G_Oi19HV8_kzI0qkkPUSps/s320/429446873_1746699505822222_6204532561794864381_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTmYxrhNuSfUdu6mW1vEYntohPdGF-EvMEJcvek5sXfS5ol3XJZKBrAC8jalhAj621T0GC7vy6ESHzq9yKBTjGwUPqr1RSMTXBou7n0zhyphenhyphenWuF8Jo62oXPca7cwPhr0Hi5GI2wsKwm6A9xSA-Ws_hirtecB2IWE0aNVbROOuBdh0UoXgrxsxJDdjRlXvA/s4032/429418523_1826926991157311_1756510300480148947_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTmYxrhNuSfUdu6mW1vEYntohPdGF-EvMEJcvek5sXfS5ol3XJZKBrAC8jalhAj621T0GC7vy6ESHzq9yKBTjGwUPqr1RSMTXBou7n0zhyphenhyphenWuF8Jo62oXPca7cwPhr0Hi5GI2wsKwm6A9xSA-Ws_hirtecB2IWE0aNVbROOuBdh0UoXgrxsxJDdjRlXvA/s320/429418523_1826926991157311_1756510300480148947_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic65RuuApwyLN4I6Lk5HzQGGjTU1VXqz7DkEEa3UZi2S8fo1BoH93ucilxo_3e_Fim4-UKit_sw3m7H6udLiLiKOlV_1D1MsvoAzHfCuFTWcznA6tE8Qus4EEjXk5idDMTdkKtEoVlIsTzw4G2aX74sGt1KNnYL3RCjEHqomiLSwl779wf-yL2QJApex0/s4032/429478939_412395461374366_7843111477858401287_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic65RuuApwyLN4I6Lk5HzQGGjTU1VXqz7DkEEa3UZi2S8fo1BoH93ucilxo_3e_Fim4-UKit_sw3m7H6udLiLiKOlV_1D1MsvoAzHfCuFTWcznA6tE8Qus4EEjXk5idDMTdkKtEoVlIsTzw4G2aX74sGt1KNnYL3RCjEHqomiLSwl779wf-yL2QJApex0/s320/429478939_412395461374366_7843111477858401287_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To read about Wu:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/09/12/2003764247">https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/09/12/2003764247</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, I spent more days in Paris than I had expected, even giving up a side trip to Brussels for a NATO HQ tour. Thanks for the offer, Nick. Next time!</div><div><br /></div><div>(all photos by CT)</div><div><br /></div><div>CT Lim</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />cthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16038683480826389850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-53246750111859986492024-03-07T02:50:00.001-05:002024-03-07T02:50:42.525-05:00Vampires rule at Angouleme 2024<p>As someone who occasionally curates comics exhibitions in Singapore, attending the 2024 Angouleme Comics Festival (after a 10 years hiatus due to work) has been an eye opener and given me ideas on how to curate shows in the future. </p><div dir="auto">Initially, I had privileged original art as I felt we needed to offer something different from the printed page to the audience. For me, I like to see the errors and amendments made by the artists - the whiteouts and pasteovers. That's what made the Dan Clowes show at Galerie Martel in Paris so enjoyable for me. We get to see the creative choices Clowes made in his covers and pages and we get to have a nice chat with Clowes who was there to do signing. It was a good call by Nick to attend that exhibition opening before catching our train from Paris to Angouleme as Clowes caught Covid thereafter and did not make it to Angouleme. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwV1-_kLxZauAXVY7trh9uMdvVKvoljHmPsVK6C9EBBpVRkq44SL__6cRvP-BFcA5rSHECAXpPk-9ZoSxN77QZtzOvtJDJw-xiaQ734Q7_TYtO0sgFAHl8Ev9waDTRVBUO9SuwWAf3Zhque-e7fPLJw4DBeXgt721vxAG6ZVLLBanMnGVraIns794KNw/s2048/429456086_960779875759633_804125012837405204_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwV1-_kLxZauAXVY7trh9uMdvVKvoljHmPsVK6C9EBBpVRkq44SL__6cRvP-BFcA5rSHECAXpPk-9ZoSxN77QZtzOvtJDJw-xiaQ734Q7_TYtO0sgFAHl8Ev9waDTRVBUO9SuwWAf3Zhque-e7fPLJw4DBeXgt721vxAG6ZVLLBanMnGVraIns794KNw/s320/429456086_960779875759633_804125012837405204_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The first exhibition in Angouleme to blow the lids off for me was Dracula: Immersion in Darkness, an exhibition of Shin'ichi Sakemoto's new manga, #Drcl: Midnight Children. A site-specific exhibition held in an old church (the Guez-de-Balzac chapel), it shows that you do not need to display originals at all, nor even prints of comics pages or panels. In fact, no physical artwork was shown, but instead video projections, light displays and sound did all the work to immerse you into experiencing a horror comic - yet another adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula but this time, beautifully rendered by Shin'ichi Sakemoto who has a penchant of drawing the baddies like Michael Jackson. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDMjN0Z_vd7Sik6rtXdPQhMYa37ETpvMCvWsvrVme1DSOhR2z3mD_9kEjZUJhTGttxst-IKRAaSnvQwI1pj06wctWX2gG8eTfVtNDqboh2YSoNKT70psZMlP9OYwieWoahd2Acbtw-fjW31lgHoyAD1C3kDemskNJtlAFCmxIRYNQa0Fq9ml4se8hVN4/s4032/429454671_1975117636215282_4558465326361222140_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDMjN0Z_vd7Sik6rtXdPQhMYa37ETpvMCvWsvrVme1DSOhR2z3mD_9kEjZUJhTGttxst-IKRAaSnvQwI1pj06wctWX2gG8eTfVtNDqboh2YSoNKT70psZMlP9OYwieWoahd2Acbtw-fjW31lgHoyAD1C3kDemskNJtlAFCmxIRYNQa0Fq9ml4se8hVN4/s320/429454671_1975117636215282_4558465326361222140_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It was truly a fascinating display and you could stand in the different parts of the church to experience the show. Some, I believe, were there for a long time and watched the projections and displays over and over again.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcuh2wZ_PeGFndzXqHfHYZnu1HUrrGcE2p2BP7zTqIBvYjpqO07U69Z1EjY_2bw8RMASCrerVWjTnpIVOeEwOVa-o1g4NZ9hjezxlADbpe0R_OnAi0_NYE9nqaK7Ruuz4lzbwALz22xP-3-mOXL0MKybbx19t3UZXkx7YM-y2MngV0bIIKFqL8SGCw5U/s4032/429434729_1579966052738560_5146304869947485076_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcuh2wZ_PeGFndzXqHfHYZnu1HUrrGcE2p2BP7zTqIBvYjpqO07U69Z1EjY_2bw8RMASCrerVWjTnpIVOeEwOVa-o1g4NZ9hjezxlADbpe0R_OnAi0_NYE9nqaK7Ruuz4lzbwALz22xP-3-mOXL0MKybbx19t3UZXkx7YM-y2MngV0bIIKFqL8SGCw5U/s320/429434729_1579966052738560_5146304869947485076_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Others like me and Alfred just fooled around and took shadow pictures. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILlHD0S9EzGqakYJPK5w3km2n7-cI1tTuHWkGaljGr62FQMKH2gRNlhZ0XG0rYuMkXLfptBZP8Embbt2n-E4u7U-X_Tv-G9iti_P-9CJFE9b1GSuHoAnBKwnc3Bl1dIe2JN_H4muyrPtpXXlTWdAKPcg_waRygiZZvsKtR8YpeflhvHUoeQHXbUX4MlQ/s4032/429782582_1207753033529290_5294948869961017672_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILlHD0S9EzGqakYJPK5w3km2n7-cI1tTuHWkGaljGr62FQMKH2gRNlhZ0XG0rYuMkXLfptBZP8Embbt2n-E4u7U-X_Tv-G9iti_P-9CJFE9b1GSuHoAnBKwnc3Bl1dIe2JN_H4muyrPtpXXlTWdAKPcg_waRygiZZvsKtR8YpeflhvHUoeQHXbUX4MlQ/s320/429782582_1207753033529290_5294948869961017672_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Duly impressed, I broke the Nick rule of only buying books that you can get a dedicace. I bought a French copy of #Drcl which I can't read and there is no way in hell I could win the lottery for the Shin'ichi Sakemoto signing at Manga City so I didn't even bother. (same for the Moto Haigo signing)</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-ngGHQogbQXwMC_ujYwgXRncQ1bKDh7CBxWTZBdRRQAWHJLJRGZfvYfv4fUam9yyB-lTEcr6ChkiISSGb1rUOUqUZGDm5dIOIVFt0YCq0GrZNdyhXtRKLBH3hFk3RMQwoDTfaC9AgAv8xKdqbj4YN0x_CUVENpgmBATrWlTe3G1bFzeWWhUVWBlO2gU/s1104/429440669_267842252931996_6346652819972470843_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-ngGHQogbQXwMC_ujYwgXRncQ1bKDh7CBxWTZBdRRQAWHJLJRGZfvYfv4fUam9yyB-lTEcr6ChkiISSGb1rUOUqUZGDm5dIOIVFt0YCq0GrZNdyhXtRKLBH3hFk3RMQwoDTfaC9AgAv8xKdqbj4YN0x_CUVENpgmBATrWlTe3G1bFzeWWhUVWBlO2gU/s320/429440669_267842252931996_6346652819972470843_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div>A video says a thousand words, so here's a video someone took of the 'exhibition'. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XcsnAIm8cI0">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XcsnAIm8cI0</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Next on the non-traditional list was the Requiem Chevalier Vampire exhibition at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Featuring the artwork of Olivier Ledroit, the curator(s) made good use of the 100 m² space to feature huge prints of the new covers for the series, draft pages, a guitar, a sword and other things in the photos I took. The main takeaway for me is that if you make hi-res bigass prints, frame them up and display them nicely, they could make as great an impact as seeing rare originals. I helped out in the Comics Embassy show in Singapore 2 years ago and the prints were mounted on styrofoam boards. Yep, they looked thrown away. Lesson learned. Spend a bit of money for some class. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBfrjjrj2tNQnOTSOE6GWRzX3HN0MDIxo74m8iVIQsww0xmoZseePzoJKPGG-L3BZUDR7Z1lywvBOM8iJDgrWLvFGGH3wCdPu0ZVn_AfFB4eeOMOnEa5jOJTb3f79r30t5Ug_WJYEu-1ERRCBTn8ctPCh52xNiJdEOgOU0V4gRLlJuZQB3yrbAcaYNeE/s4032/420863139_1047625703199935_1673143201716458970_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBfrjjrj2tNQnOTSOE6GWRzX3HN0MDIxo74m8iVIQsww0xmoZseePzoJKPGG-L3BZUDR7Z1lywvBOM8iJDgrWLvFGGH3wCdPu0ZVn_AfFB4eeOMOnEa5jOJTb3f79r30t5Ug_WJYEu-1ERRCBTn8ctPCh52xNiJdEOgOU0V4gRLlJuZQB3yrbAcaYNeE/s320/420863139_1047625703199935_1673143201716458970_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurw6PeMLfDaLa0W3BKkrdpAGkH7sk11XSJGqiTO531aeYFpT1AGENxzg0zCx2hAX-feF_qUhD7521ILFsoMmujLg6IHGTrqzfOQeFkb-m_qF3QZPYOQX9qH0lwHVTXiPSCycoVKUstP-hS_eq0pZTDAL8rtErFlgyr2jZVK2QGD8XcVAXRZcTjBLgbNI/s4032/421059771_1590048738196322_2835503632807801347_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurw6PeMLfDaLa0W3BKkrdpAGkH7sk11XSJGqiTO531aeYFpT1AGENxzg0zCx2hAX-feF_qUhD7521ILFsoMmujLg6IHGTrqzfOQeFkb-m_qF3QZPYOQX9qH0lwHVTXiPSCycoVKUstP-hS_eq0pZTDAL8rtErFlgyr2jZVK2QGD8XcVAXRZcTjBLgbNI/s320/421059771_1590048738196322_2835503632807801347_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFS3yfGzaauW1hp6ebi2QHnOZJuvfK2WsYao0ToqACyVUZr7WIxsFfQvHXTOgzsmZiaM4TFTdfcCYrD_rb67je_yfkbxLUdM7l2I6y4FF0Tz-9IjQUCFbu3R0zHtQhnUxA0klboznhyphenhyphen8u8R-Mu5ld2OWrFa4LTGfEvpTGfX9S9wvI8s1dW4Dcq7aGoX74/s4032/429388678_1151843749036572_7816448934820248472_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFS3yfGzaauW1hp6ebi2QHnOZJuvfK2WsYao0ToqACyVUZr7WIxsFfQvHXTOgzsmZiaM4TFTdfcCYrD_rb67je_yfkbxLUdM7l2I6y4FF0Tz-9IjQUCFbu3R0zHtQhnUxA0klboznhyphenhyphen8u8R-Mu5ld2OWrFa4LTGfEvpTGfX9S9wvI8s1dW4Dcq7aGoX74/s320/429388678_1151843749036572_7816448934820248472_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ7xG1wi3Y41aqyOvIHOzSKScShsC3qq-bI_FANxPYzUOhmMhrTr2RTIl2uPRKPDFWvTWWApenSz9Gs1IBUqbmbp322HZbYXWBQuPiqR331ZFdOGMoQxUy64k8Zyukjc_DQLgFuLVVwQSy5YQS3VLWsfrTqryDbphSZJXW63l32x-SJKHdzFc0ULnLV0/s4032/429437930_1421196015453263_5454166772495455796_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ7xG1wi3Y41aqyOvIHOzSKScShsC3qq-bI_FANxPYzUOhmMhrTr2RTIl2uPRKPDFWvTWWApenSz9Gs1IBUqbmbp322HZbYXWBQuPiqR331ZFdOGMoQxUy64k8Zyukjc_DQLgFuLVVwQSy5YQS3VLWsfrTqryDbphSZJXW63l32x-SJKHdzFc0ULnLV0/s320/429437930_1421196015453263_5454166772495455796_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtS6gdSVf5K1Mccg-9RA0GanCBVG8zvKsNwXMQd36ynX1CEStSm0QU-TGBcwmRaFE5UJgK15OtKzRgfLkMgfYPnNgB6YFBDg05pLLv2IftTf7V2MMwEodYVh7J4X1g54nUqHue0YOgBwB_wVcIB_Gaw_aKrLHQM9bSMr_rkP9QZrrAULk9GTddg6iZ_6A/s4032/429451530_1405569320346283_1013303710597077200_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtS6gdSVf5K1Mccg-9RA0GanCBVG8zvKsNwXMQd36ynX1CEStSm0QU-TGBcwmRaFE5UJgK15OtKzRgfLkMgfYPnNgB6YFBDg05pLLv2IftTf7V2MMwEodYVh7J4X1g54nUqHue0YOgBwB_wVcIB_Gaw_aKrLHQM9bSMr_rkP9QZrrAULk9GTddg6iZ_6A/s320/429451530_1405569320346283_1013303710597077200_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ_tP-JN8cxZubj_OTvWAlQp4ccF16xzbgpkQfY5ZjPAZqtNdYJnh8HDsnNtnM8EmPjlZDM-Co4l8FL00yUTrWVe-pWyyRNJEWQHqvY7HiUzVYhFdfK6muR-3jt1w2xpyTmNrt6qLFhnV50MQZ4J9uAsSZGE-zSgeSHtFtMDD0baSALnSBwS8pFixjR8/s4032/429483033_442021904838112_412036085111737648_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZ_tP-JN8cxZubj_OTvWAlQp4ccF16xzbgpkQfY5ZjPAZqtNdYJnh8HDsnNtnM8EmPjlZDM-Co4l8FL00yUTrWVe-pWyyRNJEWQHqvY7HiUzVYhFdfK6muR-3jt1w2xpyTmNrt6qLFhnV50MQZ4J9uAsSZGE-zSgeSHtFtMDD0baSALnSBwS8pFixjR8/s320/429483033_442021904838112_412036085111737648_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLLS3Jn1lLxZUV4OyxqK20YCye_E1qXIQ6ADI8_05brnVpWu-KEgioTJ8hOLkKV7vdFsxtQlOgQe6OaqL2HViYTP_NyYfeIXbGHMoC1U4G3Jg0j5MvZIa1KKwHgOfByjCxAVTJ7TMCqBGwqJtlmIOsoiFQ72O5aKqKFe-DzRNX9Hm8m1ao90vmIxGrww/s4032/429507709_1363862924317187_1297052565802128450_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLLS3Jn1lLxZUV4OyxqK20YCye_E1qXIQ6ADI8_05brnVpWu-KEgioTJ8hOLkKV7vdFsxtQlOgQe6OaqL2HViYTP_NyYfeIXbGHMoC1U4G3Jg0j5MvZIa1KKwHgOfByjCxAVTJ7TMCqBGwqJtlmIOsoiFQ72O5aKqKFe-DzRNX9Hm8m1ao90vmIxGrww/s320/429507709_1363862924317187_1297052565802128450_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Fortunately, I already have the first few Requiem books signed by writer Pat Mills 10 years ago so I did not cave and buy the special editions - specially drawn original covers that come with a piece of lace and 500 euros a pop. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7w1QwRH1jkQCSBTfxrcTDAYgRF_rdLDFtiq4RXdJ6gcJ2yp281J2dpvCg2JAjJYgbMAurUysesIdeHABkpi2cuRqqnQU5Rw9UFxfev4lNboJBUK_zNRHpvrBpAnZK-fS-FzCnlHC4NMkMvKCd2dcztmMB4eEbNYnDbu-h68eWX4BRvhxZae0y-rmNYA/s4032/429711404_425925059854257_8210745567815840250_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7w1QwRH1jkQCSBTfxrcTDAYgRF_rdLDFtiq4RXdJ6gcJ2yp281J2dpvCg2JAjJYgbMAurUysesIdeHABkpi2cuRqqnQU5Rw9UFxfev4lNboJBUK_zNRHpvrBpAnZK-fS-FzCnlHC4NMkMvKCd2dcztmMB4eEbNYnDbu-h68eWX4BRvhxZae0y-rmNYA/s320/429711404_425925059854257_8210745567815840250_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Here's a video someone else shot.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kVD3kFjbfoo">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kVD3kFjbfoo</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I saw other exhibitions - Moto Hagio, Lorenzo Mattotti, Riad Sattouf, Thierry Smolderen, 77 years of Tintin’s diary, Hiroaki Samura, Nine Antico. All good but if you were to ask me, vampires rule at Angouleme this year. </div><div><br /></div><div>(all photos by CT; Clowes photo by Nick)</div><div><br /></div><div>CT Lim</div>cthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16038683480826389850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-71869214092324991302024-03-02T10:28:00.001-05:002024-03-02T10:28:38.252-05:00IJOCA's main website is down - a workaroundUntil it comes back up, the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine will
<br>let you see a capture of the site from February -
<br><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240204060857/http://www.ijoca.net/">https://web.archive.org/web/20240204060857/http://www.ijoca.net/</a>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-37395780188426194662024-03-01T13:25:00.007-05:002024-03-02T10:24:09.614-05:00Nate Powell interviewed about Fall Through, his punk rock graphic novel (UPDATED)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq79TtdBwxRFeUk-uZzkBP9IRgFdIpVwUdLdE3V6CNs-Ap42Y561Z31yfyURSYyZWh9sEh_A9bOOy3mF2DWoAKHBlAbNSYKNNtSyJ0siMkpJy5jN83DEMXfMDN2pbEVVWM_47spqXKdMvflr3iUXLNP3og_kiuQNiXn12I6aQndlRBhn2PbjzllB4LJSE/s432/download%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq79TtdBwxRFeUk-uZzkBP9IRgFdIpVwUdLdE3V6CNs-Ap42Y561Z31yfyURSYyZWh9sEh_A9bOOy3mF2DWoAKHBlAbNSYKNNtSyJ0siMkpJy5jN83DEMXfMDN2pbEVVWM_47spqXKdMvflr3iUXLNP3og_kiuQNiXn12I6aQndlRBhn2PbjzllB4LJSE/s320/download%20(1).jpg" width="221" /></a></div><p>Interviewed by CT Lim</p><p> <span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt x1jfb8zj xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto">The<i>
March </i>trilogy, written by the late civil rights leader and U.S.
Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, and illustrated and lettered by
Nate Powell, was one of the most acclaimed series in recent years. It
is the first comics work to ever win the National Book Award and there
is even a sequel now called <i>Run</i>.
But most readers of that series will not know the artist of the books used to be
in a punk band, ran his own punk label, and drew comics about the life. </span></span></p><p><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt x1jfb8zj xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto">When I had the opportunity to review his new book, <i>Fall Through</i> and to
interview him via email, I knew this is what I wanted to focus on. Reading
<i> Fall Through </i>is like reading issues of <i>Maximum Rock 'n' Roll</i> and
thinking about 'what is punk?', 'what is authentic?', and 'how does one carry
on in your 40s and 50s after a lifetime of listening to rock 'n' roll,
subscribing to its ethics and ideals when you have been working a 9 to 5 job
for the last 20 years?' You realized there is a cap to what you can
achieve in the rat race, in climbing the corporate leader. There are
some things you just won't do and don't believe in. You can only be
'good' for so long, then you just got to throw a spanner in the works.
Because it makes life more interesting.
Some of these dilemmas are discussed in <i>Notes from Underground: Zines
and the Politics of Alternative Culture</i> by Stephen Duncombe. </span></span></p><p><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt x1jfb8zj xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto">I thank
Nate Powell for his illuminating and generous answers to my questions. I
learn that his punk characters are connected in his own story universe.
I look forward to reading his new books.</span></span></p><p></p><p><b>How does one go from being a punk rocker to being an award-winning comic artist?</b></p><p>I began my active involvement with both communities simultaneously; In September, 1992, my band Soophie Nun Squad started writing songs as my bandmate and I published our very first comic book, D.O.A. #1. My comics pursuits were initially separate from my more personal fanzine creations, slowly merging as I realized that comics could be used to express whatever I wanted. Soophie Nun Squad’s first tour in 1997 doubled as the first time my comics were sold outside my hometown, and more importantly, read by any audience who didn’t already know me. These creative and social networks in punk and comics are both parallel and interconnected, and I’ve simply continued doing what’s been so meaningful for the past 32 years.</p><p><b>What are the lessons that you have learned from punk rock in general, and those that you have applied to being a comic artist?</b></p><p>Punk can be understood as a lens through which to navigate one’s surroundings and to better understand one’s relationship to the world. It can also be a means of problem-solving, figuring out ways to make things real on one’s own terms, and often with limited resources. It’s a test of faith in strangers and their intentions. It’s a crucial exercise in the value of critical thinking skills.</p><p>What we call punk is also a double-edged sword: it’s eternally defined and redefined by young people, and the older one gets, the more important it is to reevaluate those self-imposed values and structures we set in place as teenagers. The most enduring of these values in my middle-aged life are a strong do-it-yourself ethic, the necessity of community engagement and faith, and the unique strengths of comics’ democratized accessibility as an expressive medium. </p><p><b>What I like about <i>Fall Through </i>is that it is not a straight narrative of a band on the run. It attempts to capture what it is to be on tour, the constant gigging, to be skint all the time and you feel you just can't get off the road. It's like reading an issue of <i>Cometbus,</i> more akin to George Hurchalla's <i>Going Underground </i>than Michael Azerrad's <i>Our Band Could be Your Life.</i> The latter is more structured while the former is more shambolic and a bit all over the place. </b></p><p><b>Or am I reading it all wrong?</b></p><p>That’s definitely a big part of it. On the surface level of the plot, that disorientation and closed perspective is a powerful force when touring with the kind of band-family we see with Diamond Mine. But the tour aspect of the book is really just the scaffolding that holds deeper themes and feelings in relation to each other. A deeply personal creative collaboration like a punk band often carries a dynamic tension between band members’ perceived unity of purpose and the individual visions and motivations of its members. We sometimes lie to each other about these intentions, just as we lie to ourselves.</p><p><b>How much of the magic realism was there when you first outlined the story? Was it something that you had in mind or something that came along the way? (I thought it was a good way to make tangible the lure of the road, to keep on going and going and to put aside reality and the real world)</b></p><p>All of my solo fiction is magical or supernaturally-tinged, and it all takes place as isolated tales within a shared universe, allowing me to explore different aspects of my beloved hometown, its unique culture and people. So for <i>Fall Through</i>, magic was a given possibility during the early problem-solving stage of writing. Diamond Mine first appeared as a band in my 2018 book <i>Come Again,</i> performing in a weird mountain town in 1979. As I was developing these characters and their stories for Fall <i>Through,</i> which takes place in 1994, I embraced the fact that they simply don’t make sense in either era, and realized that this was a central mystery to help unlock the larger story. Finding a way to reconcile this without overexplaining it required reverse-engineering the band’s appearance in 1979, piecing together details which directly revealed the central plot issue, and allowed me to build around that mystery.</p><p><b>Are you still in a band? Will you form another one? </b></p><p>I have been a parent for the last 12 years, and that takes up every second of my life. I’m also geographically separated from the people with whom I’ve been involved in all of my bands—when I say “band-family,” I really mean that. It’s proven to be very difficult to play music outside of that family, but has made any reunions very welcome. From 1992 to 2010 I was in the bands Soophie Nun Squad, Gioteens, Boomfancy, Wait, Divorce Chord, and Universe, all with overlapping membership. In 2023, I reunited with three other members of Soophie Nun Squad to play a tribute set to a beloved hometown punk band, Trusty, doubling as a memorial to their drummer Bircho, who passed away at the beginning of the pandemic.</p><p><b>What music are you listening to these days? What would you recommend? </b><b>What would be a playlist to accompany the reading of <i>Fall Through</i>?</b></p><p>When I draw, I often listen to ambient electronic and minimalist albums on repeat—a lot of Harold Budd, Brian Eno, OK Ikumi, Oneohtrix Point Never, Philip Glass. I certainly spend a lot of time listening to emotionally vulnerable hardcore of the mid-80s to mid-90s—that’s my home planet. Lately, I’m constantly listening to Cocteau Twins, Prince, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Hugo Largo, and The Cure, as well as stellar new albums by Hammered Hulls and Scream.</p><p>I actually made a soundtrack accompaniment to <i>Fall Through</i>, which is here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF5hlx163lp15p6uNFVRtlIcKy3-81i3d">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF5hlx163lp15p6uNFVRtlIcKy3-81i3d</a></p><p><b>Some friends of mine (old punks) in Singapore are talking about planning for punk lives after 50, 60. Those who are not married or have kids, is there a retirement home for them so they can take care of each other. A punk house but with the old people safety features. This could be a real concern as people expect punks to 'grow up', settle down, have a proper 9 to 5 job, establish their careers. (one became a lecturer in an arts school and doing her PhD now on punk culture in Singapore, mining her own past) But some don't and there is some talk about punk old folks' home. </b></p><p><b>Are there similar issues in USA? </b></p><p>This is a good example of the importance of reevaluating how we apply these lifelong ideals crystallized as, and by, young people. There is not a serious issue with settling down and growing in different directions as we age. It’s simply what people do, and denying that requires an increasing denial of our relationships with the world—which is precisely how Diana has painted herself into an ideological corner with her own misapplied, self-serving idealism.</p><p>Punk is a way of approaching what we do, how we do it, and how to best look out for each other. There is no dichotomy-crisis outside of young adults who don’t yet understand this—and older people who refuse to acknowledge it. Punk is very real, and also a fabricated misnomer.</p><p><b>What's next after <i>Fall Through</i>?</b></p><p>In April, my next nonfiction book will be released. It’s a full comics adaptation of James Loewen’s influential <i>Lies My Teacher Told Me,</i> which is essentially a history book about intergenerational misunderstanding of US history through our history textbooks. The original version of this book was very influential on me as a young adult, and it has only become more significant as the power-hungry, reality-averse far right in the US have pursued organized campaigns to ban books and control information and diverse voices within the American experience. As for what’s on my drawing table right now? I’m finishing pencils on the prequel to<i> Fall Through</i>, which is both a stand-alone character study centered around Diana and the connective tissue fusing <i>Come Again</i> to <i>Fall Through.</i> It’s been a blast to dive so deeply into these characters’ lives and psyches, and will be heartbreaking to reach the end of the journey again.</p><div><i>Fall Through</i><br />BY NATE POWELL<br />Abrams Books, 2024<br />ISBN: 9781419760822<br /><div> $24.99</div><div><a href="https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/fall-through">https://store.abramsbooks.com/products/fall-through</a></div><div class="product__price" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><dl class="price" data-price="" style="align-items: flex-start; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="price__pricing-group" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"><div class="price__regular" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-right: 0.625rem;"><dd style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0.5em 0px 0px;"><span class="price-item price-item--regular" data-regular-price="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #3a3a3a;"> </span></span></dd><dd style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0.5em 0px 0px;"><span class="price-item price-item--regular" data-regular-price="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #3a3a3a;">(Updated 3/2/24 with introduction) <br /></span></span></dd></div></div></dl></div></div>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-2477708413703598912024-02-29T09:57:00.000-05:002024-02-29T09:57:34.220-05:00Book Review: All-Negro Comics (the 75th Anniversary Edition)<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dzZ8_aNny6XKectadQDD0dCo8xj_r1XAvHhOrV-UFqAkUxj32kwAdhrlLoE8Hlm0H4JoWmjj-r0idJ-_9P-T6k7iHxFAobQ3JHAKnJgkKq205fB8bc9Hs2WZIqUVQUNg9c4u0YJ2k4Z0znNZX3OjSgc1K9tpBXcPjKw11dwSusrAktYLGu_9pGyJ92o/s901/All-Negro%20Comics%2075.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dzZ8_aNny6XKectadQDD0dCo8xj_r1XAvHhOrV-UFqAkUxj32kwAdhrlLoE8Hlm0H4JoWmjj-r0idJ-_9P-T6k7iHxFAobQ3JHAKnJgkKq205fB8bc9Hs2WZIqUVQUNg9c4u0YJ2k4Z0znNZX3OjSgc1K9tpBXcPjKw11dwSusrAktYLGu_9pGyJ92o/s320/All-Negro%20Comics%2075.png" width="213" /></a> reviewed by <span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Cord
Scott, </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">UMGC
Okinawa</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Chris
Robinson, editor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>All-Negro Comics
(the 75<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Edition)</i>. ANC75.com/Wizrob.com, 2023.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$33.95 (hardcover). ISBN 979-8-218-13590-4. <</span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.crob.info/all-negro-comics">https://www.crob.info/all-negro-comics</a>
><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">For
many comic books of the Golden Era of the 1940s, the stories and artwork have a
certain lack of quality to modern readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The stories seem formulaic at times, the artwork adequate but limited in
originality or detail, and stereotypes are often utilized to simplify the
stories for the readers or just because they are part of the common visual
vernacular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not surprising that <i>All-Negro
Comics</i> at first glance might seem of little overall impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In terms of business success, it was true.
But historically, this could not be further from the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This comic, originally produced in 1947,
might not have had a lasting impact for the average (white) comic book reader,
but when analyzed against the history of the era as well as that of the comic
book industry, this <i>Anniversary Edition</i> allows a much fuller picture of
its long-term impact. The purpose of the comic was, as journalist and the original
editor Orrin Evans wrote, to “tell, teach and tribute” a mission this reprint
edition continues. The reprint project, funded on Kickstarter <</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1084996367/all-negro-comics-75th-anniversary-edition">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1084996367/all-negro-comics-75th-anniversary-edition</a>>
raised over $35,000 from 656 people to bring the comic back into print, with
copies given to several school and public libraries. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">The Kickstarter page also has more details on the restoration work done
on the comic book scans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
book is structured in three sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first 50 pages are the original <i>All-Negro Comics</i> number
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stories as they appeared in the
comic included “Ace Harlem,” a detective (written by Orrin Evans and inked by
John Terrell); “Dew Dillies” written by Cooper about how semi-mythical entities
act and interact; “Ezekiel's Story,” a two-page essay; “Lion Man” by George
Evans where a scientist/hero strives to keep uranium safe for the UN from
unscrupulous villains, “Hep Chicks on Parade”; “Lil Eggie”; and “Sugarfoot and
Snakeoil” by Cravat, in which two travelling men look to gain a meal and a
place to rest. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
second part of the book consists of brief essays on the impact of the comic on
the African-American community in more recent years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the first essay, Qiana Whitted noted the
significance of a comic book written, illustrated and meant for an African-American
audience in an era where legal segregation was still the norm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the artists came from the
Philadelphia School of Art and had had interactions with Evans previously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whitted also noted the history of African
American centered comic strips from “Sonny Boy San” in the <i>Pittsburgh
Courier</i>, and “Bungleton Green” from the <i>Chicago Defender</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While newspapers may not have the same significance
in the era of the internet, in the 1940s they were fundamental in providing news
and entertainment centered towards an underserved segregated community across
the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, Evans’ bold
idea never made it past the first issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David Brothers stated in his essay “Hip Hop and Comic books was my
Genesis” that the idea of African-American characters, especially those not
merely as sidekicks or stereotypes, was fundamental in his own creative
path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shawn Pryor’s essay “Finding My
Path” states that racism still exists in the comic book industry despite the
progress made, albeit now in the form of monetary compensation, and unstated continuing
policy from an earlier era of editors which rarely hired black creators.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
third section of the book starts on page 66, and features new storylines
created from the original characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ace Harlem now struggles to deal with the issue of “white benefactors”
who see themselves as betters for helping those less fortunate, while attempting
to camouflage their own racism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new
Lion Man story features issues of stereotypes and propaganda that dominated so
many of the early comics and twists it to work for the character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His faithful sidekick/ward Bubba still remains,
but is not so much a hinderance but a imp working for Lion Man’s
interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The essay in this later section
is “Nana’s memory quilt” by Samantha Guzman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The story discusses both the inevitability of death, but also how items
such as quilts can help to preserve not only memories but also family history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This later aspect is one that has traditionally
been overlooked when dealing with cultures with written, as opposed to oral or
pictorial histories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, the last
significant story featuring the <i>Dew Dillies</i> centers on “Platypus and the
Swan.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moral of the story is that
both animals swim and have significance in the world despite their perceived aesthetic
qualities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As
with any review of Golden age comics, there are aspects that still stand out
for their inappropriateness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
Whitted noted that Evans was trying to balance stereotypes with strong
characters who were equals in the comic book world, there was still a
considerable amount of sexism, be it from calling a female character “sugar” or
“honey” to the original Sugarfoot’s object of desire, Ample Mae, and her well-proportioned
and commented-upon figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The concept
of taking the original comic and creating new stories was interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It showed the impact of the original as a
springboard to the present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the
areas that could have been expanded would be the history of the creators, and
their backgrounds and other works. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In
all, the book is a starting point for a research area that is significant, but
not well-developed. One could then also at the impact of newspaper artists and
their contributions to beyond comics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did any of the artists have connection to Army newspapers such as the <i>Blue
Helmet</i> or <i>the Buffalo</i>, both of which catered to (segregated) Army
units during World War II?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or the black
superhero artists of the 1970s-1980s? This book, as with so many others, offers
a good reference point, but is not the whole story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-19724843673793769422024-02-14T14:33:00.001-05:002024-02-14T14:33:41.203-05:00IJOCA 25:2 Delayed<div dir="ltr"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 28.35pt;text-align:center;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif" align="center"><b><i><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">IJOCA</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"> 25:2 Delayed<span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 28.35pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 57pt 8pt 28.35pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">IJOCA</span></i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"> has prided itself for coming out within due seasons, but, unfortunately, that will not be the case with 25:2,<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 28.35pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">This issue is delayed, because.<span></span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 85.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"><span>1.<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">It is our silver anniversary issue, and to celebrate the occasion, we are including celebratory drawings and statements that have been (and still are) arriving.<span></span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 85.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"><span>2.<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">This issue includes a thorough index of all 25 years' contents, which took large amounts of time compiling, proofing, and putting into final form.<span></span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 85.05pt;text-align:justify;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"><span>3.<span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">The editing of the articles is taking up much time because of grammatical, typographical, and factual errors that needed remedying.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 57pt 8pt 28.35pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">Please accept our apologies and bear with us.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 28.35pt;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 56.9pt 8pt 28.35pt;text-align:right;line-height:115%;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif" align="right"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" lang="EN-GB">John A. Lent<span></span></span></b></p> </div> Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-64215422524070711452024-01-19T15:22:00.000-05:002024-01-19T15:22:01.465-05:00Letting the Everyday Speak its Own Power: The Works of Von Allan - A Review Essay<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5gzPjs9USeF5DcHWDaH-ojWJs1UfJTcbjdqdPGOyl1UqnIdyZsBid7kdJuzV2ZVS1V35jLIVvZy3PbuDgQsAX2vc8zZEN_xGdhNO2BUxuchnNZ5V1KYuYclv09sZkHErMlJH7ETTX2HRzH3uNp8BvEKASG9Ke4Vmuh3khv7-Q5Mds-4w2EOsij03NkQ/s1175/Wolfs-Head-Book-1-Cover-Thumbnail-by-Von-Allan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="847" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5gzPjs9USeF5DcHWDaH-ojWJs1UfJTcbjdqdPGOyl1UqnIdyZsBid7kdJuzV2ZVS1V35jLIVvZy3PbuDgQsAX2vc8zZEN_xGdhNO2BUxuchnNZ5V1KYuYclv09sZkHErMlJH7ETTX2HRzH3uNp8BvEKASG9Ke4Vmuh3khv7-Q5Mds-4w2EOsij03NkQ/s320/Wolfs-Head-Book-1-Cover-Thumbnail-by-Von-Allan.jpg" width="231" /></a><b style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"> by David Beard, University of
Minnesota Duluth</span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Canadian graphic novelist Von Allan (a pen name) persistently plays
with the tension between the mundane and the enchanted in his work, which is
usually self-published. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love,
Laughter, and Loss</i>, Allan funnels the enchanted and the emotionally
powerful through stories that emphasize the mundane, sometimes for humorous effect,
sometimes for tragic. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wolf’s Head</i>,
probably his best work to date, the fanciful elements of a science fiction tale
are masterfully pulled into a grounded, emotionally realistic story about a
child grappling with their mother’s legacy. As Allan has moved into nonfiction
(both in his public writings for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ottawa
Citizen</i> and in participating in the documentary <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Am Still Your Child</i>), he continues to pull us deeper into the
everyday, hoping to find the meaningful, and the tragic, therein.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9KkWX1mr4fbrrliL-JMWOEGqxh_MggJ-_A4eEl2ohXHqr5OHy6wdQ5O14r3zeWqoYNVFqwJ-W815SoWVjwyUBzE2QJWw__Z4rnW7wOW0MZtyoMXJB0SX-yezeAVfus6BI1H_LWOoLAr1E7SUFHUsCrPn5N6RoBcMMwQhtVLzdD98ZRzcGqvaPzaBUCo/s1175/Love-Laughter-Loss-ISBN-9781989885161-by-Von-Allan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="847" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9KkWX1mr4fbrrliL-JMWOEGqxh_MggJ-_A4eEl2ohXHqr5OHy6wdQ5O14r3zeWqoYNVFqwJ-W815SoWVjwyUBzE2QJWw__Z4rnW7wOW0MZtyoMXJB0SX-yezeAVfus6BI1H_LWOoLAr1E7SUFHUsCrPn5N6RoBcMMwQhtVLzdD98ZRzcGqvaPzaBUCo/s320/Love-Laughter-Loss-ISBN-9781989885161-by-Von-Allan.jpg" width="231" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Love, Laughter, and Loss</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">,
Allan works through two modes of storytelling. In the first half of the book,
he inverts our expectations of fantasy storytelling. Traditionally, we have
read high fantasy like the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lord of the
Rings</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and then seen those gorgeous fantasy worlds translated, often
unsuccessfully, into the tropes and tricks of roleplaying games. The
“halflings” in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dungeons and Dragons</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
are a way to recreate the Hobbits in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lord
of the Rings</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> without violating copyright; role playing games are like a
strainer, sucking the depth and elegance from high fantasy so that it can be
brought to a table with dice and miniatures.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In his stories, such as “The Cowardly Clerics of Rigel V,” Total
Party Kill,” and “The Two Magic-Users,” Allan tells us stories that begin with
mundanity of role playing games. What would, in high fantasy, be the story of
two wizards becomes the story of “two magic users.” In starting from the
limitations of the tabletop roleplaying game, Allan makes us chuckle at the deflation
of the genre.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That same tendency (to start with the mundane) also undergirds Von
Allan’s attempts to show us tragedy in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Love,
Laughter, and Loss</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. In a story about the Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft
(“When I Find You Again, It Will Be In Mountains”), Allan begins with a simple
dream of lost love. It’s only at the end of the dream that we see that the
dreamers are actually spacecraft. Similarly, “I Was Afraid For My Life” begins
as a story about a boy and a dog, only in the last pages revealing its powerful
statement on race, violence, and policing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In all of these works, Von Allan’s commitment to pulling the
fantastic and the tragic into the everyday makes it easier for him to tell a
story that creates a laugh or packs a punch.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibnzQAGXsAupr1qUSt-Iq1gv_Z8FsEScZlsM22xWhxm2PjOrF-E8RHRx-2hyzw0roVjpyNB4Y3CweWVNSM_uxF9eoK-dvSI7kgGk3Q1C3GvL41r2fTa_DweMmmxgEemgmsoLAMFXocsB-Qbe2ra3VqKDOqc5_k-e2HpGW0nYdyp_q-_s7ASAaZkUN3LU/s309/Von%20Allan%20Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="206" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibnzQAGXsAupr1qUSt-Iq1gv_Z8FsEScZlsM22xWhxm2PjOrF-E8RHRx-2hyzw0roVjpyNB4Y3CweWVNSM_uxF9eoK-dvSI7kgGk3Q1C3GvL41r2fTa_DweMmmxgEemgmsoLAMFXocsB-Qbe2ra3VqKDOqc5_k-e2HpGW0nYdyp_q-_s7ASAaZkUN3LU/s1600/Von%20Allan%20Picture1.png" width="206" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Wolf’s Head</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> is a stronger work than the bits and pieces
collected in <i>Love, Laughter, Loss</i>,
and so deserves a closer look. <i>Wolf’s
Head </i>begins, in a way, where “I Was Afraid For My Life” leaves off, and its
introductory page is remarkable in that it uses texture to convey the energy of
the moment. The figure in the foreground is angry, and the play of texture
behind her propels her forward. The lines radiating from something like an
explosion of color represent, in texture, what she is feeling inside: Lauren
Greene’s anger is propelled by the structural racism and violence inherent in
policing, especially after the events of 2020 in Minneapolis. Her conscience
won’t abide her participation in that system, and so she quits.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I love this panel because it really shows the nuanced ways that Allan
uses both the extraordinary and the simple to communicate. In a longer work
like </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wolf’s Head</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, the interplay
between the fantastic dimensions of his stories and the tiny details of life in
his art are what makes his voice unique in contemporary comics. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcodZPXwCPfNeXoGwSVHvwUrLK6aVKD-zf3bnCWJftrKrXyHXMcz8bnl3jCx550m34N1jA_6ypXUNzJ5Eedp8FjNL8DTH64vqJbemahXJZidYDePCpiBsfgSRl62DnnD8Iea6-73gu1Jv6nwqJ72mvTBqeVwA6twUYzQu66OTXmf5DQ0mjdA-uFifb68/s304/Von%20Allan%20Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="201" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcodZPXwCPfNeXoGwSVHvwUrLK6aVKD-zf3bnCWJftrKrXyHXMcz8bnl3jCx550m34N1jA_6ypXUNzJ5Eedp8FjNL8DTH64vqJbemahXJZidYDePCpiBsfgSRl62DnnD8Iea6-73gu1Jv6nwqJ72mvTBqeVwA6twUYzQu66OTXmf5DQ0mjdA-uFifb68/s1600/Von%20Allan%20Picture2.jpg" width="201" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When Lauren finds a new job, Allan deploys those same texture
techniques (crosshatching and some computerized spotting) to create a muddy
picture of the place where Lauren now works. Instead of being propelled forward,
Lauren is caught in the muck and darkness of her new life.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Allan introduces us to Lauren’s mom with the same techniques. I
absolutely adore this first image of her mom (all solid colors and dark, thick
lines), in sharp relief against (again) the complex textures of the apartment
hallway and doorframe. On first, quick read, it’s possible to miss the oddly
shaped musical note coming from her bag.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Wn9JsZFDGiBbq-lGO1sR1afZ_xMZKuZXX4aTpa4P0WGQ6h56ueLyME6AodHiHYmUJSgdpzQTQERx8T4QM3RCgvurkS64OAOYcgxC5P1188yF98Y_pkBunQ7pTLgGej57oXWJxiwFFD8qruWMBn7PFyj-8OI_PGHNlPj5oWOO_FnBr5FOv5OBDdGwrg4/s678/Von%20Allan%20Picture3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="211" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Wn9JsZFDGiBbq-lGO1sR1afZ_xMZKuZXX4aTpa4P0WGQ6h56ueLyME6AodHiHYmUJSgdpzQTQERx8T4QM3RCgvurkS64OAOYcgxC5P1188yF98Y_pkBunQ7pTLgGej57oXWJxiwFFD8qruWMBn7PFyj-8OI_PGHNlPj5oWOO_FnBr5FOv5OBDdGwrg4/s320/Von%20Allan%20Picture3.png" width="100" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That “bag” is the touch of the extraordinary in the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wolf’s Head</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> story. Lauren’s mom works as
a janitor in a research & development firm (Advanced Research Projects
Corporation). The singing shoulder bag is actually a shapeshifting machine, an
ARPC invention that has achieved self-awareness. It protected Lauren’s mom from
an explosion at the factory and becomes her companion and guardian. When Lauren
learns about her mom’s self-aware machine (and the goons from ARPC who want it
back), she and her mom get into a fight about what to do next. Their reunion is
possibly the most touching moment in the book. The goons kidnap Lauren to get
at her mom. While Lauren’s mom is interrogated, she passes away from a heart
attack, and Lauren is left with the self-aware machine and the ARPC goons in
hot pursuit. The machine protector steps up and saves Lauren from the ARPC.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Wolf’s Head is at its best in the small things – Lauren’s search for meaning
after leaving the force, her reunion with her mother. The story of the
self-aware machine is the tiny twist that helps bring Von Allan’s gift for
bringing the everyday into view. It’s difficult not to read this touching,
loving mother-daughter relationship in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wolf’s
Head</i> without a sense of Von Allan’s interest in mental illness in families.
His 2009 work, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the road to god knows</i>,
is no longer in print, but the narrative arc (of a mom separated her from her
child) resonates.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">the road to god knows, </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">the
separation between child and parent is more painful</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">than the separation in </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wolf’s
Head</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. In the latter, Lauren’s mom finds and comes to care for a sentient
machine – anything, including reconciliation with Lauren, is possible in such a
story. In </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">the road to god knows</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, parent
and child are ruptured by an illness that cannot be removed, only struggled
with.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In an interview with the CBC after Allan won recognition as a
“trailblazer,” we learn that his late mother had schizophrenia; in other of his
writings, he has addressed mental illness. In interview and essay, Von Allan’s
penchant for crafting a picture of a realistic world helps him communicate the
complexities of living with mental illness. In his writings for the </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ottawa Citizen</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, Allan (writing under his
real name as Eric Julien)<a href="https://www.vonallan.com/2022/05/dave.html" target="_blank"> shares his relationship with his childhood friend,David Thomas Foohey.</a> Allan lays the facts of Foohey’s life on the table for the
reader: his struggles living with older, blind parents who divorced; his
struggles losing those parents (in 2004 and 2008). His depictions of Foohey’s
attempt to grapple with mental illness are straightforward:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in;"><i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">In Dave’s case, the medication emotionally
“flat-lined” him. He phrased it this way: all of his emotions, not just the sad
ones, were shunted off. Not sad, not filled with loss, but equally missing out
on happiness and joy. There was just nothing at all. As a result, Dave gave up
on the medication. He never did try another.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">No hyperbole, no drama – whatever emotion you draw from Foohey’s
story, you draw from the straightforward presentation of Dave’s story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Allan knows that his power as a storyteller comes from letting the
everyday speak its own power, whether in the short stories of </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Love, Laughter, Loss</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, in the longer
works (</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">the road to god knows</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wolf’s Head</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">), or nonfiction essays like
“Dave’s Story.” Across his diverse works, by placing his focus on the everyday,
Allan makes me laugh, makes me sad, and gives me hope.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">References</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Von Allan Studio website: <a href="https://www.vonallan.com/">https://www.vonallan.com/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">“Julien: Dave's Story — and the Agonizing Dilemma of Mental Illness.”
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ottawa Citizen</i> July 4, 2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Love, Laughter, Loss</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">. Ottawa: V. Allan Studio, 2021. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">the road to god knows</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">. Ottawa: V. Allan Studio, 2009. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Wolf’s Head</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">. Ottawa: V. Allan Studio, 2021. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Trailblazers: Eric Julien.” </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">CBC
Interactive</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">. March 23, 2019</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">I Am Still Your Child</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">. CatBird Productions 2017<o:p></o:p></span></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-48718547132161888052024-01-19T14:45:00.010-05:002024-01-19T15:02:42.366-05:00“Childhood Innocence” Does Not Need Rescuing Here : Growing Up Graphic book review<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7gOqRHjTTrf8OVWl1TxpzllGfyTno4-NsRpP4Xe-xRFpUcAlfS2QfSa2AynJX-hJo4cITlbkMdkTN6f1XnWVBsdgiHiPKxHzN6KrKJKpzyIbhZv7fPh_as0XcI9rbe3dRT-lrcgO-_J1nDoi3e8TW2VDVdAhTWLzRSztRWrJfrimuzOzg2QT0Es0l-E/s2700/Growing%20up%20graphic.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7gOqRHjTTrf8OVWl1TxpzllGfyTno4-NsRpP4Xe-xRFpUcAlfS2QfSa2AynJX-hJo4cITlbkMdkTN6f1XnWVBsdgiHiPKxHzN6KrKJKpzyIbhZv7fPh_as0XcI9rbe3dRT-lrcgO-_J1nDoi3e8TW2VDVdAhTWLzRSztRWrJfrimuzOzg2QT0Es0l-E/s320/Growing%20up%20graphic.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">reviewed b</span><span style="line-height: 150%;">y
Cecilia Garrison, </span></span></b></span><div><b>California Institute of Integral Studies</b><p></p><b><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alison Halsall. <i>Growing
Up Graphic: The Comics of Children in Crisis.</i> Ohio State University Press,
2023. <a href="https://ohiostatepress.org/books/titles/9780814215548.html">https://ohiostatepress.org/books/titles/9780814215548.html</a></span></span></b><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Growing
Up Graphic: The Comics of Children in Crisis </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">is a refreshing
and honest assessment of the importance of accurately and frankly acknowledging
that childhood innocence is a Western invention. And also, that children, no
matter where they are from or who they are, deserve to see themselves depicted
in comics and can use the graphic narrative medium as a means to develop a
broader and more realistic world view. Alison Halsall, fresh off the success of
her edited volume <i>The LGBTQ+ Comics Studies Reader </i>winning the 2023
Eisner Award for Best Academic/Scholarly Work, writes <i>Growing Up Graphic </i>with
four objectives in mind. First, Halsall aims to explore comics and graphic
narratives as a medium heavily invested in representing the reality of the
social, political, and cultural experiences of childhood and youth. Graphic
narratives, she argues, are a particularly useful means of sharing these
experiences across national and cultural borders, because the “unique
verbal/visual interface” (28) of these narratives seems to translate across the
borders more easily. The second objective is the navigation of comics for young
people throughout, within, and around “discourses of nation, belonging, ableism,
and identity” (3). Young people are shaped by the communities and countries in
which they live, and the politics of those spaces, and they deserve to have a
space in that discourse. Third, she observes and contends with the trend in
children’s publishing to diversify published content, providing young readers
in the Global North with a more intersectional lens through which to see the
world when consuming media. Comics and graphic narratives for children use the
personal and the local to aid young readers in understanding broader
narratives. And finally, she considers the readers themselves as a source of
tension. Halsall meets all her stated objectives with aplomb and a frankness
that makes the book hard to put down. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Halsall’s text refutes the harmful ideas that comics and
graphic novels are somehow lesser and should not be consumed by children or
young people because of supposedly harmful and corrupting influences. This idea
has existed for decades; today’s censorship of LGBTQ and African-American graphic
novels echoes Fredric Wertham’s 1950s crusade against comics. <a name="_Int_G1mSJSCv">However, Halsall argues that the world in which we all
live requires more and </a><a name="_Int_js9e1Bux"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Int_G1mSJSCv;">more of</span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Int_G1mSJSCv;">
children, particularly in terms of communication and critical thinking skills.</span>
Visual literacy, comprehension, and interpretation are increasingly necessary
aspects of communication. More libraries, schools, and curricula for young
readers find the navigation of graphic texts to be a valuable means by which
students and readers can develop these and other skills, while also developing
a love of literature, art, and reading from a young age. Not only do graphic
narratives provide opportunities for young readers to develop the
aforementioned skills, but the particular graphic narratives Halsall addresses
in <i>Growing Up Graphic </i>(which include such titles as <i>War Brothers </i>by
Sharon E. McKay, Leila Abdelrazaq’s <i>Baddawi</i>, <i>7 Generations</i> by
David Alexander Robertson, and several of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels,
including <i>Guts</i> and <i>Drama</i>) provide young readers with new and
engaging opportunities to learn about human rights discourses, world events,
and ways in which children are and can be active agents in the world around
them, providing the groundwork for those readers to become more empathetic,
compassionate, and culturally aware. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Furthermore,
Halsall questions the Global North belief that childhood and youth are and must
be innocent – that children should be protected from anything that may burden
the innocence of their youth. Childhood, Halsall argues, is a largely Western
concept, and that the Global North conception of childhood as something which
should be stable and protected is in conflict with the experiences of hundreds
of thousands of children both within the context of Western societies and
beyond. This conflict is present throughout all five chapters of <i>Growing Up
Graphic</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">In
her first chapter, Halsall explores the use of childhood in war, bringing the
reader through an analysis of Michel Chikwanine’s <i>Child Soldier: When Boys
and Girls Are Used in War</i>, Sharon E. McKay and Daniel Lafrance’s <i>War
Brothers: The Graphic Novel</i>, and Jean-Philippe Stassen’s <i>Deogratias, A
Tale of Rwanda </i>to ask readers to reflect on the ontology of victimhood, the
lives of those – especially children – who are caught up in wars not of their
own making, and the impacts of power, control, and change. She calls upon these
texts to defamiliarize standard historical narratives and the ideas of
childhood, as they instead point out that history is far rifer with personal
and political violence and trauma, and that childhood “transforms in relation
to war, a social and political crisis” (34). The children involved in armed
conflict cannot be seen from the Western perspective of childhood as brimming
over with innocence, they are shown through these narratives to be complex;
neither agents nor at-risk victims, but perhaps both at the same time. They can
be agentic without being responsible, vulnerable without being entirely
victimized, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">This
vein of complicated agency continues into the second chapter, with a question
of how graphic narratives about immigration, diaspora, and refugees, such as
Morten Dürr and Lars Horneman’s <i>Zenobia</i>, Shaun Tan’s <i>The Arrival</i>,
Matt Hyunh’s “The Boat,” Reinhard Kleist’s <i>An Olympic Dream: The Story of
Samia Yusuf Omar</i>, Leila Abdelrazaq’s <i>Baddawi</i>, and George Takei’s <i>They
Called Us Enemy</i>, can explore migration ethically, rejecting the instinct
common in Western literature to represent refugees and immigrants as “passive
victims waiting to be ‘saved’” (58), instead exploring them as fully complex individuals
shaped by the circumstances in which they find themselves. This effort
humanizes the refugee crisis and the protagonists of these texts, allowing
young readers to ground themselves in another young person’s lived experiences.
“Here” and “there” become less disparate as young readers read, and they are
able to conceptualize immigrants and refugees as something more than victims
without agency, awaiting saving from the Global North. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The
theme of agency and refusing to see marginalized protagonists as victims in
need of saving continues throughout the text. Chapter 3 of <i>Growing Up
Graphic </i>focuses on Indigenous texts from Canada, exploring the way that
texts such as Katherena Vermette’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Girl
Called Echo</i>, David Alexander Robertson’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7 Generations</i>, and Michael Nicoll Yahulanaas’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Red: A Haida Manga</i> explore the healing powers of language and
visual storytelling to explore myth and worldview, and address the generations
of systemic violence and genocide faced by Indigenous communities. While this
chapter addresses and acknowledges injustices, both past and present, the texts
analyzed within seek to empower Indigenous youth, providing a narrative that
emphasizes cultural affirmation, renewal, and hope while responding to a
history of colonial violence. The texts encourage young readers to question
historical narratives, resist the erasure of violence and colonialism, and work
against the continued racial stratification and systematic injustices. Not only
does the use of graphic narrative offer Indigenous writers and readers
catharsis and critical reflection, but it also provides non-Indigenous young
readers with valuable perspective while not viewing Indigenous peoples
non-agentic or their lives and stories as something to be relegated to a
history book. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter
4 takes particular umbrage at the concept of protecting the innocence of
childhood by highlighting the powerful importance of quality representation of
queer identity in texts for young readers, complicating the idea that children
must be separated from any knowledge of sexuality. Halsall argues against both
an ideal of a stable, protected childhood and a stable sexual and gender
identity, acknowledging that both of these concepts are likely to fluctuate,
change, and have different meaning for different people over time. She examines
texts such as Mariko Tamaki’s <i>Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me</i>, Hubert
and Marie Caillou’s <i>Adrian and the Tree of Secrets</i>, and Ngozi Ukazu’s <i>Check,
Please!</i> to understand how they normalize the queer experience, reorienting
the narrative of queer media away from the trauma and crisis often associated
with queerness to the conflict ubiquitous in young people’s interpersonal
relationships. The context of this chapter within the rest of <i>Growing Up
Graphic</i> is interesting, because the texts Halsall examines here are creating
narratives wherein existing as queer is not, inherently, a crisis. However, the
texts themselves are seen as a crisis, as political and cultural groups
continue to try to protect young people from anything perceived as sexual. Such
groups harken back to “the pervasive myth of the implied Romantic child reader,
whose purity is necessarily incompatible with sexual awareness and experience”
(131) and consider such texts inappropriate for young readers. These texts,
however, are continually and increasingly important for readers, as they seek
to orient themselves in relation to the world around them and develop broader
views on many issues. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">All
of the texts encourage perspective taking, empathy, and compassion in their
readers, and the fifth chapter’s emphasis on health crises furthers this
objective, while also often providing information, awareness building, and
consciousness raising about what are often otherwise undiscussed parts of
people’s lives, especially when those in the midst of the health crisis are
young people. Texts such as Raina Telgemeier’s <i>Guts</i> or <i>Smile</i>,
Cece Bell’s <i>El Deafo</i>, and Tory Wollcott’s <i>Mirror Mind: Growing Up
Dyslexic</i> provide the creator and perhaps the reader with some measure of
control over what can often be a situation in which the person affected has
little to no control. Not only does Halsall address the way these texts can
normalize experience of bodily difference, chronic and/or severe illness, or
mental variance, she also speaks to the way that the texts respond to the
silence around many of these conditions, redefine the meaning of health, and affirm
the agency of those who may have such a condition, especially in the face of
families or medical professionals who may attempt to remove such agency or
voice. Halsall returns to the message of refuting the victim paradigm,
emphasizing texts that move away from the protagonist needing rescue from their
condition. Not only do graphic narratives provide the same benefit of
socio-emotional education around disability that they do the other topics
discussed in <i>Growing Up Graphic</i>, but Halsall also points out the ways in
which graphic narratives as a whole can be an accessible form of learning for
those with developmental disorders, learning disabilities, or other conditions
that may impact information acquisition, retention, understanding, and/or
processing (179). These graphic narratives challenge the idea of children as apolitical
and needing protection from troubling topics such as health crises or
disability, instead giving children the language necessary to approach medicine
and their bodies with agency and information. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Halsall
leaves the reader anticipating more – more comics and graphic narratives, more
from comics studies, more from Halsall herself, and, unfortunately but
realistically, more children in crisis. She concludes with an impact statement
about how the COVID crisis has highlighted discrimination in a variety of forms
across the globe and the unequal distribution of safety and power across homes
and nations, and the ways in which graphic narratives are already being used to
address various aspects of the pandemic. Still Halsall asserts, the children
don’t need protecting from the realities of COVID any more than they do from
other world crises, they need understanding, information, an outlet, and
compassion. From an explosion of digitally available comics about the
experiences of people during the course of the ongoing pandemic, to being used
to provide information about mitigating the risks of the virus, Halsall
anticipates that COVID comics will continue to prove all the ways in which
comics provide young readers with a humanizing glimpse into the experiences and
challenges faced by young people all the world over. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-87123258155952281972024-01-19T10:00:00.011-05:002024-01-22T09:03:33.655-05:00Ian Gordon remembers David Kunzle<p><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">David Kunzle (April 17, 1936 – January 1, 2024) </span></p><p><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">by Ian Gordon <br /></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Vale
David Kunzle. I received the news from Roger Sabin when I was in London
in early January. As it happened I was at Cambridge, his undergraduate
university, the day before I heard and on my return to London walked
pass his doctoral home at the Courtauld Institute of Art. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">David
was a formative influence on my work. Like many comics fans at the time
I first encountered David through his 1974 introduction to and
translation
of Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart’s <i>How to Read Donald Duck</i>.
The red-hot prose of that work is best understood as a visceral
reaction to the vicious Pinochet regime and the comics analyzed had been
altered by the Chilean publishers who were not
sympathetic to the Allende socialist government. But my engagement with
David’s work only came later. In 1989 I decided to do my doctoral
dissertation on comic strips. In that same year the University of
California Press announced the forthcoming publication
of the second volume of his <i>The History of the Comic Strip</i> and I sought a venue to review it since at $110 it was beyond my graduate student budget. Michael Kazin at
<i>Tikkun</i>, who I had met at the Smithsonian, said no, but suggested the <i>American Quarterly</i>.
At first Charles Bassett, then the book review editor, said no but
after he received a volume from the University Press of Mississippi,
Joseph (Rusty) Witek’s
<i>Comic Books as History: The Narrative Art of Jack Jackson, Art Spiegelman, and Harvey Pekar,
</i>he said yes provided I did a combined review. Somewhat miffed that
this fellow Witek had used a version of the title I wanted for my
dissertation I said yes. In preparation while waiting for Volume 2,
which only came out in mid 1990, I studied Volume 1
closely after previously only having given it a cursory read. I
remember this well because I was traveling home to Australia and
borrowed a copy from the University of Sydney library and read about a
third, lugging it between Sydney and Melbourne and back
again. Returning to the USA I spent a week or so in Los Angeles at my
grad school friend Charles Shindo’s family home and he borrowed a copy
from his alma mater, USC, and I may have even read some of it on the
beach. Finally, back in Washington, DC I finished
Volume 1 at the Library of Congress and moved to Volume 2 that I had by
then received. The review duly appeared in
<i>American Quarterly</i>.<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#m_-2200330978975752091__edn1" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWAc16d9c79-450b-b746-8007-bc91d8984141" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">[1]</a> After
completing the review essay I begun the research for my dissertation.
In many ways my approach
to studying comics was shaped through this review essay. I wanted to
use Kunzle’s methods to study American comics and was too sharp with
Rusty’s work for not doing quite what I wanted it to do. Stressing the
merits of Kunzle I neglected the merits of Witek,
something that I later addressed.<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#m_-2200330978975752091__edn2" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA8a969597-3f6b-87ac-bcd2-5c8292817153" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">[2]</a> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Of Kunzle’s work I had this to say in the
<i>American Quarterly</i>: </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Kunzle's first volume
<i>History of the Comic Strip: Vol. 1, The Early Comic Strip</i>,
published in 1973, contained an account of the crucial transformation in
graphic narrative in late eighteenth century England; "the stylistic
revolution in popular graphic art known as caricature"
(Kunzie, Berkeley, 1973, 1). Kunzie demonstrated that before Hogarth
introduced a comic element in graphic narrative during the eighteenth
century, it was primarily concerned with religious, moral, and political
themes of a didactic or propagandistic nature.
The narrative in Hogarth's panels was also easier to follow than in
earlier, more static, graphic narrative. But Hogarth was no
caricaturist. Nor did he use speech balloons, contrary to the view held
by many comic art historians.' Caricature, a method of capturing
a person's essential character by the exaggeration of features in a
loose line drawing, entered the public realm of European art late in the
eighteenth century. It lent itself to political commentary and to a new
style of narrative fiction: the comic strip.
Rodolphe Topffer (1799-1846) undertook the first sustained work in the
new medium of the comic strip, and
<i>History of the Comic Strip: Vol. 2, The Nineteenth Century</i> opens with a discussion of his work. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Kunzie
argues that Topffer and those who followed him, most notably Cham
(Charles-Henri-Amedee de Noe), Leonce Petit, Adolphe Willette,
and Wilhelm Busch, effected a profound change in graphic narrative.
They produced comic strips that aimed to entertain. The works presented
not the facile comic strip offerings one so often encounters in the late
twentieth century, but extended tales, gathered
in albums, that addressed the emerging bourgeois order of Europe. For
instance, between 1830 and 1846, Topffer lampooned the pretensions of
the petite bourgeoisie on the make, parodied scientific research, and in
his final work, derided would-be revolutionists.
To tell these stories, Topffer and the others developed new graphic
narrative techniques. These included dried pen etching and stunning
montage sequences in which the images cut back and forth between
protagonists, or ranged over movement through time and
space. Kunzle's detailed account of the European development of the
comic strip is relevant to an American Studies audience because despite
the unique and "specifically American humorous tradition" displayed in
early American comic strips (5), their form,
and indeed their content, owed much to the earlier European work. (242-243). </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">And, “David Kunzle's
<i>History</i> sets a standard for discussion and analysis of the comic
art form. He not only recounts the technical and stylistic development
of the form but sets it within the cultural matrix of nineteenth century
Europe." (246)</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">For
good measure I should note that I saw Rusty’s work positing something
that indeed happened and he was ahead of the curve in seeing that
possibility
and explaining the way it took shape, “Witek's book raises the
possibility that comic books may transcend their formulaic nature and
produce a new literary medium." (246)</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Having
finished his second volume David seemed to balk at doing the third
volume that he had originally intended. In May 1992 he wrote to the art
historian
Rebecca Zurier had received a Swann Foundation fellowship for her work
on the Ashcan School. He proposed a collaboration on a third volume that
would run from 1896 to Krazy Kat stopping short of the adventure strips
of the 1930s. Given her path to tenure as
an art historian had been mapped out for her in discussions with her
Department Zurier could not take up Kunzle’s offer, and she directed him
to me. In 1992 just as I was wrapping up my dissertation, I received a
letter from Kunzle <i>(see below)</i>. Busy with meeting the demand
from the graduate Dean of my university that all 200 figures appear in
portrait form with full captions, rather than a mix of portrait and
landscape, and then with defending the dissertation I did not reply
until October. To say I was flattered was an understatement.
I was flabbergasted that Kunzle had contacted me and proposed such a
collaboration. I of course said yes. So where is that third volume? I
said yes conditionally since I wanted to get some publications out
before turning to that collaboration. I also hoped
to stay in America and was able to do so through some employment at the
Smithsonian allowed as gaining work experience under my F1 visa. David
replied and we agreed to meet in Los Angeles in 1993 to discuss the
volume. I sent him my dissertation. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">In
1993 he graciously collected me at the LA train station and we and his
wife Marjoyre had dinner at their UCLA house. I remember the dinner
because
at one point David excused himself and returned with a rapier and told
me about his performance with an Elizabethan troupe. I was unsure if I
should engage him with the fork I was using to eat pasta. I am not sure
if it was that evening, or perhaps in a letter
that I no longer have, that David responded to my dissertation with the
comment “was it as bad as that” meaning the mass commodification of
comic art in the American comic strip. I now wonder if perhaps he was
also asking me to think a little more about comic
art that had not been so drastically commodified and perhaps expand my
vision from the very real role comics played in shaping consumer
culture. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">By
this stage though I had decided to return to Australia since long term
work was not presenting itself in America. I am not
sure exactly what David and I decided on the proposed collaboration or
indeed if we decided anything. Perhaps it disappeared as other
priorities and the passage of time took us further away from the
project. From a letter from Martin Barker sometime in mid
to late 1993 I do know that David had been speaking with him to about
the project. But as Martin suggested I think David was not as engaged
with Volume 3 as he had other work he wanted to do.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">In the last ten years or so other scholars have filled some of the gaps left by the absence of a third volume. Beyond my own
initial attempts to place comics in a broader development of twentieth century American culture Christina Meyer’s
<i>Producing Mass Entertainment</i>, Lara Saguisag’s <i>Incorrigibles and Innocents</i>, and Alex Beringer’s
<i>Lost Literacies</i> are all invaluable works that should be read in
the absence of that volume. One can hope for many more works like these
to plug the gaps. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Many
non-academic readers with an interest in understanding the history of
comics have appreciated Kunzle’s work. But that was
not always the case. For instance, when I visited Bill Blackbeard in
1991 he dismissed David’s work as simply reproducing every early image
he could find and not worth attention. His influence on others was
perhaps pernicious since Bob Beerbohm, now very much
a fan of the work, told me he had been put off by Blackbeard’s
comments. I can only surmise that Blackbeard’s view was colored by a
desire to claim comic strips as a uniquely American form and David’s
work demonstrating long antecedents of commercial graphic
work (and not fanciful connections like hieroglyphics) upset that apple
cart. On the scholarly front David was aware of Donald Ault and I do
wonder if they discussed Disney. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">David
Kunzle encouraged my work especially in the early years when I was
trying to make a career. Other scholars like the Australian historian
Richard
Scully and the British historian Patrick Hagopian, to whom David sent
photo documentation of his anti-Vietnam war posters, have mentioned
David’s kindness. I was very happy to meet David again in 2017 at a
conference in the UK. By then he had returned to the
study of comics at a time when more and more scholars had turned their
attention to both comics and David’s work. The following year at the
International Graphic Novels and Comics conference in Bournemouth I was
able to thank him publicly during my keynote
address for his help, encouragement, and exemplary scholarship. His
gracious nod in thanks was as wonderful as the first letter I received
from him. We have lost a scholar of enormous importance. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;">David Kunzle has received obituaries at the following sites: </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2024/01/09/david-kunzle-rip/&source=gmail&ust=1705721028571000&usg=AOvVaw1a3tsNxWn3QU8wGdUuZLqG" href="https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2024/01/09/david-kunzle-rip/" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA1c5effa9-54f9-1ba7-0911-522d11edf4eb" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.dailycartoonist.<wbr></wbr>com/index.php/2024/01/09/<wbr></wbr>david-kunzle-rip/</a> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tcj.com/david-kunzle-1936-2024/&source=gmail&ust=1705721028571000&usg=AOvVaw1sQ0Blx2GA2K9ek_P8hQFt" href="https://www.tcj.com/david-kunzle-1936-2024/" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA496b1cd9-2e47-ffcd-2df5-f1fe56b84a26" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.tcj.com/david-<wbr></wbr>kunzle-1936-2024/</a> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.politicalgraphics.org/post/david-kunzle-presente-poster-of-the-week&source=gmail&ust=1705721028571000&usg=AOvVaw1YSTgdgLt3hMpFymWS8AiP" href="https://www.politicalgraphics.org/post/david-kunzle-presente-poster-of-the-week" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA1b64bb84-7e42-be9b-1597-abb7e18b9e92" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.politicalgraphics.<wbr></wbr>org/post/david-kunzle-<wbr></wbr>presente-poster-of-the-week</a> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Calibri", sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/in-memoriam-david-kunzle-art-and-comics-scholar&source=gmail&ust=1705721028571000&usg=AOvVaw1LnAPgRfGVYp9DiBWWQmse" href="https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/in-memoriam-david-kunzle-art-and-comics-scholar" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA3a9b52fa-9534-006b-5278-cec256f784a8" style="color: blue; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">https://newsroom.ucla.edu/<wbr></wbr>stories/in-memoriam-david-<wbr></wbr>kunzle-art-and-comics-scholar</a></span><span face=""Calibri", sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" style="color: black;">And a fine memory from Charles Hatfield:
<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tcj.com/remembering-david-kunzle/&source=gmail&ust=1705721028571000&usg=AOvVaw1ad1LDdu_Ujf18-SwhRjsR" href="https://www.tcj.com/remembering-david-kunzle/" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA253c42f1-1fc1-061b-b43e-cdcc6eea7eda" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" target="_blank">
https://www.tcj.com/<wbr></wbr>remembering-david-kunzle/</a> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Letters from Gordon's files</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>David Kunzle to Rebecca Zurier, May 8, 1992: <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qt3_o9pHgkQoLFaMAs9J5UToroxtvL4PlSjkoodMBI6Yt5xxI-IFQFGvf57zpv5CYaDEk0RttrDHi4RSv6MHajgsfazZ2JkR8dT6smDDwMhmHL7Z8HM_ed3FbaJcZl_fJ2UGMDVx-XhFgXy_kIHPkJN10FHD4yomxPbVz_kkZ7Sg4sGQcqoALxtaNzw/s3756/Kunzle%20to%20Zurier%20%20May%208%201992%20small_Page_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3756" data-original-width="2946" height="772" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qt3_o9pHgkQoLFaMAs9J5UToroxtvL4PlSjkoodMBI6Yt5xxI-IFQFGvf57zpv5CYaDEk0RttrDHi4RSv6MHajgsfazZ2JkR8dT6smDDwMhmHL7Z8HM_ed3FbaJcZl_fJ2UGMDVx-XhFgXy_kIHPkJN10FHD4yomxPbVz_kkZ7Sg4sGQcqoALxtaNzw/w605-h772/Kunzle%20to%20Zurier%20%20May%208%201992%20small_Page_1.jpg" width="605" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGKN0_iDKENH9vnyeIEgVczI6mqrTmCBYkbjNbZ5QWGUKDbX_idpP4dTSDLV7yhDAoZYKbAVLoMn3TsyrSj9cxZZ3Y-EdAmcY-GcEAAO-pCbxXwlwnYvYNV8hpkDLygpCdFVadC4OcC12e-Np5z8ZSrZT6RZtbDo2euppJS8UfiUN4YpBpkY_7k9avls/s3732/Kunzle%20to%20Zurier%20%20May%208%201992%20small_Page_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3732" data-original-width="2874" height="796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGKN0_iDKENH9vnyeIEgVczI6mqrTmCBYkbjNbZ5QWGUKDbX_idpP4dTSDLV7yhDAoZYKbAVLoMn3TsyrSj9cxZZ3Y-EdAmcY-GcEAAO-pCbxXwlwnYvYNV8hpkDLygpCdFVadC4OcC12e-Np5z8ZSrZT6RZtbDo2euppJS8UfiUN4YpBpkY_7k9avls/w612-h796/Kunzle%20to%20Zurier%20%20May%208%201992%20small_Page_2.jpg" width="612" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Rebecca Zurier to David Kunzle, June 13, 1992:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggS50NkQ2-mGTkLQWY8QcnQUeEz2oiMo_Sw5SjyR2Z7DCZeYOF3KIw3zhCi6HHe493578kdQXUfMIlgIGwLa8POlZ-tqfPT2OUAxVLktxn68Bd0YZPxQGC5ngy4NcaQXFVTUh8ZKe4Iih__eV2Qv_RnMjuUxQhBRcVINEIbF0rGPYZ3tp_3tgWenQGRv8/s3900/Zurier%20to%20Kunzle%20June%2013%201992small_Page_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3900" data-original-width="2916" height="824" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggS50NkQ2-mGTkLQWY8QcnQUeEz2oiMo_Sw5SjyR2Z7DCZeYOF3KIw3zhCi6HHe493578kdQXUfMIlgIGwLa8POlZ-tqfPT2OUAxVLktxn68Bd0YZPxQGC5ngy4NcaQXFVTUh8ZKe4Iih__eV2Qv_RnMjuUxQhBRcVINEIbF0rGPYZ3tp_3tgWenQGRv8/w616-h824/Zurier%20to%20Kunzle%20June%2013%201992small_Page_1.jpg" width="616" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfffZ_i-R6SAPeKS6VVdpx4ln_9sP9vW9B6HnSln_7l2wmRyiq8_txHvwBMC3PKumWAhQEOvQEyHozwlz32OekPt_CUHBdhzPe1cNdUBTBOgoWrmej_E3eqaal0zUHIoUvJl-JAUnvCZi2LkX2ZIGlbE-833CAim_5euMakVaO_fMtKDEoIZwanqn6gc/s3804/Zurier%20to%20Kunzle%20June%2013%201992small_Page_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3804" data-original-width="2895" height="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfffZ_i-R6SAPeKS6VVdpx4ln_9sP9vW9B6HnSln_7l2wmRyiq8_txHvwBMC3PKumWAhQEOvQEyHozwlz32OekPt_CUHBdhzPe1cNdUBTBOgoWrmej_E3eqaal0zUHIoUvJl-JAUnvCZi2LkX2ZIGlbE-833CAim_5euMakVaO_fMtKDEoIZwanqn6gc/w621-h815/Zurier%20to%20Kunzle%20June%2013%201992small_Page_2.jpg" width="621" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gordon to Kunzle, October 1, 1992:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTxFsfhCjE-MChozb-Qecy-6_DrUMFE-TJy3QEZNDwL0jc7XGNcH4ukkI104Krjq5-u-_Y5J5WxyJUFZTEZy_C0RFgKfg66Sehyphenhyphen8QKJfYCK4Yo57kD-QqDB5PdAYxueBgW_PU95mmp6uQPOYjhjAsroey-zQrJO9t1vUI5MtgIr3iK0UrHASIk8LeoOo/s1100/Gordon%20to%20Kunzle%20Oct%201%201992%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="850" height="805" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTxFsfhCjE-MChozb-Qecy-6_DrUMFE-TJy3QEZNDwL0jc7XGNcH4ukkI104Krjq5-u-_Y5J5WxyJUFZTEZy_C0RFgKfg66Sehyphenhyphen8QKJfYCK4Yo57kD-QqDB5PdAYxueBgW_PU95mmp6uQPOYjhjAsroey-zQrJO9t1vUI5MtgIr3iK0UrHASIk8LeoOo/w622-h805/Gordon%20to%20Kunzle%20Oct%201%201992%20.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5_qT-OIBTfOu7U-6knwd7DGQsf9OFwb7RbXQcHgkWEEkCeDEY7JMFmyr8gZX-G-W08t2Cc8Gw0T36886rqnvWqSMQD2QySzYPynCniwlOXENS9GBziAXa0zdsBvvNAp5JXkVCDbVV-LW4DzZax6F6xea-5umOyCsFSLTyBfzo1xva1MTxBqFiLXyKnQ/s1100/Gordon%20to%20Kunzle%20Oct%201%201992%20p.%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="850" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5_qT-OIBTfOu7U-6knwd7DGQsf9OFwb7RbXQcHgkWEEkCeDEY7JMFmyr8gZX-G-W08t2Cc8Gw0T36886rqnvWqSMQD2QySzYPynCniwlOXENS9GBziAXa0zdsBvvNAp5JXkVCDbVV-LW4DzZax6F6xea-5umOyCsFSLTyBfzo1xva1MTxBqFiLXyKnQ/w604-h781/Gordon%20to%20Kunzle%20Oct%201%201992%20p.%202.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kunzle to Gordon, July 1, 1992:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM1rr9vmKJIchWYjbWczhaFPFgUmz2vIYwSswSwJ_p39YWhLpFS9mAWuTTHlnkMNZ9kOsRXt9I0jKfs9iB993HdWt_CwVSjAuI-rYi_TCtHX98YlyQYyG_hanN2a8KT-5JDqvUp2OS6Vi26x-7ZCorA5o4m5TSQ1aopszlYMdp9NKyvHoaFu9YU0lHnE/s2334/Kunzle%20to%20Gordon%20July%201%201992small.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2334" data-original-width="1614" height="927" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM1rr9vmKJIchWYjbWczhaFPFgUmz2vIYwSswSwJ_p39YWhLpFS9mAWuTTHlnkMNZ9kOsRXt9I0jKfs9iB993HdWt_CwVSjAuI-rYi_TCtHX98YlyQYyG_hanN2a8KT-5JDqvUp2OS6Vi26x-7ZCorA5o4m5TSQ1aopszlYMdp9NKyvHoaFu9YU0lHnE/w640-h927/Kunzle%20to%20Gordon%20July%201%201992small.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Kunzle to Gordon, November 11, 1992: </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVypa_oC7j5ZD130xw1_SLsw2r727pCmcxAJh8x1_K91voRrNaFiDbbO4WV5pyc2JAiBQQEjv8ISYfckgTnvySA_y557GVIlyuKS-Ns5NmUIAu2ZNW_qoSK7Tj38y5KC5FHZ0-lUEjf7_uPlbfi-6qWGsOTbcpwiPKJhvyenebl_O0MoPYQ-OeWHSyat0/s2401/Kunzle%20to%20Gordon%20Nov%2011%201992small.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2401" data-original-width="1601" height="967" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVypa_oC7j5ZD130xw1_SLsw2r727pCmcxAJh8x1_K91voRrNaFiDbbO4WV5pyc2JAiBQQEjv8ISYfckgTnvySA_y557GVIlyuKS-Ns5NmUIAu2ZNW_qoSK7Tj38y5KC5FHZ0-lUEjf7_uPlbfi-6qWGsOTbcpwiPKJhvyenebl_O0MoPYQ-OeWHSyat0/w642-h967/Kunzle%20to%20Gordon%20Nov%2011%201992small.png" width="642" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div>Martin Barker to Gordon, 1993:</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiqUcfRYTtQE-ZhlK9Q8-kpGISDa7IFCbby0w7saUmurBbq_3N_2WkK_vgG3vBylhOcjAJ7gv8WXm15eUWyVCxCBTosk8oM1XatElLoNlwmsTs4xmSqRe2L0PeFEIjZRvsjlv68D3HDfk8PRQYsxx9WaTBxcCsS4ePGRTffyHMRYgUviRaXDhX3GpWXQ/s3366/Barker%20to%20Gordon%20mid%20to%20late%201993_Page_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3366" data-original-width="2390" height="887" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiqUcfRYTtQE-ZhlK9Q8-kpGISDa7IFCbby0w7saUmurBbq_3N_2WkK_vgG3vBylhOcjAJ7gv8WXm15eUWyVCxCBTosk8oM1XatElLoNlwmsTs4xmSqRe2L0PeFEIjZRvsjlv68D3HDfk8PRQYsxx9WaTBxcCsS4ePGRTffyHMRYgUviRaXDhX3GpWXQ/w629-h887/Barker%20to%20Gordon%20mid%20to%20late%201993_Page_1.jpg" width="629" /></a><br /><span face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJ5M83paAKHukNAIzj2T0qAEl4S8o98TEsH1c50Eti_Jl5z5C5N8AUNemaGb1y6ovvIUm9ilqCdTALuyWaA1n3nUcIoz-ehXXHXw1ECelL-d0bOmyXnP0YEkPd78FBqEA3l5zzHA-uOvYuGzoN_ZM8_VKxJGcU6dXOUsjk8a-xQaRalVOp4nB2R4JTI8/s2893/Barker%20to%20Gordon%20mid%20to%20late%201993_Page_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2893" data-original-width="2009" height="912" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJ5M83paAKHukNAIzj2T0qAEl4S8o98TEsH1c50Eti_Jl5z5C5N8AUNemaGb1y6ovvIUm9ilqCdTALuyWaA1n3nUcIoz-ehXXHXw1ECelL-d0bOmyXnP0YEkPd78FBqEA3l5zzHA-uOvYuGzoN_ZM8_VKxJGcU6dXOUsjk8a-xQaRalVOp4nB2R4JTI8/w633-h912/Barker%20to%20Gordon%20mid%20to%20late%201993_Page_2.jpg" width="633" /></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3hAgi115_fKUzVHFcyjO6HKCzeGfqxSlo9ScSlqrfx9biXrycmN2vjXZxbn9poJ6K3GfDa9GMUTBBZb9dwT4QxkyQl1_5saa66KCYnfeclGZaQ3-UuF2SLiDHlXe1LLX-VI01jZn-avU8dKIWadFlwjlaLQZu6O5kgQx6ZfOKogPQl9CH8VYq8q-S0g/s3157/Barker%20to%20Gordon%20mid%20to%20late%201993_Page_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3157" data-original-width="2296" height="879" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3hAgi115_fKUzVHFcyjO6HKCzeGfqxSlo9ScSlqrfx9biXrycmN2vjXZxbn9poJ6K3GfDa9GMUTBBZb9dwT4QxkyQl1_5saa66KCYnfeclGZaQ3-UuF2SLiDHlXe1LLX-VI01jZn-avU8dKIWadFlwjlaLQZu6O5kgQx6ZfOKogPQl9CH8VYq8q-S0g/w640-h879/Barker%20to%20Gordon%20mid%20to%20late%201993_Page_3.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><hr align="left" size="1" style="width: 33%;" />
<p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#m_-2200330978975752091__ednref1" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWAe1c54842-6bfd-7224-c5a4-340f9f4a70ac" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">[1]</a> Ian Gordon,
""But Seriously, Folks ...": - Comic Art and History," <i>American Quarterly</i>, 43 (June 1991): 122-126. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#m_-2200330978975752091__ednref2" id="m_-2200330978975752091OWA474a4d7a-244f-1e62-223f-74fa20a4dc9f" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">[2]</a> Ian
Gordon, “In Praise of Comic Books as History: Joseph Witek and Comics
Scholarship,” in Graphic Subjects: Critical Essays on Autobiography and
the Graphic Novel, Michael Chaney ed., (Madison: University of Wisconsin
Press, 2011): 244-246. <br /></span></p></div>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-24122364541197297792024-01-10T16:38:00.002-05:002024-01-10T16:38:21.052-05:00"Kunzle and the Comic Strip" reprinted from IJOCA 5:1 (Spring 2003)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa5g1aVhP87C51bPDPbC2Xcejf69PSw_jk2ahhNXOHEQJxn2LQXCZ2elXlDR4cU11l2bZIZq7Z0EpxSvfXsf4IKUEFtBhdyqYo7JbuVTJCkVdUYs7CdfJ4IdCF2yAJmWRsLBWaUbLdzopoWveQ142fAjx6DDUFmUvzTaYaRofzL_3CxjlAhQiBlBfLaM/s1279/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="770" height="1041" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa5g1aVhP87C51bPDPbC2Xcejf69PSw_jk2ahhNXOHEQJxn2LQXCZ2elXlDR4cU11l2bZIZq7Z0EpxSvfXsf4IKUEFtBhdyqYo7JbuVTJCkVdUYs7CdfJ4IdCF2yAJmWRsLBWaUbLdzopoWveQ142fAjx6DDUFmUvzTaYaRofzL_3CxjlAhQiBlBfLaM/w628-h1041/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_1.jpg" width="628" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX9BGGgKOoYWYbDWbs4Z_10TINLU2E4CIo0_UCCTaX1WhIfsoPD0JCHnMZBlv1h2eT3s1T3F6inYeB-P4y8Dyl8yT8g7otu6pQu1wj8B_zXaenAy9j37WN4VD4kBJc9C6fj3ovX2Pb9L4Cp0abkZ-rEFnvzZqFnfV3FwhtF9XKTzTWC_tUT422_V0_lQ/s1280/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="769" height="1053" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX9BGGgKOoYWYbDWbs4Z_10TINLU2E4CIo0_UCCTaX1WhIfsoPD0JCHnMZBlv1h2eT3s1T3F6inYeB-P4y8Dyl8yT8g7otu6pQu1wj8B_zXaenAy9j37WN4VD4kBJc9C6fj3ovX2Pb9L4Cp0abkZ-rEFnvzZqFnfV3FwhtF9XKTzTWC_tUT422_V0_lQ/w632-h1053/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_2.jpg" width="632" /></a> <br /></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxVBYY4FaVcmchdur11kyyujK9BnkqDDw_J4XEQ4CqBkBskVl-43fsvwCpXCGDkv9IbgkGJIkUHRCj4vR-gw4yWBnPcGtDmDsK_UkGFL0C4ICFOeFAvr_-jbwbOg78VcAC8nPnHuEo8DFSY5wVH-BGLErkQjS7fRzp-PkpH2XQQntFGwdo3CyYw55zYI/s1279/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuYlG9w2Op6_dk5h5BS0xmErLZXFqmzkf19wsBX_JnnTGRBY0dpjssLe1UU6Bl0xjicZh1YJZcfglkdowksv91udE1NKSREK7o4W_VIprTN_cUIEXqa8b5C2LIWnUv9PV3q1V0lo5O0hyphenhyphenP0PDogFXiSpO6W4z_mCKVhb6Gd-sw9VpaFhsvjJoXPkj50A/s1275/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="765" height="978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuYlG9w2Op6_dk5h5BS0xmErLZXFqmzkf19wsBX_JnnTGRBY0dpjssLe1UU6Bl0xjicZh1YJZcfglkdowksv91udE1NKSREK7o4W_VIprTN_cUIEXqa8b5C2LIWnUv9PV3q1V0lo5O0hyphenhyphenP0PDogFXiSpO6W4z_mCKVhb6Gd-sw9VpaFhsvjJoXPkj50A/w587-h978/Kunzle%20Pages%20from%20IJOCA%205-1%20Spring%202003_Page_5.jpg" width="587" /></a> <br /></div><p></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-82290954727295544622023-12-30T22:09:00.013-05:002024-01-18T10:39:06.095-05:00“The Story of the Holocaust Is Not Pretty, And It's Not Redemptive”: An Interview with Leela Corman<p> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">by Hélène Tison</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9LXARnQJSCuBFXwiZzO_1UcSiHu-qNuLaDkQtDcrjfgbbTXmW9gEHk6pnW3yNw3H0LiSzW5T9Q9L3DsC5dGu4HDCVbmuFZigPpc60x3erBBW1XRTIFEsHD09zIaV-YoCU4ww1nIZ736CzJXh4Vf85AsGiaY-6pdNaEpeXQ-s259UasfTx7_fDc4RCnM/s450/Leela%20Corman%20publicity%20photo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="356" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9LXARnQJSCuBFXwiZzO_1UcSiHu-qNuLaDkQtDcrjfgbbTXmW9gEHk6pnW3yNw3H0LiSzW5T9Q9L3DsC5dGu4HDCVbmuFZigPpc60x3erBBW1XRTIFEsHD09zIaV-YoCU4ww1nIZ736CzJXh4Vf85AsGiaY-6pdNaEpeXQ-s259UasfTx7_fDc4RCnM/w280-h354/Leela%20Corman%20publicity%20photo.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />Leela Corman is a painter, educator, and graphic novel
creator, working in the realm of diaspora Ashkenazi culture and
third-generation restorative work. Her books include <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/32003/unterzakhn-by-leela-corman/" name="_Hlk153197408" target="_blank"><i>Unterzakhn
</i></a>(Schocken/Pantheon, 2012), which was nominated for the Eisner, the <i>L.A.
Times</i> Book Award, and Le Prix Artemisia, and won the ROMICS Prize for Best
Anglo-American Comic and the MoCCA Award of Excellence; the short comics
collections <a name="_Hlk153197419"><i></i></a><i><a href="https://www.fieldmouse.press/shop/p/you-are-not-a-guest" target="_blank">You Are Not A Guest</a> </i>(Field Mouse
Press, 2023) and <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/we-all-wish-for-deadly-force-leela-corman/10695167" target="_blank">We All Wish For Deadly Force </a></i>(Retrofit/Big Planet,
2016). </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Her graphic novel <a name="_Hlk153197431"><i>Victory
Parade</i></a>, a story about WWII, women's wrestling, and the astral plane
over Buchenwald, will be published by Schocken/Pantheon in April 2024. Her
short comics have appeared in <i>The Believer Magazine</i>, <i>Tablet Magazine</i>,
<i>Nautilus</i>, and <i>The Nib</i>. She is a founding instructor at Sequential
Artists Workshop, and an instructor at Rhode Island School of Design. She is a
Yaddo Fellow, a MacDowell Fellow, and the recipient of the Xeric Grant, the
Sustainable Arts Foundation Grant, the Helix Fellowship, and the Koyama
Provides Grant. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Her contact information is: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.leelacorman.com " target="_blank">http://www.leelacorman.com</a> (currently down as of 12/30/2023)<br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Bluesky: @leelacorman.bsky.social </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Instagram: @leelacorman </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This videoconference interview with Leela Corman took
place on Nov. 28, 2023. It has been edited for clarity. All artwork is copyright by Leela Corman.<br /></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Portrait of the Artist</span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KhpA_yu-weEWWagyUfFdWAEmddFtdiTlOHFU06UtgtnlvU_dWVfi_9YNDaQKp5xwLe3YfPnYJDJRthaHrVnU2hRYbIE6g9vFg-xgTntVSjUccSrhlz386WWWOlNkbIECPTG4KLN1uBggwdAMkRmG9_viooEhkJHW7xtY_RFtrtfOpLvuODvO4iSJmMU/s400/WE%20all%20wish.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="286" height="463" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KhpA_yu-weEWWagyUfFdWAEmddFtdiTlOHFU06UtgtnlvU_dWVfi_9YNDaQKp5xwLe3YfPnYJDJRthaHrVnU2hRYbIE6g9vFg-xgTntVSjUccSrhlz386WWWOlNkbIECPTG4KLN1uBggwdAMkRmG9_viooEhkJHW7xtY_RFtrtfOpLvuODvO4iSJmMU/w331-h463/WE%20all%20wish.jpg" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/we-all-wish-for-deadly-force-leela-corman/10695167" target="_blank">We All Wish For Deadly Force</a> 2016<i><br /></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hélène Tison: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thank
you so much for your books, and also for agreeing to this interview. So today
we'll talk about your new book <i>Victory Parade</i> [April 2024; reviewed
here: <a href="http://ijoca.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-look-of-ghost-with-ashes-in-her.html">http://ijoca.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-look-of-ghost-with-ashes-in-her.html</a>],
but maybe also about your other work, if that's ok with you. I was really happy
to see that you were able to republish some of the work from <i>We All Wish For
Deadly Force</i>, which you were a bit frustrated with I think.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Leela Corman: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yeah,
it didn't print well for a variety of reasons. So it was really important to me
to reprint at least my favorite work from that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
first question I wanted to ask is about your art, because your work and your
style I think are rather unique and beautiful, very poetic, very painterly. And
it probably takes you a very long time to make, so can you tell me a little bit
about how you work, your technique, your tools, et cetera?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It
does take a really long time to make a project like <i>Victory Parade</i>. I
will say it also took a long time to make <i>Unterzakhn</i>, which was just in
ink, in part because the writing aspect of my long form work is really
important. And I spend a lot of time, especially with the longer books, really…
First of all, I do a ton of research and that takes a lot of time and there are
a lot of stages to the research and there's a lot of stages to the note-taking
that goes along with that, before there's even anything written down, that
becomes the story. </span></p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenvSnBaBPFX6r7NpK7w7IraTDlSq10vYdXNaRgYDnUfukqIoLkTpN0eThimCSZC8GMUclrED6vsEW-WqThorRH7Kc5QtGLt0jQ95jBj3GJwWU7ciXKc7LGq74Q9KJ1xcU-fvyRhkMgra9dRIzCS0LBeemuyaUMavnvQr0l_wMT5oGpK3Fvh50joEyvbo/s909/interview%20fig%204%20You%20Are%20Not%20a%20Guest%2071.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="765" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenvSnBaBPFX6r7NpK7w7IraTDlSq10vYdXNaRgYDnUfukqIoLkTpN0eThimCSZC8GMUclrED6vsEW-WqThorRH7Kc5QtGLt0jQ95jBj3GJwWU7ciXKc7LGq74Q9KJ1xcU-fvyRhkMgra9dRIzCS0LBeemuyaUMavnvQr0l_wMT5oGpK3Fvh50joEyvbo/w341-h406/interview%20fig%204%20You%20Are%20Not%20a%20Guest%2071.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">“Wilderness” in <i>You Are Not A Guest</i>,<i> </i>71</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Then it takes a long time to thumbnail the story,
which is where the actual writing of the story itself happens. The dialogue and
the action happens while I'm drawing. I don't write a script in advance because
I can't think without the pictures, the characters don't come to life, they
don't even exist until I start thumbnailing, sketching. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And then when I started painting my comics in
watercolor, it instantly made my work better and it completely changed my
career. It also meant that the work took a lot longer and in a lot of ways I
think that that was something I was searching for. I'm not sure I really knew I
was looking for that exactly, but I always had this feeling that my work wasn't
getting to the depth that I wanted it to, and I had been trained… Uh, well, if
you really want to go back, I thought I was going to be a painter, and then I
got kind of heartbroken by a very cruel teacher, my first painting instructor
actually who just wanted to make sure I didn't become a painter, basically. And
she almost succeeded; and I learned from her how not to teach, but it took me
20 years to come back to a place where I could pick up a paintbrush again. And
in the intervening years, I became an illustrator, which felt a bit like a
diminished path for me because it was not where my heart really lay as an
artist. But I had a lot of fun doing it. What it meant, and this brings it back
to your question, what it meant was that I had to train myself to work very
quickly. So I started working with line a lot and flat color, digital color -- the
line was always hand inked, but everything else was digital to try to get
things out quickly. You know when you're an illustrator, everything is very
fast turnaround and I developed a style that was sort of easy to do that in,
but I got really tired of it after a while and when I hit that turning point in
2015, when I started watercolor-painting my comics, that took me out of that
completely. The pages in <i>Victory Parade</i> are definitely the most labor-intensive
work that I've ever done.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What
format do you originally work in? I imagine your page initially is bigger than
the book format, right?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F5lbhPhZofoyDLVSyoiAUatmBsN5O_heGkWLwAZQ6TiZ15jV63GQiA6IggeFsVMj_sgjse2uJ-lI2BKqzfRytzGyRkad85e87VvpXhTJ4MpXsbT6RWdeDyQWb2W7uUWWs7K0yqKHm56_G48fqZOE2fWHKxiDDqCKnCK5TafTPokZmALgP2P7q4N3g9U/s450/Unterzakhn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="364" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F5lbhPhZofoyDLVSyoiAUatmBsN5O_heGkWLwAZQ6TiZ15jV63GQiA6IggeFsVMj_sgjse2uJ-lI2BKqzfRytzGyRkad85e87VvpXhTJ4MpXsbT6RWdeDyQWb2W7uUWWs7K0yqKHm56_G48fqZOE2fWHKxiDDqCKnCK5TafTPokZmALgP2P7q4N3g9U/w317-h392/Unterzakhn.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a name="_Hlk153197550"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i>Unterzakhn</i>,<i>
</i>cover © Leela Corman 2012</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yeah,
a little bit. I initially had wanted to print it at the size that the art was
painted, 11 by 14 inches; the printing is not that much smaller, only a couple
of inches. With <i>Unterzakhn</i>, the pages were gigantic, they were 19 by 24
inches, because I wanted to make something that felt like gesture drawing. With
<i>Victory Parade</i>, I was really working like a miniaturist, with a tiny
little brush. Now I'm starting to make large paintings again. There's one
behind me almost as tall as me; I’m not very tall, but I'm taller than a book. [laughs]</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What
tools do you use? Do you do everything manually, or do you use a light box, a
computer?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You
know, I never used a light box. I'm not sure why I never tried it and maybe
it's just never really been necessary for me, but no, I do everything manually
until the scanning and production. The lettering is digital, but it's a font of
my own hand-lettering. I hand-lettered <i>Unterzakhn</i> and I will never do
that again. I'm just not good at lettering and I don't enjoy it, so it's nice
to have that part be digital, but everything else is by hand because that's how
I think.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You
talked about switching to color after <i>Unterzakhn</i> which was in black and
white, was that because you had more time to devote to the to the art?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No,
it was aesthetic. I've always loved working with watercolor, and I didn't like
doing it as an illustrator. It's funny, I have opposite points of view for
color with illustration and with comics. I will say also I no longer take
illustration commissions -- unless they're really special, like a musician that
I'm friends with wants me to do a poster for them or something. But when I was
still doing illustration, once in a while I would try to do it in watercolor
and I didn't enjoy that. It just didn't feel sharp to me. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZwq_iI1xOhjQJ4HKdPPbAFOq_rhDSLUFe20lv62BBHFKc7uN5ixg8rQvhRVZuIXgH3s8r6bK85Shs3hhsPYLjdQkKKe8dS2MhTn7r0lg-AQL7PLnk7EGCUiww59WO5UV6Fm_jFvgJjT8ofuP3pB71g7DLQb4W5KHzfUWDbiMhgB8WJdNy2RwinUMwAU/s1080/yanag+block-1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZwq_iI1xOhjQJ4HKdPPbAFOq_rhDSLUFe20lv62BBHFKc7uN5ixg8rQvhRVZuIXgH3s8r6bK85Shs3hhsPYLjdQkKKe8dS2MhTn7r0lg-AQL7PLnk7EGCUiww59WO5UV6Fm_jFvgJjT8ofuP3pB71g7DLQb4W5KHzfUWDbiMhgB8WJdNy2RwinUMwAU/w346-h346/yanag+block-1.png" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk153197550;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i>You Are Not A Guest</i>,<i> </i>cover © Leela Corman 2023</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The opposite is true with comics. I can't stand
coloring comics digitally. It makes me crazy. It doesn't feel like art to me.
I'm not saying it's not art for other people, but for me I need to be working
with chaos, the controlled chaos of paint. So, I always really loved working
with watercolor, but I didn't do it for a long time between my adolescence and
adulthood, and for some reason I just put it aside. And then one day I just
experimentally started playing around with it in in a sequential way and it was
kind of a shock like -- what is this, what is happening here? And so I decided
to do a piece that was really like the turning point in my career, which was
the one about PTSD that I did for a science magazine called <i>Nautilus.</i> [“The
Wound That Never Heals” reprinted in <i>You Are Not A Guest</i>] I thought,
well, what would happen if I did that in watercolor? and it completely changed
my life.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I guess it's funny, I've never thought of this before,
but this is a really obvious comparison: <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>, where the
world goes from black and white to color [laughs]. And no, I don't have more
time; having said that, the last seven years or so I had a perfectly fine
amount of time. I have no time now, which is good because I'm done with the
book, I can take a break.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In
your non-fiction, (<i>You Are Not A Guest, We All Wish for Deadly Force</i>)
there is a lot of accompanying text, a sort of narrative voice, contrary to
your fiction, <i>Unterzakhn</i> and <i>Victory Parade</i>, which are told
through images and dialogue exclusively. Why is that? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Good
question. You know, it's not a thing I planned, but when I work in short
nonfiction, my voice is in there just by the nature of the piece. It's more
like a graphic essay, and when I'm working in fiction, I'm not interested in an
omniscient narrator. I want things to unfold -- I was going to say in a
cinematic way, but there's certainly plenty of cinema storytelling that has a
narrator in it. And now I'm racking my brain to think are there any films that
influenced me that have an omniscient narrator?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> The reason I'm mentioning film is because film and
episodic storytelling is the closest thing to what I do and it's the kind of
storytelling I've learned the most from, that comes into my own work. I think
about film all the time. And when I think about the films and the filmmakers
that are the biggest influences on me, they mostly don't use omniscient
narrators. It's almost entirely dialogue- and image-driven and action-driven,
although there are some exceptions -- <i>Wings of Desire</i>, if you remember
that film, sometimes there's some narration and it’s a little bit oblique
because it's not really a person narrating it. It's this kind of exterior,
higher being observing. It's a poetic kind of narration. It's not like a noir
film, where the narration is somebody reminiscing about their life or
something. That would be an interesting experiment, to make fiction that has
that. What would happen if I did that?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That
would make it very different; I was thinking, for instance of <i>Fun Home</i>
that is completely dialogic, with narrating voice <i>and</i> dialogue.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
that's a work of memoir, which lends itself to that in comics very well. Now
I'm trying to remember I don't have <i>Maus</i> right in front of me… That's a
testimony that's being illustrated, in a lot of places, the places where there
is the narration of the father's voice, but then there are places where they're
interacting, and that's entirely dialogue-driven. I find that very interesting
too. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But in terms of fiction, Jaime Hernandez sometimes
brings in an omniscient narrator. Well, it's not an omniscient narrator. It's a
character talking about their life. But he's Jaime Hernandez -- he's God, you
know. Whatever he does, it's like up there somewhere.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Language
is obviously really important in your work. Can you talk a little bit about
that? Did you grow up in a surrounding that was multilingual for instance?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
did, I grew up in Manhattan in the 80s, and so my neighborhood was
multilingual. There were a lot of Spanish-speaking and Haitian Creole-speaking
people, and then my family spoke Yiddish and Polish and English. They almost
never spoke Polish. They would argue in Polish if they didn't want my mother or
my aunt to understand them. If they were trying to keep something really
between them, I never really understood Yiddish beyond the very basic -- like
endearments: how are you doing? What are you doing? I love you. Eat something.
Why aren't you eating? You know a lot of stuff about food, curses; but I grew
up around a lot of Yinglish, which is a really specific way of speaking English
with a Yiddish syntax and accent. The generations that are familiar with that
are probably my age and older. And I worry that that feeling, that that
particular slang is going to be lost, you know? It’s a voice. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> It also is a voice that people are very familiar with,
at least in the United States, through comedy, and comedic writing like Mel
Brooks, a lot of his work is in Yinglish. But again, this is a generational
thing. And I feel like, if you didn't grow up with family members who talked
like that, you don't know what it is and I've seen people try to write it who
don't come from my particular ethnic background and they don't get it right. You
have to have grown up with it -- like this is just how we had to communicate in
my family with my grandparents who spoke five or six languages. But English was
the last one, and the one that they spoke the least fluently.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I love Yinglish. I love it so much. There’s a great,
old, old episode of the <i>New Yorker</i> fiction podcast, where Nathan
Englander reads the Isaac Bashevis Singer story <i>Disguised</i>. It's so great
and he talks a little bit, in the little interview with him either before or
after he reads the story, he talks about how he had gone to yeshiva as a kid
and how long it took him to stop using that kind of syntax in his own writing. And
I thought listening to that why? Why would you give it up? But I get it. You
know, like you're not going to write an academic paper in it, but… and vy not?
Vy you don’t? [laughs]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Going
back to drawing, how important in your experience is the haptic or the sensual
nature of drawing and painting? In particular, when you're representing
characters, whether in fiction or in nonfiction, how important is the process
of spending time on drawing, redrawing, creating human figures, in your
practice?</span></p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXfzHu7vH0J4APKH8yb7mdXc40ppbCbXRVkl8Jm4ye4zS-82_9ZkC8-hB9xRTUTSLLwgDjkyvxEF-2NSEZk-tUFCN3gM59xRxvbx6malSHB8pxCGpyNshO-EPM9TlCsozRi0A3bNldvkKD1tXWwpKR487jDKAVahQrSDI-rPO4vzSVjxFKH_qZf-Dex4/s7534/interview%20fig%205%20Victory%20Parade%2029.tif" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7534" data-original-width="6400" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXfzHu7vH0J4APKH8yb7mdXc40ppbCbXRVkl8Jm4ye4zS-82_9ZkC8-hB9xRTUTSLLwgDjkyvxEF-2NSEZk-tUFCN3gM59xRxvbx6malSHB8pxCGpyNshO-EPM9TlCsozRi0A3bNldvkKD1tXWwpKR487jDKAVahQrSDI-rPO4vzSVjxFKH_qZf-Dex4/w320-h377/interview%20fig%205%20Victory%20Parade%2029.tif" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victory Parade 29</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It's
the most important thing. It's absolutely the most important thing. I love that
you use the word haptic. I'm going to have to steal that and start using it
myself, because I almost feel like I have to defend the practice as a teacher,
trying to explain to students: Well, I'm not against you making comics
digitally. I think they're beautiful, but I want you to have a particular
physical sensory experience. I'm a figure drawer and figure painter; to me
figure drawing and working with the human body is endlessly compelling and
extremely important. So working with paint and texture and viscosity became
such an important part of constructing <i>Victory Parade</i> especially.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
was struck by Thi Bui who, in an interview about <i>The Best We Could Do</i>,
said that having to repeatedly draw her mother as a child actually reconciled
her with her mother, with whom she had sort of a distant relationship, and
having to draw her repeatedly was important emotionally for her.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That's
amazing. That is really incredible. I love her book. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaZZjBdviFa3njy0GseRcCKGw8e07k8y_8e_R7T1Ck6MJ61dq7AxSZLnN2txXh2Z6Mzo2hMLLg_lnCVfia1Tng9rfJH0xXgWuitoOZHW3pQxW9FGlSDY1r9FVLWxKhdjObX2ZQ9soQCOmMYYk83uFZrDgAh6x7rMS4KteUQ5UOSczl1e-R3-FRBNZfxk/s4078/Interview%20fig%206%20Corman%20Unterzakhn%2010.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4078" data-original-width="3300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaZZjBdviFa3njy0GseRcCKGw8e07k8y_8e_R7T1Ck6MJ61dq7AxSZLnN2txXh2Z6Mzo2hMLLg_lnCVfia1Tng9rfJH0xXgWuitoOZHW3pQxW9FGlSDY1r9FVLWxKhdjObX2ZQ9soQCOmMYYk83uFZrDgAh6x7rMS4KteUQ5UOSczl1e-R3-FRBNZfxk/s320/Interview%20fig%206%20Corman%20Unterzakhn%2010.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unterzakhn 10</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yes,
it’s an amazing book. All right, completely different topic. The US has changed
a lot since <i>Unterzakhn</i> came out, in 2012. By the way, I’m not sure how
to pronounce it. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
you know, that word is not dialect. I think maybe someone's going to read this
interview and they're going to write me, and they're going to take me to task
for saying that, but I believe that word is academic Yiddish. The person who I
got it from I was a sort of Yiddish consultant on the book who was like a Yivo-trained
Yiddish speaker, and I think she grew up speaking in her family too, but she
also had some formal academic training in the United States, learning academic
Yiddish. My mother was like, what is this word? And I had this nightmare experience
at Miami Book Fair: this lady who looked just like one of my tantes, she had,
like the butterscotch-colored kind of big hair and the coral fingernails, and
she says: “I grew up speaking Yiddish and I've never heard this word Unterzakhn”,
and I was like, oh, it's academic. [laughs] Anyway, I don't put a vowel between
the K and the N, but you could say it in the way you want.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comics and Politics</span></b></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSty7oCL15Ug7tlaaojR_i_Sf2qMYsVchZ1fyv1A1REQlhkTaOZGrIn1FmBOh_E6JEa7TVRyvjd3YM3cu3uYyFQ2c-ttlThUFWV3AsYqL08insPYUyww1PpDCvSBQOfl-fQCwA9QRCq1FS1-2b8PEQTNYxW7jllLbGpufpcGEb-cqZgNPg6j95D1EzqvQ/s2087/Interview%20fig%207%20Corman%20Unterzakhn%2011.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2087" data-original-width="1652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSty7oCL15Ug7tlaaojR_i_Sf2qMYsVchZ1fyv1A1REQlhkTaOZGrIn1FmBOh_E6JEa7TVRyvjd3YM3cu3uYyFQ2c-ttlThUFWV3AsYqL08insPYUyww1PpDCvSBQOfl-fQCwA9QRCq1FS1-2b8PEQTNYxW7jllLbGpufpcGEb-cqZgNPg6j95D1EzqvQ/s320/Interview%20fig%207%20Corman%20Unterzakhn%2011.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unterzakhn 11</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ok,
thank you. So, the US has changed a lot since <i>Unterzakhn</i> came out, in
2012, and in that book you discussed, and illustrated, the vital need for
access to birth control, and I was wondering if it (or any of your other work)
has been banned anywhere.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
I think because no one's gay in that book, at least visibly, the neo-Nazi
cultural crusaders haven't found it yet. I do remember reading that it was on a
banned list in some prisons -- I guess they don't want incarcerated men having
abortions. Or maybe because there's boobs in it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was making a very dark joke last year that not
enough people in Congress have read my abortion book. But yes, things have
changed a lot, but at the same time, it's more like who gets to say, who gets
to be in control. The forces that are in control right now have always been
here. They're not new and we've always been a country that tends more towards
the fascistic.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
same thing is happening in Europe currently, it's pretty scary. Being French,
we've been under the threat of the Le Pen family for 30-40 years now.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Incredible
to think of it right, this one family that looms over this one country's
politics. And when will that stop?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[…]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
didn't want to talk too much about current politics, but…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdV0-Hzi5wb7zO8tcJxfkZQjEECyrZ-Ngr_cwn06aLJB-F_c__ruCTCKE1uYLZ00deiKcl3o_PaG9ElFzVRXdG_-I99qONG_hsOqbK3S_dgRh9jL0m82ltscy1yYmlUaoYL7RSUVXS0hacFco3AWmBqbZVMgbK76d5eNLmegziZrpl_dhfRrKImRKPq14/s3375/review%20fig%201%20Corman%20Victory%20Parade%20Cover%20Art.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3375" data-original-width="2925" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdV0-Hzi5wb7zO8tcJxfkZQjEECyrZ-Ngr_cwn06aLJB-F_c__ruCTCKE1uYLZ00deiKcl3o_PaG9ElFzVRXdG_-I99qONG_hsOqbK3S_dgRh9jL0m82ltscy1yYmlUaoYL7RSUVXS0hacFco3AWmBqbZVMgbK76d5eNLmegziZrpl_dhfRrKImRKPq14/w346-h400/review%20fig%201%20Corman%20Victory%20Parade%20Cover%20Art.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk153197550;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><i>Victory Parade</i>, cover © Leela Corman 2023</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But
I think it's not irrelevant to my work, and we need to look at fascism as a
force that rises and falls globally. It has characteristics specific to each
country that it shows up in, but maybe if we can look at it as a global force,
we can find solidarity against it globally. I don't know, and I'm just an
artist, you know? But <i>Victory Parade</i> -- I felt when I was at the
beginning of making it that it was my antifascist work. Like this is what I can
do right now. Now it feels like events have completely overtaken me.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[…]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Reading
your work from the beginning, you seem to approach some of the very central and
very tough themes in your books with a certain reluctance. For instance, in an
interview, I think in 2008, you said that you didn't want to talk about WWII
and Poland, that you were wary of the topic. And in 2012, you said that you
didn't see yourself as a feminist; yet these two things are so central to your
work.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Oh,
my God, no, I what the hell is wrong with me? I mean, of course I do. I think
also 2012 was the worst year of my life. And there are probably a lot of things
I said then, the context would have to be there. But I used to have a lot of
the same issues with the word “feminism” that I think a lot of women of my
generation had in the 90s and early 2000s. Second wave feminism had come to
feel restrictive, sometimes; we were tired of getting lectured, in ways that
felt puritanical, about sex and about porn and about eroticism and all these
things. There were some real hard doctrines around that stuff for some second wave
feminists that I encountered personally and in media, but god! there's no way I
could say that about myself.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But
I wondered also if it had to do with something that's obvious in your fiction
and in your nonfiction: the problem with silence, not talking about tough
situations, history, etcetera. There’s an anecdote that you tell in your
nonfiction <i>and</i> your fiction, which is the metaphor of the carp that is
going to be put to death, but we don't talk about it. I thought maybe that was
sort of a clue -- there are certain topics that are so important and so central
and painful that perhaps in your family there was some reluctance to tackle them. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlX3P31cUjZZEOx7eI10Qj_qAZWWCdBdMf3fs7oXf_42Is46eX4_xmve0rtbM4JWLMezlcFFvFn6s-Ul3bUh-dxuXpCuUjStKrcfn3uE-1sRQtX-cjwIv35_IQd0KONsB8Nw0nrFANQNr2thiVyAlblmkNtfPiggVDrNhYR-IaWf6m_hJklgmPgTMDCM/s5064/interview%20fig%208%20You%20Are%20Not%20a%20Guest%2066.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5064" data-original-width="3138" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlX3P31cUjZZEOx7eI10Qj_qAZWWCdBdMf3fs7oXf_42Is46eX4_xmve0rtbM4JWLMezlcFFvFn6s-Ul3bUh-dxuXpCuUjStKrcfn3uE-1sRQtX-cjwIv35_IQd0KONsB8Nw0nrFANQNr2thiVyAlblmkNtfPiggVDrNhYR-IaWf6m_hJklgmPgTMDCM/w281-h454/interview%20fig%208%20You%20Are%20Not%20a%20Guest%2066.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You Are Not a Guest 66</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
in 2008 I didn't feel like I could [talk about World War Two]. I had gone
through a period of being very obsessed with certain aspects of World War Two
and then needing a break. I wanted to do work that was not related to it. And
then when I had the idea for <i>Victory Parade</i>, it wasn't initially about
anything that happened in Europe. It was very New York focused. Then I realized
well, if I'm going to tell a story that takes place in the 1940s, of course it
has to engage with World War Two.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> The initial idea was about women working in war
industries. That was the first image; I had to engage with it. And then in
2015, I started to see the turn towards fascism and the language about
immigrants coming to the United States being exactly the same language that was
used about us in the 1930s, exactly the same. All you have to do is take out
the words Jewish and put in the word Syrian or Iraqi. And there was this idea
in 2015 that ISIS infiltrators might sneak in among Syrian refugees in the US. It's
a stupid, racist construction, right? In the 1930s, there was this fear that
Nazis would infiltrate among the Jews. Like, really? Come on, that is not going
to happen. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> But here I am meeting a bad faith argument with a good
faith concern. The people who are saying those things don't really believe that
either, it's propaganda, but it was very obvious to me in 2015 that we were
going in a really dark direction, and I felt like I was seeing and hearing this
stuff on the horizon, that a lot of people were not. And I'm not trying to give
myself credit for it, just like I have Jewish radar, you know? I was really
horrified by the inhumanity of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> And then when I started working on <i>Victory Parade</i>
the following year, it was right after Donald Trump was elected. And everybody
was scrambling to understand what was happening. And some of us were sitting
there going, “We <i>fucking</i> told you. This is the obvious direction of
things.” There's even now this constant, irritating discourse in the US, where
people will ask themselves and you'll hear people in the media posing the
question, “is it time to use the fascism word?” My God, it's been time to say
that since at least 2015. And you know, if you want to look at the actual
history of the United States -- and I'm sorry, this is not relevant to my book
exactly -- but the entire history of the United States is a history of racial
fascism.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But
I think it is relevant because in <i>Victory Parade</i>, I picked up certain
clues that you were also talking about America when you were talking about the
concentration camp, for instance. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Absolutely.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One
of the first images when Sam arrives at Buchenwald, you draw the camp and the victims,
and the word America appears, spoken by one of the prisoners, but it appears in
the middle of the panel. It's superimposed on the concentration camp. Also, I
thought that although you’re not talking about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I sensed
it in there somewhere; and then at the end of the book, you have this quote by
Shōmei Tōmatsu, the Japanese photographer who's famous for having photographed the
aftermath of WWII and the bombs in Japan.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yeah,
that was his quote, after spending his career photographing hibakusha [atomic
bomb survivors]. It's funny that you mention that “America” quote. I'm really
glad that you had that double read on it. I didn’t intend it, but that’s my
favorite thing in art, and it’s something that I'm trying to figure out a
better pedagogical way to transmit to students, when the truth comes out
unintentionally or without being overdetermined and shaped consciously by the
artist.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> So, what's happening in that set of panels where the
prisoners are saying “America, America” is actually what happened when allied
soldiers stepped through the barbed wire at Buchenwald, people started to say, “America,
American” and cheering for them. And other camps too, according to liberators'
testimonies. So that is just historical documentation, but the double reading
is really important, and accurate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> You asked about the carp and about not talking about
things -- I think most people who grow up in families where there has been some
kind of historical trauma, certainly Holocaust survivor families, but
definitely not limited to them, there's a lot of not talking. There's a lot of
silence and in American culture, especially among a certain class of white
people, there's <i>so much</i> not talking about things, and that's outside of
my own culture -- with Super American people, like my husband [laughs]. And on
a broader societal level, we still can't really talk about the indigenous
genocide our country is created on, or the hundreds of years of chattel slavery
and the barely better conditions now racially in this country. First of all,
just the brutality of slavery in this country, what that actually meant, you
can look at a history book and be upset that there was slavery, right? But when
you actually read about what the day-to-day life of enslaved people was, what
it was like to be captured, transported, what life was like on plantations,
what happened to people, to their children, to their bodies -- we don't talk
about that. And when people do try to talk about it, they're viciously censored
and punished for it. While there's this official kind of observance of, you
know, “things are better now,” and every year they trot out the Martin Luther
King quotes without really engaging with what his really serious work was, and what
is still happening now. There's this maddening silence around horror and
suffering in this country. Sometimes I feel like I live in a slaughterhouse
with a little window box full of sweet-smelling flowers in front of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[…]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comics and Trauma</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Trauma
and its transmission from one generation to the next are also very central
themes in your fiction and nonfiction, and certain traumatic events create a
network that links your stories together. I was talking about the carp. I was
also struck by the scene in <i>Victory Parade</i> when the dead talk to Sam and
say: “we are teeth,” “we are bones,” “I'm with someone who knows you,” that
resonated with <i>We All Wish For Deadly Force</i> and with “Life Is An Ambush”
-- it creates a link with the story of your first daughter. Can you talk about
how you conceive of the relation between trauma and comics, and the usefulness
or the appropriateness of comics in narrating traumatic experiences.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
I think comics is an art form that lends itself to any kind of storytelling,
and one of my favorite things about it, and the thing that initially drew me to
it as a younger person, was that you can say and do anything in comics. And I
think you could make the argument that that's true of all art forms, right? It's
true of film. It's true of writing. But comics felt uniquely like an art form
that lent itself to the wildest explorations of any human experience, and I had
really great examples of this early on, especially Phoebe Gloeckner, Renee
French, Julie Doucet, artists like that, all of the <i>RAW</i> artists.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> And maybe it's because comics is also such a global
art form and cultural product at this point. So many people in the world read
comics in some form -- comics come from all corners of the globe, it's an easy language
for people to learn visually. You just kind of grow up with it. It's
instinctual, so when you start putting heavier content, bigger content into it,
it naturally expands to include it, if that makes sense.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> In terms of its use as a container for trauma
storytelling, I think it's really useful for that, in part because there's so
much malleability between text and image. Also, I have to say this connects to
your earlier question about the carp and about not talking about things -- I
hate evasiveness, it makes me so angry; I want to talk about things. This is a
maladaptive trait of mine, to want to talk about everything, and of course I
have my limits on that. There's definitely things I shut down about and don't
want to talk about. That's fine too; but pretending that there's not a carp
with a knife through it in a pool of blood on the counter, metaphorically
speaking, is something I really loathe. It feels like gaslighting to me. But to
be a little bit more gentle and compassionate, in families that have been
through the Holocaust, I can only speak for my own culture here, I won't speak
for other historical traumas, but I want to get to that in a second. In my
family, there were good reasons why people did not want to talk about what had
happened to them. It was too painful and the gulf of trying to reach someone
like me, for my grandparents, across the barriers of language and culture and
experience, to tell me, a privileged kid in New York City in the 80s and 90s, about
living in a hole in the ground in the forest. There's no way they could tell
me. Even trying to say the first thing about it is exhausting, so I understand,
I understand.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And in my grandmother's case, when she told me one
really terrible thing, she started having what I now recognize as the trauma
reaction, and I backed away immediately. I didn't want to make an old woman
have that kind of reaction, and I was afraid she was going to have a heart
attack. She was shaking, she was telling me about witnessing the liquidation of
her entire ghetto, from a hiding place. She was hiding in the attic of the
synagogue or a barn, I can't remember which, and they shot 950 people, basically
under her nose, and many of them were her family. So I never asked her to tell
me again. Consequently, a lot of stories get lost.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> In terms of the links between other historical
experiences that you mentioned in this book, if you don't mind me going back to
that, that's really important. I think that there are two major ways that I see
descendants of the Holocaust, second and third generation, how we carry it in
the world, there are some people who respond to it in a way that is insular. This
is about us and only us, and we have to take land, and narrative and make it
only our own. No one else has ever experienced anything like this. Then there's
another group of people who say, this is a genocide connected to other
genocides. All atrocities are connected, and we find solidarity with each other
because our own people have been through something so terrible. I'm putting
this in terms that are so simplistic, I'm sorry. But for obvious political
reasons, I'm thinking about this a lot right now because I'm feeling like the
lessons of the Holocaust are being profaned every day in my name to justify the
murder of thousands of innocent people right now. So, I obviously count myself
in the second group. To me, it's really important to connect with and have
solidarity with everybody else on the planet in this huge mass grave of human
suffering that is this planet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And
as you said, it's important that the second and third generations talk about
these things because so much of the time, the first generation couldn't. In
France, a lot of people who had experienced arrests, the camps, were told not
to discuss it, also because the French police were so involved. Most of the
arrests were made by the French, not by the Germans. So the French did not want
to hear about it. And now most of the witnesses are dead, or very old. So the
next generations need to pick up those stories and tell them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yes,
but everyone suffered also in France under occupation. And Poland gets accused
of collaborating with the Nazis a lot, but no one ever talks about the Western
European countries that collaborated really enthusiastically with them. I will
defend Poland here -- I know there was plenty of anti-Semitism to go around
there, and everywhere else. But Poland didn't even have a government during
World War Two, the government was a German Nazi government. And there are
countries that don't have that excuse. They were really happy to collaborate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I have to say that the second generation here -- my
own family being a really good example of this -- usually can't talk about it
either, or when they do, it's really different. I mean, for one thing, that's
how I think a lot of hard-right Zionism became institutionalized in American
Jewish organizations. But my mother, for example, her generation, they really
have a lot of shame and their own trauma about it. It's very traumatizing to be
that generation too.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghgE83mtuGQmxzs2bJg2xrXQJCaQGaOunnY6oR2IDQ8nHvhOWQTg_mZNcw_efo9O1B3L2yp0IpzQ5wCovmrVH9ILNyMXRiOl5fDsS1LoqXon7BleJIn6VsQq1jePa698FVzWlb2BWyY1DMjFutbHZd87ZLV5bT5Ki8RliARoBKpLpKC9eN-QTu7iUucY/s4204/interview%20fig%209%20You%20Are%20Not%20a%20Guest%205.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4204" data-original-width="3342" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghgE83mtuGQmxzs2bJg2xrXQJCaQGaOunnY6oR2IDQ8nHvhOWQTg_mZNcw_efo9O1B3L2yp0IpzQ5wCovmrVH9ILNyMXRiOl5fDsS1LoqXon7BleJIn6VsQq1jePa698FVzWlb2BWyY1DMjFutbHZd87ZLV5bT5Ki8RliARoBKpLpKC9eN-QTu7iUucY/w303-h382/interview%20fig%209%20You%20Are%20Not%20a%20Guest%205.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You Are Not a Guest 5<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So I categorize my work very firmly in third
generation descendant work and there are a lot of other people like me making
work in all kinds of mediums and I've been finding them lately. It's really
nice to connect with them. But also, the people that I am associated with in
Poland are also doing third generation work; and this is work that the previous
generations really couldn't do because they were suffering the Soviet
occupation and its aftermath, they were just trying to survive in the Communist
era. And then as Poland became a capitalist country, that's a whole other part
of the story.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> It falls to people my generation and younger to start
dealing with it, and also there's so much shame and so much trauma around
everything that happened during the Second World War and afterwards in Poland. I
don't want to speak out of turn, I'm not an expert, but just from my own
experience there and talking to people, people really suffered horribly.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[…]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comics and History</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Going
back to <i>Victory Parade</i>, you said that you thought of the story of women
working in the war industry and then you moved on to Europe and to the
concentration camp. So how did that switch occur in your mind, and how do you
think the two topics inform one another?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
it's interesting when I think about the mechanics of writing this story -- I don't
remember the moment when I realized I could do both of those things in the same
book. But I've always been obsessed with concentration camp liberation stories.
I went through this period where I read them constantly, and I returned to that
when I started working on <i>Victory Parade</i>. And it just made sense that if
there is a woman who is working in the Brooklyn Navy Yard making warships, that
her husband would be serving overseas. And there are so many accounts of
American Jewish soldiers being part of the battalions that liberated
concentration camps and what they experienced. So there was already a lot of
material there for me to draw on. Lots of stories of people speaking Yiddish to
the prisoners; a completely different level of understanding what had happened.
Because we receive these stories about concentration camps, about World War Two,
kind of packaged. There are a lot of things that we already know, and it means
we don't always question “what are the things we don't know, what's not in the
package, where are the complications?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> This is really important to me as a storyteller in
general -- there are whole other layers to all of these stories, it's a really
vast topic. Imagine coming across one of those camps at the time, you don't
have the package -- you don't know what happened, it's totally incomprehensible,
you can't get your mind around what you're seeing. I was trying to put myself
in the mind of a person who had no idea what they were stumbling on, which is
one reason, and I'm sorry this might feel like a digression. Because now I'm
talking about the book itself, but one reason why I didn't feel the need to
show the gate of the camp, for example, is because I was trying to be a bit
nonspecific about it. It's very clearly Buchenwald, if you know the imagery of
that camp. But if you don't, it could be almost any concentration camp.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I'm frustrated with the tidying of the story of the
Holocaust and I want to stay very complicated and messy. It's not pretty, and
it's not redemptive, and people, at least in the US, keep trying to make it
those things. I don't know if that’s the case in France or anywhere else in
Europe.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yes,
but I was thinking about what you were saying -- in the early 40s, if you
wanted to know what was happening, you could. There were reports, including in
the US. But I guess a lot of the population did not know; was there a lot of
censorship, were people just too busy living day to day, and perhaps trying to <i>not</i>
know what was happening… France is a good example because we collaborated, but
we also resisted -- resistance is a great story to tell. Collaboration -- not
so good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You
know, it's funny the first time I went to France, one of the people I was there
with, a French comics person said: “everyone, every older person here is going
to tell you they were in the resistance. It's bullshit.” Which I feel is
probably a really incendiary thing to say, and I don't think it's entirely true
either: there was a lot of collaboration and a lot of resistance everywhere.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And
a lot of in between. For instance, some of the German artists you mention in <i>Victory
Parade</i> (such as Oscar Schlemmer and other Bauhaus people, or what you say
in “Blood Road” about Franz Erlich) had an ambiguous relationship to the Nazi
regime, probably like most people who lived under this regime. Even if you
disagree with it, you're also thinking of your own survival, which I can
understand -- if I put myself in their place, would I have been up in arms
immediately? I thought of that also when I saw your quote on the SAW [Sequential
Artists Workshop] website, where you say you’re interested in breaking down, in
destroying the neat narrative of history.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Schlemmer,
I actually don't remember what his story was. I think most of them probably…
you know, we have the benefit of hindsight -- they didn't entirely know. When
you read about Otto Dix, you read that he went into internal exile, which I
think sounds like what a lot of us are doing in the US -- in some way you could
say that about us. George Grosz, left, and he writes, in his journal <i>A
Little Yes and a Big No</i>, about leaving Germany when he knew he had to
leave. It's a really interesting passage, but my feeling during the Trump years
was, we're all good Germans now. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> So I think I understand because we know -- we knew
that there were camps on the US/Mexico border full of asylum seekers, with
separated families, people who were being left without shower or blankets in
ice-cold cells, children separated from their families for indefinite periods
of time and sometimes lost! Knowing what's happening in your own borders, right?
Let's bring it even closer to home. I keep saying we live in a racial fascism
here, that's been ongoing for hundreds of years. We're all just living our
lives in this kind of in-between knowing that these terrible things are being
done and that some of us are living on the safer end of those terrible things. It's
hard to make binary judgments when you know that you're doing the same thing. I
think then it requires… I don't know what it requires, but it's something other
than how we've been thinking about these things.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Then there are people who I think were ideological
Nazis. Unfortunately, I think Christian Schad joined the party and I love his
work. I really can't engage with it anymore or show it to my students because
I'm not going to excuse that in a person.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In
a sort of related question, your main character, Rose, and her occupation, of
course, recalls Rosie the Riveter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That
was an accident. [laughs]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It
was an accident? That's very funny. So, I thought that was interesting because
it also put me in mind of <i>Unterzakhn</i> and your reclaiming a lot of
American history as not just WASP, and as also belonging to minorities. The USA
you depict in <i>Victory Parade</i> and in <i>Unterzakhn</i> contribute to a
sort of rewriting of the country's past and origins, to include the very people
who have always made up the country and yet are still perceived as on the lower
end of the hierarchy. So you’re not just showing multiculturalism, but
reclaiming American history as multicultural.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
love that and I'm honored that you see my work that way because I would not
have put it in those terms. But it's absolutely something that I love to hear,
and I do feel strongly about. I think it came naturally because I'm from New
York, I write about New York, and New York is different from the rest of the
country in a lot of ways, it’s a resolutely multicultural place. It's not
exempt from any of the racial hierarchy or class power structures of the country,
if anything, it reproduces them in an amplified way in some cases, but when I
go to other parts of the country, I can feel the cultural difference. And also,
being a Jewish woman, an Ashkenazi woman, it's a really particular way of
behaving and looking at the world, and how we're socialized is not like a lot
of other American women are socialized. I don't want to make overly broad
generalizations, but it’s something I struggle with a lot. So maybe it comes
through in my work, obliquely: living in a Christian hegemony as a minority, I’ve
resented it all my life since I was a small child during the Reagan
administration. He was the Christian right’s president. He was the guy who brought
them into power. So my entire life, I've basically lived under their cultural
control and it is actually quite relevant to my work in that I'm pushing
against it so much -- in <i>Unterzakhn</i> very explicitly and in <i>Victory Parade</i>,
talking about something else, centering someone else.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Comics and Bodies</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4TEM3w_FaaNtT_ZGVB_QxQKmC1JMWNcoa3lhqT6tHin0Q7OQ_p1uKd_P1TJHey_I_gVptZWySmlFck9MYYrXMdUVmiBj55vZ7rmyCnl1oZATad7QSa611mljLuFgTh0d7ImWX3_iH8yLTP9WrYU31TAFqW1SoQGWyjOOjn-aYJegt7CtOmH9c-GO4Jg/s7492/interview%20fig%2010%20Victory%20Parade%2022.tif" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7492" data-original-width="6377" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4TEM3w_FaaNtT_ZGVB_QxQKmC1JMWNcoa3lhqT6tHin0Q7OQ_p1uKd_P1TJHey_I_gVptZWySmlFck9MYYrXMdUVmiBj55vZ7rmyCnl1oZATad7QSa611mljLuFgTh0d7ImWX3_iH8yLTP9WrYU31TAFqW1SoQGWyjOOjn-aYJegt7CtOmH9c-GO4Jg/w312-h367/interview%20fig%2010%20Victory%20Parade%2022.tif" width="312" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victory Parade 22</td></tr></tbody></table><a name="_Hlk153197608"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another
important topic in in <i>Victory Parade</i> is sexual harassment, which makes
the character of Ruth furious, and she's encouraged in her fury by this sort of
other-worldly being. I wondered if that reflected your own anger. Also, about the
scene where she beats up the guy on the street who's been following and
harassing her and her friend, I thought there was a sort of superhero dimension
to it: we have her origin story, her superpower, and then her very impassive
attitude after she's meted out justice.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Stroking
the man’s teeth on the handkerchief, enjoying her prize? I think that passage
is pure wish-fulfillment for me and a lot of other people. Who among us has not
wanted to do that? I set out wanting to talk about sexual harassment a lot more
than I actually accomplished. It's in there and it's pretty constant, but it's
barely scratching the surface. I'm going to have to keep engaging with it in my
future work. But it was such a constant in my life from the time I was twelve
years old, you know, I couldn't leave my apartment building without
experiencing groping and horrible comments. No one prepared me for that as a
kid, and no one supported me or gave me any kind of help when it was happening,
including my mother.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[…]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In
<i>Victory Parade</i>, more than in your other work I think, you de-idealize
the bodies. They're not sexy, and even Ruth, who is young and strong ends up
dying at a very early age, so her body lets her down as well. Can you talk a
little bit about that and maybe also come back to Oscar Schlemmer, whom you
reference a lot and whose approach to bodies is so at odds with yours.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yes,
it is. I think the primary Neue Sachlichkeit [New Objectivity] artist that gets
referenced in <i>Victory Parade</i> is Otto Dix -- talk about de-idealizing the
body! No one makes a body less sexy than him, right? So Dix and his compatriots,
and maybe also H.R. Giger, there is absolutely nothing sexy about his work,
even when he's drawing a giant penis, it's like the ugliest thing you've ever
seen. I love Giger, anyway, so, with respect.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> But Schlemmer, the way that he depicts bodies, they're
not flesh, the way he paints people, they look like pegs and carvings of wood
or they're these incredible theatrical costumes where the body is the axis
around which the costumes revolve. But the costumes aren't made to enhance the
body, they're coming off of the body in these really interesting ways. I love
his theatrical costumes, but if you watch any of the recreated footage of the Triadic
Ballet, it's not a loose flowing dance; the dancers aren't allowed to actually
use their limbs in ways that ballet dancers tend to. They're wearing these
really hard costumes that dictate the movement.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I like that you said de-idealize the body -- maybe
it's a side effect of living in a body that's getting older and hurting a lot
more. [laughs] No, but it didn't start out that way, I started this book six
years ago, so I didn't hurt as badly as I do now, but I find all kinds of
bodies really interesting and I guess I'm trying to get away from constantly
drawing conventionally beautiful people because it's really easy and fun to do
that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And
it's still dominant in comics; non idealized, realistic bodies in comics are
not that common.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
guess it depends what comics you read. I'm thinking about the Hernandez
brothers, constantly drawing very realistic bodies, and drawing them as bodies
that have every bit of a sex life and a sensual life as an idealized young
body. Chelo or Luba in Gilbert Hernandez’s stories have round stomachs and
stretch marks from childbirth, women have lovers and they are moms -- they're
fully fleshed out people. No pun intended.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
was thinking of mainstream comics, not so much independent comics such as yours.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
don't really read mainstream comics; and the artists that informed me tend to
be painters more than cartoonists. A couple of years ago I met this amazing
painter named Clarity Haynes at a residency and I've been really fascinated
with her paintings ever since. At the time, she was working on these monumental
torso portraits of people, and they were amazing. There would be aged bodies,
or bodies that had had top surgery, or bodies that had had heart surgery,
wearing a beautiful belt and necklace, or beautiful tattoo and scars, just so
lovingly painted and huge -- monumental. And I thought about those paintings a
lot. I'm not saying they're an influence on my work, just that I think there
are other ways to love and appreciate bodies, that are not mainstream comics or
fashion photography.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I had this experience last year: I went to the
Brooklyn Museum and there were two different exhibitions running at the same
time. There was a retrospective of Thierry Mugler, the couturier, it’s
beautiful work, right? But right before I saw that, I went to the exhibition of
the photographer Jimmy De Sana. It really blew my mind, it was really sexy and
really central in these ways that were, like, gritty, very queer. Also he took
a lot of photos of No Wave bands, which is a music and art scene that I'm
really fascinated by and I love a lot of that music. But also these really
beautifully lit, beautifully posed figurative photos that were so strange and
so… They felt like they were really about what sex actually is. It's body
fluids and flesh and smells and sounds and colors.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And then I went upstairs to this very idealized, you
know, everybody's super skinny. And like, it's about sex, but it's not really. It
gestures at the fact that you're supposed to find this sexy, but really
everything is very hard and regimented and skinny and there's no access to the
body in any kind of meaningful way. I wrote a much more articulate response when
I initially saw it, pairing the two.</span></p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjViT5iOgM2vKfiaqz_4zxFlfrgxGjFzm2mjUtmp_ydhuStE3pAqwExElFTV_f_mixWNRPEcP55Yx0q5oVGVMkQCd1FEnjsatnsHC0-V1EmbGWPCrRgiWBzKp4Z7Xb_TfM2wNRFw6Trd1wcI_qwlYhWXirTO6lABmlfRmfj_8l9DfudkKsRrOew9jIC_Y/s7688/interview%20fig%2011%20Victory%20Parade%20148.tif" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7688" data-original-width="6404" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjViT5iOgM2vKfiaqz_4zxFlfrgxGjFzm2mjUtmp_ydhuStE3pAqwExElFTV_f_mixWNRPEcP55Yx0q5oVGVMkQCd1FEnjsatnsHC0-V1EmbGWPCrRgiWBzKp4Z7Xb_TfM2wNRFw6Trd1wcI_qwlYhWXirTO6lABmlfRmfj_8l9DfudkKsRrOew9jIC_Y/s320/interview%20fig%2011%20Victory%20Parade%20148.tif" width="267" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victory Parade 148</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On
another topic -- <i>Victory Parade</i> is full of ghosts, or the undead. Is it
mainly narrative and/ or aesthetic? Does it have anything to do with your own
beliefs?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It
was really important to me in this book to situate a lot of the action in the
world of the dead and the place where the worlds of the dead and the worlds of
the living intersect. I was thinking a lot about what happens in a place where
a mass death has occurred. It seems to me like the air would be disturbed by
the deceased, that they would be very present.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I've become a much more skeptical person than I've
ever been in my life in the last few years, and so I I'm much less interested
in the supernatural than I used to be. I was more interested in that when I was
working on the book; the dream state and the death state were things that I was
really interested in exploring. And I tend to feel very haunted, especially
back then when I started working on it. It’s things I think about and respond
to a lot.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It's
just a detail, but in the scene where Sam finds the women’s hair in the
concentration camp, you draw him standing in front of the hair and dozens of
pink ghosts behind him, and I thought that the one that's just above him, who
is not as emaciated and who looks much angrier than the others, that it looked
like a much more specific ghost; I thought maybe it was even yourself that you
were putting in that drawing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
was just looking at that drawing this morning actually. No, it's not me, but in
a sense everyone in the comic is the cartoonist, or everyone in a novel is the
novelist. A lot of the time, from the very beginning, when I was drawing the
scenes with ghosts, I was thinking about putting faces to names, putting faces
and names on the dead. Somewhere in there I realized this book is in dialogue
with <i>Maus</i> in that way because in <i>Maus</i>, Spiegelman made a very
deliberate choice not to do that. And I think it was a really wise choice for
the time and the audience, making everybody an animal. And thus not
expressionistic in any way, even though his line quality is very
expressionistic, capital E expressionistic. It's like a pill pocket, you know,
when you have to give medicine to a dog or a cat and there's a little treat
that has a hole in it and you stick the medicine in there and you shove it in
their mouths. It's like that: get the story past people's disgust or fear
reaction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> In my case, I felt like I wanted to do something else.
These are individual human beings with faces, and there's another running theme
in <i>Victory Parade</i> that was really important to me, which was to show
lots of different kinds of massed bodies. You'll notice there's a couple of
scenes that are recreations of Busby Berkeley numbers also. I love Busby
Berkeley, I'm totally fascinated by those films, but I was thinking about the
connections between masses of dancers and masses of soldiers. And then there's
these mass graves full of full of bodies. Or prisoners in the concentration
camps, full of the barely alive. All of these kind of massive collections of
people. I was thinking about that a lot, and I was also thinking, yeah, these
women are pissed. They're really mad. Those pink ghosts above him? They're fucking
furious.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Talking
about names, there is also a scene where Sam is visited by ghosts who give him
their names, are these specific or are they random?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They're
random -- although there's names of friends and writers I like; but they're
mixed up, they're randomized, the first and last names.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You
were talking about Busby Berkeley -- can you talk about the final gruesome
ballet in the book?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It's
probably the most transgressive thing I've ever drawn in my life. And I use the
word transgressive really carefully because I came of age as an artist in a
time when that was of great value, to make things that were transgressive and
everyone was trying to do that, and I think very few people actually made
anything that was that. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> OK, so I take notes on index cards when I'm working
and it'll be like one idea, one beat, one statement per card, and then the
result of that is that I'll have a stack of index cards going back a few years,
sometimes with projects, and then sometimes I'll forget ideas that I had. This
is why I take them down on cards. So I found a card I had forgotten about where
I wrote “Busby Berkeley death scene.” And this is two years later and I was
like, “thank you past me!” I was very grateful to 2017 Leela because this was
such a good idea and it just made sense to me that this would be the scene you
would find at the end.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So
bringing together these differently “massed bodies” as you were saying. It also
made me think of the film by Roberto Benigni <i>Life is beautiful</i>. When I
first saw this comedy about the concentration camps, I was really uncomfortable,
I didn't know how to react; but I think it was brave. And I thought this was
also not just transgressive, but an act of bravery on your part because you're taking
a big risk, bringing those two worlds together to say something about those
ghosts that you're bringing to life, and about your vision.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[…]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There's
another Busby Berkeley movie that shows up in the beginning and at the end, <i>The
Gang’s All Here</i>, which he made during World War Two. So maybe I'm taking a
risk, but you could make the argument that at the same time that all of these
people were suffering and dying, starving, people in the United States were
going to see <i>The Gang’s All Here</i>, going to the movies and seeing these
massed bodies dancing. So it feels like there's a connection there. I was
thinking a lot about the experience of being here in the United States while
all of this stuff is happening there in Europe, especially if your family came
from there and you still have connections there, this is the thing you read
about all the time. There were Jews in New York who knew that their families
were being slaughtered, and the guilt and the pain that they were carrying, and
the helplessness of knowing that this is happening. I think this is replicated
across time and all over the world in the refugee and asylum-seeking
experiences, once somebody gets out, they're always thinking about who's left
behind.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> But I was thinking a lot in this book about how people
process collective trauma, and I think that that also comes back to the massed
bodies. There's a lot of stuff in this book about the collective and the
individual. So much of what's going on with Rose is the processing of how an
individual carries a group trauma, and she's not the only one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> To come back to that final scene, there's humor in it
too, and I think maybe that's where some of the risk lies. I'm interested in
your mentioning <i>Life is Beautiful</i>, I love that movie. I haven't seen it
since it came out, so I wonder how I'd feel about it now, but I remember in the
US people were so angry at that movie. I think actually this is something that
was in the DNA of the book, this image of Roberto Benigni holding his child,
you know, where he starts walking with his kid on his shoulder and then he
comes across a pile of bodies, a giant mountain of corpses, and he starts
walking backwards. He doesn't turn around because he doesn't want his kid to
see it. And he doesn't survive, you know, at the end Nicoletta Braschi's
character, the mother, is reunited with her child, but the father is gone, and
that scene almost broke me, because so many parents were <i>not</i> reunited
with their children.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All
right, I have to let you go back to your real life, so two quick questions
about <i>Victory Parade</i>: how did you become interested in wrestling; and
why did you decide to recycle Meyer Birnbaum, a character from <i>Unterzakhn</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">First
question: in 2015, John Darnielle from the band The Mountain Goats asked me to
illustrate his wrestling-themed album, “Beat the Champ” and I was really
flattered that he asked me instead of somebody who's known for drawing wrestlers.
I had never drawn a wrestler at that point -- he could have called Jaime
Hernandez who draws the best women wrestlers, but he called me. I had a really
good time and I realized I love drawing, sweaty, muscular bodies in motion. And
I loved -- talk about drawing de-idealized bodies -- the theme of that album
wasn't just wrestling, it was early 80s local territory wrestling, which is
before wrestling became this shiny, glitzy thing. If you watch video footage
from that era, they don't look like glamorous muscle men, they're grittier.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I think there's also a connection, in the United
States anyway, between immigrant grandmothers and wrestling -- my best friend’s
Irish great-grandmother was obsessed with wrestling, my Yiddish grandmother
loved wrestling. She loved Hulk Hogan, I think because his character was the
anti-Communist Cold War wrestler. There's a lot of funny stories about people
going to wrestling matches with their grandmas and stuff like that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I also have a background in martial arts and dance, so
I really liked drawing the physicality -- and it made sense that this character
[Ruth] would be a wrestler and that that would be her kind of trauma coping
mechanism and that it would be the thing that kills her.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Now the thing about Meyer Birnbaum is he wrote himself
into <i>Unterzakhn</i> -- I don't feel like I created him. I feel like he
showed up one day, just started talking. So it just made sense that he would
come back and be a wrestling promoter. But I will say it was a little more
conscious in this case, I'm paying tribute to a Gilbert Hernandez character
with him -- he's sort of the Gorgo of my book. He may even show up in the third
book -- this is part of a trilogy, so he might even show up again, and maybe even
somehow Meyer Birnbaum never dies. [laughs]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well
now I have to ask you about the trilogy…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ok,
so halfway through working on <i>Victory Parade</i>, I was in a café in Berlin,
sketching, and I was just looking around and I was thinking about being a child
during the late Cold War and all of the terror, you know, being absolutely sure
we're going to die in a nuclear holocaust because the leaders of the US and the
Soviet Union were selfish and stupid -- and then how shocking it was when the
Berlin Wall came down. And I was just trying to question -- what was it like to
grow up on the other side of that wall, and all of this stuff… And then I
thought ohh shit, this has to be a book, doesn't it? So I started thinking
about my own childhood in the 80s in New York and thinking about all the things
that were cool about it, too. And I was like, God dammit, I just had a book
idea, didn't I.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> So the third book in the trilogy is set partially in
the 1980s in Manhattan and partially in the forests of Poland during the 1940s,
and the way that I have been conceiving this book lately as I've worked through
the ideas more is that I want it to be kind of a tribute to the Yiddish women that
raised me, the war generation. Who are almost entirely gone now, but I've been
painting and drawing them and thinking about them and… but it's about a lot of
other things. I'm also not ready to work on another book yet. My arm is tired,
it needs a break.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So
there will be a trilogy, but I shouldn’t hold my breath, right?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No,
it'll come. Yeah, my New York trilogy. [laughs]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You
need to make one too! Ok, now just two or three questions about <i>You Are Not
A Guest</i>. I have a silly question, but it's inspired by the title of the
story, “The Fuck You Forest.” I thought that this was both painful reminiscing and
also sort of distancing, perhaps mocking yourself for the recurrent metaphor of
the forest as a place of trauma and refuge. Does this also have something to do
with the fact that Buchenwald means the beech forest?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No,
no. “The Fuck You Forest” was made long before the comic about Poland, where I
said that thing about trauma and refuge. No, I'm not mocking myself at all. That
comic is the only comic I have ever in my adult professional life as a
cartoonist, improvised. I improvised an entire book when I was in college. My
senior illustration project was a comic that I totally made up as I went along,
but I hadn't done that since I was in school and I did that with “The Fuck You
Forest.” I'm not mocking myself at all, I was just in the rage part of grief.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mocking
was the wrong word, I’m sorry, but I thought distancing perhaps, because
there's a lot of images of trees, forests, mountains, rivers, a lot of nature
in your stories, and I thought perhaps, the forest as refuge turned out to not
work.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I
think I was looking for solace in nature imagery, a place to hide. You know
when someone dies in a hospital, it's the least natural place in the world,
surrounded by the machines, and plastic, and chemicals.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So
it's sort of an echo to the story “Wilderness” perhaps? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yeah.
And also well, “Wilderness” was so much about feeling like… that was done at an
inflection point in my life. A friend of mine had just committed suicide right
before I did that piece, and this was the friend who had taken us in after my
first daughter died also. So I was feeling a lot of just really feral emotions.
And I think also grief makes you feel like you live outside, it puts you
outside of society for a while, and I think that piece is about that a lot.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">OK,
I have a question which is maybe anecdotal, about “Life is an Ambush.” The end
of it felt like two worlds colliding almost. There's a beautiful, painful and
very personal story that I as a reader experienced in solitude but that also
created a sense of intimacy. And then on the last page you have this image of a
snake, and you address your readers about their potential online comments about
their birth beliefs. Have you had a lot of negative reactions to your stories
online? […]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No,
it's because -- I did that story in 2016 and it was impossible to talk about whatever
your own birth experience was without a lot of other people piling on and
giving their opinions about it. And there was so much ideology and positioning
around it; and <i>I</i> used to have a lot of misinformed beliefs too, before I
had kids, about how you should give birth and what's good and what's bad. And I
had my mind completely changed by the experience. But also that was done in a
time when I was still grieving pretty hard and very angry. There was a lot of anger
in that piece.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Alright,
concluding questions, for real this time. How have your books been received in
general? What kind of feedback do you get? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mostly
really good. I'll see what happens with <i>Victory Parade</i>. I'm feeling a
little strange about <i>Victory Parade</i> right now because it feels like, what
am I doing telling a story about the Holocaust? It made sense a few years ago
and now it feels like… I don't know, those thoughts are kind of unformed and
hard to articulate... And I haven't seen a lot of feedback yet to <i>You Are Not
A Guest</i>, so I'm not sure. It's been a while since I've put out a book. Yeah,
but mostly good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do
you think that it's still harder today to be a female than a male cartoonist,
or has the cartooning world evolved enough that there isn't much difference now
in terms of publishing, readership, reception, etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well,
I think that there is probably some data science answers to that that I can't
give, that would really answer very clearly how much money people are being
paid, percentages of male to female, or male and everybody else in publishing.
I would say I think my career is going pretty well. But I think a woman who
works in the mainstream comics industry might have a really different answer,
or a woman in manga. I don't know what they would say. I am a little frustrated
that a lot of the same kind of old white men are still in power in some
publishing houses specifically. It just feels like it's never going to end. It's
been women who've really helped my career along, and I think that white men
still have unfair advantages everywhere, so publishing is probably no
exception. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> But having said that, I think the problem and the
solution are related. The table keeps getting bigger; there are more voices in
comics now. So my feeling is: bring more chairs, right? This is happening in
some places like the Small Press Expo here in the United States. I had a twenty-year
gap between times that I attended: I stopped going in 2002, and I went again in
2022 and they were totally different because they had made a very conscientious
effort to make it a much more queer, female and nonwhite friendly space, I
think. And also, there's just more people making comics, there are more
education programs for comics, there's more opportunities to study it, and
consequently the art form is so much better because there are more people
making them and they're more diverse. Also, there's more examples of comics
from other countries in the US now; not enough stuff gets translated, but maybe
more than used to.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Anyway, I think you'd get a really different and maybe
more clear answer from someone working in the more traditionally male-dominated
areas of comics. I mean, women have always been an important part of every
sector of comics, but especially in art comics, we've really always been here.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do
you still belly dance?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">No,
I quit in 2017, quite happily.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">HT: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ok,
well thank you so much, you've been amazing and very generous with your time
and your answers, it's been a pleasure talking to you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">LC: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Likewise.
It was a pleasure for me too.</span></p>
Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-81067828382185477482023-12-30T15:18:00.001-05:002023-12-30T15:18:59.256-05:00Book Review - Fall Through by Nate Powell<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WXJwdrksTYUO8gjTJwhIh8YWhnDgkTOwNLqU9NGcER0tikjC0R3e_O7GEgNNcENpYDgqxUNaNExpn7tPxeHRHeypEnzYE4h1bTsUVI1y5L2wEQSjXle3T3KQzavJsQc1qFxWL0MetCNL6rAVziQIAejnHUkI-wldTTplKJtc7LevSP5Vmd8elN525Qo/s1334/Powell%20Fall%20Through.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WXJwdrksTYUO8gjTJwhIh8YWhnDgkTOwNLqU9NGcER0tikjC0R3e_O7GEgNNcENpYDgqxUNaNExpn7tPxeHRHeypEnzYE4h1bTsUVI1y5L2wEQSjXle3T3KQzavJsQc1qFxWL0MetCNL6rAVziQIAejnHUkI-wldTTplKJtc7LevSP5Vmd8elN525Qo/s320/Powell%20Fall%20Through.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /> reviewed by CT Lim<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
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/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
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mso-style-noshow:yes;
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mso-para-margin-left:0in;
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mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
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font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
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mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
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mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
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<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Nate Powell. <i>Fall Through.</i> New York: Abrams ComicArts, 2024. <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/fall-through_9781419760822/">https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/fall-through_9781419760822/</a></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">So what do you do as a follow-up after creating the biggest books of your
career? Well, you go for broke as Nate Powell has done here with <i>Fall
Through</i>. Let's back up a bit. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">If you have been following comics or comics that have won acclaim and
awards, Powell's previous books on American civil rights icon, John Lewis
(the <i>March</i> trilogy and its sequel, <i>Run</i>) are as respectable as you
can get. Notices in the mainstream media, national TV coverage and good reviews
in all the right places. National Book Award winner!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">But just like the Sex Pistols, who broke up after releasing one leave it
or take it album, and right after their one-and-only shambling USA tour, Powell
decided to go back to his punk rock roots which most of us have no clue about
and what a story he has to tell. (although like a true punk, Powell, through
his lead character, is critical of the Pistols for being the manufactured group
they were).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The connections between comics and punk are not new. John Holmstrom, <i>Love
and Rockets</i>, that cover of <i>Sub Pop 200</i> by Charles Burns. Recently, I
reread old issues of Peter Bagge's <i>Hate</i>, the run in which Buddy was
managing a band and how everything just self-destructed while on tour. The
story did not age well. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The synopsis of <i>Fall Through</i> reads something like that: an
"all-new trippy original graphic novel that's a love letter for fans of
the indie punk scene of the 90s. <i>Fall Through</i> is one trip after another
as a band, held hostage by their lead vocalist, are forced to repeat the same
sets, same stops, same tour over and over again until one of the band members
realizes what is happening and has to make a choice—the music she's struggled
and fought so hard for, or reality?"</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">So what are Powell's punk credentials? Because it is all about street
cred in punk rock. The notes say: "As for his music career, Powell was
introduced to the hardcore punk community in 1991, played over 500 shows across
North America and Europe in various bands, including underground legends
Soophie Nun Squad and Universe, and managed the do-it-yourself label Harlan
Records from 1994 to 2010."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Not bad although I have not heard of Soophie Nun Squad and Universe.
But then again, most people in Singapore have not heard of the dumbass band I
was in in the late 1980s, the Primitive Painters. But punk is an
attitude, a way of thinking, an approach that I returned to from time to
time. I can be good for only so long, but I can’t be good all the time.
Punk prevails.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Fall Through</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> captures that spirit quite nicely.
How punk brings us together and pulls us along, but we need to return to real
life after some time. But that is also not forever as the call of the punk
goddess sirens will beckon us over and over again. Why do you think after
slogging for 25 years as a chump and all burnout at work and having to take a
year off of no-pay leave that I am attending gigs almost every weekend? Why
would they even tolerate me and let through the door when immediately once I
enter, I raise the median age of the room? Why bother when I need to know where
the nearest toilet is and always look for the op corner (that's the old people
corner). Why bother indeed when I have no chance in hell to chat up the cute
punk women no matter what my loins say?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">But. Punk embraces and punk can be inclusive.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">To his credit, Powell has a compelling narrative (or beat, yes, we got
the beat!) that drives the story. Something weird is going on, almost like a
curse that keeps the band on the road with no end in sight. It's not all punk
philosophy ramblings like what I have written above. I like it but I am
not sure those not in the scene can get the references and the drift. But who
cares? Powell doesn't over-explain or over-romanticize those days and nights of
wine and roses. Being in a punk band can be stifling despite rhetoric of
independence and freedom of expression. Pretty much like in a cell group or
commune. There are equal parts of love and loathing, much like everything else
in life. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Reading <i>Fall Through </i>is like reading <i>A Punkhouse in the Deep
South: The Oral History of 309</i> by Aaron Cometbus and Scott Satterwhite and <i>Going
Underground: American Punk 1979-1989 </i>by George Hurchalla. The only thing
missing is a 7” as part of the book. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">You just go along for the ride. And it is good to be on the road. While
it lasts with the wind blowing against your face. You squint and you drive
straight on. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Stand aside, open wide. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #888888; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><br />Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-74977697831683485092023-12-30T14:45:00.001-05:002023-12-30T14:49:10.954-05:00Book review: J. Andrew Deman – The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men - a review by Christopher Roman<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAzNHhamcGztSmmbdTcjmHCKG8RF10bDWFzA5mHi0_po6Mp7GIfgjYUHiWQT8VuEjEIgWhx-fdNtGsLSIQQoCJJhYcPIeahV691s-Jwi4SxtQsyQ1amaSDDXRYfFge10ShzBNj_MwaL41M5EGFTGsk_oTLKloeAIqveGEtyMAF-9hZebYM5Pn5QUyPHo/s2775/9781477325452.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAzNHhamcGztSmmbdTcjmHCKG8RF10bDWFzA5mHi0_po6Mp7GIfgjYUHiWQT8VuEjEIgWhx-fdNtGsLSIQQoCJJhYcPIeahV691s-Jwi4SxtQsyQ1amaSDDXRYfFge10ShzBNj_MwaL41M5EGFTGsk_oTLKloeAIqveGEtyMAF-9hZebYM5Pn5QUyPHo/s320/9781477325452.jpg" width="212" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">reviewed by Christopher Roman, Kent State University</span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>J.
Andew Deman, <i>The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men. </i>Austin:
University of Texas Press, 2023. ISBN: 9781477325452. </b><b><a href="https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477325452/">https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477325452/</a></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For
those of us who followed J. Andrew Deman’s “@ClaremontRun” account on
Twitter/X, this academic work treads familiar ground. On his Twitter/X account,
Deman would practice public facing scholarship in order to discuss the
importance of Chris Claremont’s writing run on the X-Men, often discussing
gender, race, and disability issues, using a multiple post thread to lay out an
argument in a short amount of space. In my estimation, it was an excellent use
of tweets to reach a wider audience. The book under review here can be said to
be a translation of the use of that social media platform into an academic
book. <i>The Claremont Run </i>looks at key characters in the X-Men and the
ways they subvert gender. Each chapter deals with two or three characters (as I
will discuss below). Deman’s book is successful on many levels, but what I find
admirable is the way Deman uses the intersection of the digital humanities and
traditional close-reading to examine gender roles in Claremont’s run. By basing
his readings on statistical analysis which may show, for example, that
Wolverine has more interior thought bubbles than other male X-Men, Deman is
able to then show how that statistic is important in understanding how
Claremont is subverting gender roles during a period of time in comic book
history that rests on gender stereotypes for male and female characters. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>The introduction lays out the
framework for the book explaining the critical family that Deman draws from
including works by Carolyn Cocca, Joseph Darowski, and Ramzi Fawaz. As well
Deman explains the support of his university which allowed him and his team to
create data sets of Claremont’s run for the purpose of present and future
analysis. Deman explains that for the book, he is focusing on gender as it
provides a foundation for other intersectional concerns. Gender is a
through-line to thinking about its subversion as, according to Deman, 82% of
Claremont’s run on the X-Men passes the Bechdel test. While Deman explains that
this is not the only rubric he uses to understand gender in the X-Men comics,
this statistic also suggests how important gender subversion is to Claremont’s
characterization of the X-men,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>The first half of Deman’s book
focuses on female characters, and he begins, in Chapter One, with a discussion
of Jean Grey and Moira McTaggart. For Deman, Moira MacTaggart, who originally
poses as Charles Xavier’s housekeeper but soon reveals she co-created the team
(and the housekeeping role was a ruse), is a powerful scientist who embodies
both a scientific mind and a nurturer. By opening his analysis with Moira,
Deman can show how Claremont undermines gendered stereotypes of the cold female
scientist or the mother-figure as they are knit together in one character. Jean
Grey inhabits the rest of this first chapter, and while Jean has a body of
analysis behind her, Deman is able to show how Jean undermines Cyclops’ alpha
male dominance through Claremont’s representation of Jean as enacting her own
sexual agency.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>Chapter Two focuses on Storm who
Deman argues “achieves greater significance and complexity by entangling gender
performance with social categories of religion, race, and sexuality” (35). In
this chapter, Deman utilizes data sets to show how important Storm is to
Claremont’s run. She has the most (nearly double) thought bubbles and interior
monologues; she appears in the most panels of the Claremont run; she appears on
the most covers; and she achieves a number of milestones including being the
first female and first black lead of a Marvel superhero team. However, as Deman
shows in the rest of the chapter, it is not merely numbers and firsts that make
Storm such an important female X-Men character; rather her representation is
complex as Claremont’s characterization of her touches on issues of religion,
her African heritage, her leadership style, and her sexuality. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>Chapter Three examines two other
woman X-Men characters Psylocke and Dazzler. Psyclocke is a mutant with psionic
powers, while Dazzler can create light from sound. Each of these characters
subvert female gender stereotypes. For Psylocke, her feminine appearance belies
her fighting prowess and, as Deman, writes, “reflect[s] on the artificiality of
female gender roles” (63). Placing Psylocke with Dazzler in this chapter allows
Deman to show the range of female representation, as much as Psyclocke becomes a
warrior, Dazzler tends to be discussed in terms of hyper-femininity—she was an
aerobics instructor, movie star, model, and disco star. However, Deman shows
how Claremont uses Dazzler to plumb a deep interior life, as well as use her
character to comment on toxic masculinity. Rather than a damsel-in-distress
role, Claremont characterizes Dazzler as commenting on the performance of
femininity. By placing Dazzler in this role, it shows how powerful she actually
is and further reveals the value of the feminine in the male-dominated comics
world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>The second half of the book turns to
the men. Chapter Four focuses on Cyclops and his struggles with masculinity. As
Deman argues, the characterization of the men relies on their interaction with
their female teammates. Cyclops’ masculinity is critiqued both through Jean’s
sexual agency, as well as Storm’s powerful leadership. As someone who was
hand-picked to lead the X-Men, Cyclops’ ouster of his role as leader by Storm
shows how toxic masculinity has no place in the X-Men. With the conclusion of
the Dark Phoenix Saga, for example, Scott leaves the X-Men realizing how toxic
his relationship is with the team, and turning to the domestic sphere to find
true happiness. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>Chapter Five focuses on Wolverine.
Much like the Storm chapter, this chapter is strong in its analysis of the
importance of Wolverine for his subversive potential. Despite characterizations
of Wolverine as a killer and as a berserker, Deman shows how Claremont
approaches Wolverine with much more nuance in terms of masculine stereotypes.
Wolverine is a nurturer expressing a reluctance to fight more than any other
member of the X-Men. His characterization is complex in that it portrays the
harm of hegemonic masculinity as he most desires to be loved. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>Chapter Six examines another range
of masculinity examining the characters of Nightcrawler and Havok. Each of
these characters critique masculinity in unique ways. Nightcrawler expresses
sexual agency and acceptance of his mutant state despite not being able to pass
as human like the rest of the X-Men. His blue fur and pointy tale labels him
quite explicitly as different. Yet, it is often Nightcrawler who expresses an
alternate masculinity through his difference. Havok’s representation undermines
traditional toxic masculinity in that each time he attempts to mimic his
brother’s leadership style or Wolverine’s violence, it conflicts with who he
is. By reveling in the performance of masculinity, Claremont is able to show
how toxic masculine traits hurt the community of mutants. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>Deman’s book offers us extended
meditations on gender in the X-Men. It is a masterful work on the ways
Claremont’s run is not only iconic, but achieves a level of gender subversion
at a time when comics stood by traditional masculine and feminine roles. If I
had a critique, I wish that some of the chapters were longer. For example, the
Moira MacTaggart discussion was a great way to start the book, but it felt too
short as it gave way to analysis of Jean Grey. As well, Deman uses the data
sets in some chapters (for example Storm, Wolverine), but mentions them only
lightly in others. All in all, however, this is an excellent work of
scholarship showing the ways public and academic scholarship can meet to open
up new perspectives on works of popular culture. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> <i>Editor's note: We'll be running <a href="https://ijoca.blogspot.com/2023/11/book-review-j-andrew-deman-claremont.html" target="_blank">two</a> reviews of this book on the blog,
as one of the editors (ok it was me) assigned it twice. However, I
think there is enough room in the field for multiple reviews of the
growing literature. </i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></p>
Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-2590403436907014812023-12-30T14:27:00.004-05:002023-12-30T14:33:53.809-05:00Book Review - Muslim Comics and Warscape Witnessing<p><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reviewed
by Adrienne Resha</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdWxGrQPLKgB6SO5lKPiJHL20Mwu2UdkOr6yrgfGupbTodlpGOFBRroGP1m4tkUmXcqsWFjrHQJPxRFHL5I0aHzjdAfPXUXdGSgurpWHNdBTh5etTm_wsOozDpmhque8dcsVivQJ-aVLQb76Iw88kcuXcS8Cc4H3yf9sdzhxDI04yT0UQjBJcNdsy94k/s2700/Muslim%20comics.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdWxGrQPLKgB6SO5lKPiJHL20Mwu2UdkOr6yrgfGupbTodlpGOFBRroGP1m4tkUmXcqsWFjrHQJPxRFHL5I0aHzjdAfPXUXdGSgurpWHNdBTh5etTm_wsOozDpmhque8dcsVivQJ-aVLQb76Iw88kcuXcS8Cc4H3yf9sdzhxDI04yT0UQjBJcNdsy94k/s320/Muslim%20comics.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Esra Mirze Santesso. <i>Muslim
Comics and Warscape Witnessing</i>. Ohio State University Press, 2023. 220 pp,
$149.95 hardcover, $34.95 paperback. <a href="https://ohiostatepress.org/books/titles/9780814215418.html">https://ohiostatepress.org/books/titles/9780814215418.html</a></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span> </span>Words in the Arabic language often have three-consonant
roots that convey meaning, such as sh-h-d (<span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA">ش-ه-د</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>):
to witness. If you do not read or speak Arabic, then this may still look or
sound familiar because shahada, the sincere declaration that one believes God
is singular and accepts Muhammad as His prophet, is one of the five pillars of
Islam. The root also appears in the noun shaheed (<span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="background: white; color: #202122;">شهيد</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="background: white; color: #202122;"><span dir="LTR"></span><span dir="LTR"></span>), which can be translated as witness or martyr. Whether
translated, transliterated, or loaned to other languages, the word takes on
different meanings in different contexts. Martyr, meaning one who sacrifices
themself as a testament to their faith, overlaps with martyr, one who witnesses
violence when murdered by a settler-colonial state. Esra Mirze Santesso’s <i>Muslim
Comics and Warscape Witnessing </i>attends to different versions of witnessing
and visions of witnesses in what she calls “Muslim Comics.” </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Santesso’s Muslim Comics is a category that includes “any
graphic narrative that features three-dimensional Muslim characters and
foregrounds Muslim experiences in relation to various power structures inside
and outside the Muslim homeland” (4-5). This definition is inclusive of comics
produced by Muslim and non-Muslim creators, privileging character identity over
those of cartoonists, writers, and artists. She employs warscape, “a civilian
space in which different [political and military] factions are participating in
asymmetrical struggles,” as a category that “underscores the prolonged effects
of violence as opposed to the finality denoted by ‘war’” and includes the Guantánamo
Bay detention camp in Cuba, Iran, Kashmir, and Palestinian refugee camps in
Lebanon (5). Through visualization and narration, witnessing in comics, Santesso
argues, “offers a way to change vulnerability into resistance” and “reflects a
desire to restore stability and certainty by creating permanent records of
those who are erased from history and those whose voices are muted” (16). Following
a history of Muslim characters in US American comics, she examines four kinds
of warscape witnesses who appear in Muslim Comics: the reluctant witness, the
false witness, the border witness, and the surrogate witness. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While the rest of the book focuses on “protagonists [who]
are neither heroes nor villains… individuals with moral complexities who find
themselves having to cope with warscape realities” (11), Chapter 1, “The
Politics and Aesthetics of Muslim Comics,” is largely about Muslims in
superhero comics. According to Santesso, Muslims in American comics in and
outside of the superhero genre have historically fallen into three categories: the
“Orientalized Other,” the “barbaric jihadi,” or the “hybrid token” like, she
argues, Simon Baz (Green Lantern) and Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) (30). Santesso
acknowledges Muslim Comics in the American tradition, namely graphic memoirs,
and those coming out of Europe before turning her gaze to Muslim Comics set in
warscapes in North America and Asia. <i></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chapter 2, “Reluctant Witnesses in Prison Camp Narratives,”
contrasts the “barbaric jihadi” of American comics with the “abject Muslim
prisoner” of <i>Guantánamo Kid: The True Story of Mohammed El-Gharani</i>, <i>Guantanamo
Voices: True Accounts from the World’s Most Infamous Prison</i>, and <i>Aaron
& Ahmed</i>. Santesso asserts that the “abject Muslim prisoner” is not
derivative of the “barbaric jihadi” but rather of the Muselmann, a German term
for Muslim used by Jewish prisoners “to describe the ‘living-dead’ inhabitants
of the concentration camp” (68). This chapter’s Muslim Comics illustrate how
torture turned Guantanamo Bay prisoners into the living dead. The living dead
are also reluctant witnesses who bear witness “by refusing to bear witness”
(86-87), closing their eyes or looking away as they tell their stories to/for creators
who will interpret them in comics form. The reluctant witness does not testify to
recover their own humanity but to protect that of readers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In Chapter 3, “Vulnerability, Resistance, and False
Witnesses,” Santesso introduces what she calls the “vulnerability-resistance
dialectic,” a cycle between resistance against vulnerability and vulnerability
as a consequence of resistance, which produces false witnesses. False
witnesses, such as those in <i>Zahra’s Paradise </i>and <i>An Iranian
Metamorphosis</i>, dishonestly testify in service to the state, in these Muslim
Comics, Iran. Santesso argues that the introduction of false witnesses, who
escape the cycle by lying, illustrates how witnessing is not always liberatory,
that it “can sustain and perpetuate oppressive power structures rather than
unsettle them” (110). These comics, which differentiate between the witness who
speaks on behalf of the powerful and the witness who speaks on behalf of the
vulnerable, complicate the resistance-vulnerability dialectic. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chapter 4, “<i>Shaheed</i> and Border Witnesses,” directly
addresses the figure of the martyr in the specific context of Kashmir. Muslim
Comics set in that liminal border zone – <i>Kashmir Pending </i>and <i>Munnu: A
Boy from Kashmir</i> – challenge “the idea of border subjectivity as an
inherently intuitive and productive negotiation between two or more cultures”
through border witnessing (117). Border witnesses reject the necropolitical
conditions of the warscape that may encourage martyrdom and, instead, affirm
the value of other kinds of resistance. In these comics, Santesso continues,
“the border witness… by reaffirming the vision of Kashmiri unity known as
Kashmiriyat, uses the act of witnessing as an antidote to radicalization rather
than an accelerant for it” (118-119). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Focusing on Palestinian refugee camps, Chapter 5, “Surrogate
Witnesses and Memory,” diverges from previous chapters by pairing a Muslim
Comic, <i>Baddawi</i>, with a non-Muslim comic, <i>Waltz with Bashir</i>. These
comics both feature surrogate witnesses, their creators, who rely on eyewitness
testimony as they use various focalization techniques to “record, document, and
recontextualize the past” (147). Surrogate witnesses have “the license to
substitute, embellish, and reenact the past” and can, in doing so, create “counter-histories
that attend to the absence, silence, and erasure of victims” (168-169). The
surrogate witness can double as a storyteller and an activist, inserting
themself as an interlocutor via the medium of comics to illustrate the past and
inspire different futures. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In Santesso’s conclusion “The Future
of Muslim Comics,” she looks away from the witness and back at the superhero. Santesso
writes, “Muslim Comics, like Black Comics, have perhaps reached a place where
they can push back against the universalization and fetishization of American
whiteness and redefine what heroism is or what heroes look like” (174-175). They
may even, she argues, “have the potential to pave the wave for Muslim
futurism,” specifically “a more positive and less limiting model” that is more
like Afrofuturism (176). However, each of these categories – Muslim Comics,
Black Comics, Muslim futurism, and Afrofuturism – are already overlapping. Twenty
years ago, writer Christopher Priest and artist Joe Bennett introduced the
Black and Muslim American superhero Josiah al-hajj Saddiq (aka Josiah X) in <i>The
Crew </i>(Marvel, 2003). Although Josiah X’s post-9/11 origin story (<i>The
Crew </i>#5) is by no means perfect, it is still arguably a Muslim Comic
because it is a graphic narrative about a complex Muslim character that
foregrounds his experience in relation to structural racism in the US.
Santesso’s <i>Muslim Comics and Warscape Witnessing </i>is a welcome addition
to the growing body of scholarship on comics about and by Muslim people, but
there is still more work – and work more reflective of the diversity of Muslim
peoples across the globe – to be done. </span></p>
Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-12799414273774834262023-12-30T13:23:00.003-05:002023-12-30T14:28:07.013-05:00Book Review - Ilan Manouach in Review – Critical Approaches To His Conceptual Comics<p><a name="_Hlk154137329"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5Z5O8Iskk860-8bnSeqvs6zPrhEDrXg279lCCXDaTvNplDY7dlR9CmjJ2k4JU8svdRcZMpjCq11zy2bIv29Bq9-jbZM6S8wwUJwO_fvtOIpAFxT9SSDqxwvYm1XT_G8Knrzk3fUSrfsxUVcbJHvZJ8CmvdN1rZv8KMt6zlUA9Ik4kGwX9HP_TA9cK9Y/s536/Manouch.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="350" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5Z5O8Iskk860-8bnSeqvs6zPrhEDrXg279lCCXDaTvNplDY7dlR9CmjJ2k4JU8svdRcZMpjCq11zy2bIv29Bq9-jbZM6S8wwUJwO_fvtOIpAFxT9SSDqxwvYm1XT_G8Knrzk3fUSrfsxUVcbJHvZJ8CmvdN1rZv8KMt6zlUA9Ik4kGwX9HP_TA9cK9Y/w266-h408/Manouch.jpg" width="266" /></a></b></div><p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Reviewed by Gareth Brookes, AHRC Techne
funded PhD Candidate at UAL, <a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7167-8255">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7167-8255</a></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><br /><b>Pedro
Moura (ed.)<i> Ilan Manouach in Review – Critical Approaches To His Conceptual
Comics</i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. London: Routledge, 2023. $170. <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Ilan-Manouach-in-Review-Critical-Approaches-to-his-Conceptual-Comics/Moura/p/book/9781032399713">https://www.routledge.com/Ilan-Manouach-in-Review-Critical-Approaches-to-his-Conceptual-Comics/Moura/p/book/9781032399713</a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.routledge.com/Ilan-Manouach-in-Review-Critical-Approaches-to-his-Conceptual-Comics/Moura/p/book/9781032399713"><br /></a></span></b></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The artist Ilan Manouach has come to
occupy a unique place in European comics. To some Manouach is a
controversialist, provocateur and plagiarist, to others he is an artist working
in the traditions of conceptualism and situationism to reveal concealed power
structures ingrained in systems of publishing, distribution and in the reading
practices of comics. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It is highly unusual for any artist to be
the subject of a book such as this, particularly for an artist at the mid-point
in their career (Manouach was born in 1980) with a relatively small, and, for
the most part, relatively recent body of work. There are 21 books listed on
Manouach’s website and there are 14 essays here, which, including introduction
and afterword, amounts to eighteen contributors.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Any reader approaching <a name="_Hlk154656005"><i>Ilan Manouach in Review</i> </a>with only a passing
acquaintance with his art will leave suitably enlightened. With so many
chapters surveying a limited body of work, there are necessary repetitions. For
example, the details of the publication and reception of Manouach’s
controversial work <i>Katz</i> (2012) - a reworking of Art Spiegelman’s <i>Maus</i>
(1980-1991) in which both Nazis and their Jewish victims are depicted as cats -
are repeated a number of times. This is also the case with <i>Riki Fermier</i> (2015),
a work in which all characters in the children’s comic <i>Rasmus Klump</i> are
carefully erased save the periphery character of Riki the Pelican, who wanders
around a depopulated farm, occasionally responding to disembodied voices. <i>Noirs</i>
(2014) is also dealt with several times, in this work colour difference in the
racially problematic 1963 comic <i>Les Schtroumpfs Noirs/The Purple Smurfs</i>
is eradicated by replacing all print toners in the printing of Manouach’s
version with cyan. In many cases these repetitions complement one another, and
the reader is able to trace analytical resonances not only between scholars,
but between fields. At other times reading repeated descriptions of a single
work can feel like a chore and make this a volume best enjoyed chapter-by-chapter
over a number of weeks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The book<i> </i>is organised into three parts:
Part 1 – <i>Textuality and Surfaces</i>, Part 2 – <i>Reading Practices</i>,
Part 3 – <i>Rethinking the Past and Futures of Comics</i>. The strongest
chapters are those in which scholars bring their specific research interests to
bear on a focused area of Manouach’s practice and analytically respond to the
erasures and reversals he performs. <i>Reading Childly</i> by Maaheen Ahmed
considers ‘childness’ and the construction of the implied child reader as a
tool to critically approach Manouach’s interventions of erasure in <a name="_Hlk154140714"><i>Riki Fermier</i> </a>and <i>Cascao </i>(2019). Ian
Hague’s critique of the tactile project <i>Shapereader</i> (2015 - Present) designed
for comics readers with visual impairment, is disrupted by Covid-19 in a way
that proves enlightening. Simon Grennan tests his formulations of ‘graphiotactic
saliency’ and the notion of point of view as definitive component of storyworld
through a consideration of <i>Abrégé de bande dessinée franco-belge </i>(2019).
Barbara Postema discusses history and nostalgia with regard to the Bande Dessinée
format and traces relationship of this to Manouach’s work. Benoît Crucifix
considers ‘rogue archives’ in the context of Manouach’s online <i>Conceptual Comics
Archive</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In most cases the chapters I connected
with were by scholars with whose work I was already familiar, and I found my
interest most engaged by observing the different ways these scholars approached
Manouach’s comics. Through their accumulated responses I found myself
considering Manouach’s work in terms of a practice-based body of research,
intended to provoke theoretical response, and perhaps completing itself through
analysis of this kind.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Of all the contributions I found the
chapter <i>Can Comics Think</i> by Daniel Worden to be the most interesting and
original, adopting what one might call a practice-based approach to the
analysis of the huge volume <i>Crucible Island</i>: <i>Pirates, Microworkers,
Spammists, and the Venatic Lore of Clickfarm Humor</i> (2019). In this comic
Manouach outsources the captioning of 1,494 desert island cartoons to micropayment
contract workers through the Amazon owned microworker platform <i>Mechanical
Turk</i>. In the final section of his chapter Worden outsources the analysis of
<i>Crucible Island</i> to microworkers who are paid $5 to produce a 100-word
response. In both Manouach’s outsourced comic and Worden’s outsourced analysis,
the disconnectedness of this digital industrial approach is mixed with moments
of humour and humanity often reflecting the desires of the precariously
employed microworkers. Worden’s approach does a great deal to illuminate the
tensions and intentions active in Manouach’s engagement with these exploitative
industries.</span></p>
<p class="MsoBibliography"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Given the oblique nature of the
subject matter, it is inevitable that this book says as much about comics
studies as a practice as it does about the practice of the artist under
consideration. There is a sense of comics studies trying to come to terms with
a creator who is really a conceptual artist making self-reflexive work about
comics. Manouach’s interventions undoubtedly represent an important
contribution to comics, critiquing the hidden power structures embedded in the
form, but the strategies he employs are drawn from a post-post-modernist,
post-internet stance which holds that the only sensible response to the
monstrous number of comics available in the world is through recycling,
reappropriation and reframing. Comics studies has barely begun to consider
these ideas. Benoît Crucifix’s recent study <i>Drawing From the Archives,
Comics Memory and the Contemporary Graphic Novel</i> (Cambridge University
Press, 2023) is a notable exception, and Crucifix’s contribution to the volume
under consideration extends the scope of his work. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Another interesting question raised is how
comics studies goes about accommodating a practice in which so much is based on
erasure. Drawing theory usually considers trace, or the index of the body
making marks on paper. The authorial presence based on removal represented in
the negative trace of Manouach’s diverse dismantling practice presents an
analytical vacuum to be filled. The book could very well have been titled
‘Where is Ilan Manouach?’ and the great pleasure of these essays lies in the
various ways comics scholars go about finding him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">One can’t help but wonder what Manouach
makes of all this. The impulse to respond to work that approaches fine art
practice with what some may consider a disproportionate amount of analysis, in
order to either accommodate Manouach’s practice in comics scholarship, or rise
to the challenge of his conceptualist gestures, perhaps betrays a shift in
comics studies toward contemporary art theory. The reification that comes with
this is something that Manouach both critiques and invites through his work,
and I suspect that the reifying power relationship between comics practice and
academia may be too tempting a subject for Manouach to ignore. Will this volume
at some point become the subject of one of Manouach’s conceptualist reversals?
If so, I look forward to it. </span></p>
Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-60429556116224322752023-12-30T12:52:00.007-05:002023-12-30T14:28:25.941-05:00Book Review - Forgotten Disney: Essays on the Lesser-Known Productions. <p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4quRpRvXrCUjeRcq0V_XP0jL41D7OyBziunnO4ha1n-cE5PG-ecUDgXHNi6GsR1wWDVWr6eZx5kwBBGRT7BUFtM7t48IJxDskOtG3EyR8rQ6z111SLXJvzvTeo0_zAqSh4EGO5V2-Pa6FDa_MsmdQRTp-GsET-aA9Wh7YbGFmaDPgn0ehP4iMSix93HI/s714/Forgotten%20Disney.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="500" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4quRpRvXrCUjeRcq0V_XP0jL41D7OyBziunnO4ha1n-cE5PG-ecUDgXHNi6GsR1wWDVWr6eZx5kwBBGRT7BUFtM7t48IJxDskOtG3EyR8rQ6z111SLXJvzvTeo0_zAqSh4EGO5V2-Pa6FDa_MsmdQRTp-GsET-aA9Wh7YbGFmaDPgn0ehP4iMSix93HI/w332-h475/Forgotten%20Disney.jpg" width="332" /></a></b></div><p><b> </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reviewed by Cord
A. Scott, UMGC-Okinawa</span></p><p><b>Kathy Merlock
Jackson, Carl H. Sederholm, and Mark I. West (eds.). <i>Forgotten Disney:
Essays on the Lesser-Known Productions.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>McFarland Publishing, 2023. $49.95. <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/forgotten-disney/">https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/forgotten-disney/</a>
</b></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">By the early 21<sup>st</sup>
century, Disney became a dominant media force in many regards, controlling the
rights to Star Wars, the Marvel Comics, Pixar, and the traditional Disney IP,
as well as various amusement parks and broadcast stations that span the
globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Disney has always had
controversial aspects, it has usually been considered a successful and well-run
company. But there have also been some lesser-known aspects of collaborations
and projects that have not fared as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The essays in this book offer an insight into the “House of Mouse” and
how it has not always had the “Midas touch.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As noted in the introduction to the book, the editors pointed out that
some of the projects were never meant to last, while others morphed from their
original form into something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
all, the twenty-two essays offer glimpses into the Disney realm, and are at
times, surprising.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The essays cover
specific, chronological projects and times in the career of both Walt Disney,
as well as the corporation after his passing in 1966.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first essay focuses on Walt’s last
directorial attempt, with <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Touch_(film)" target="_blank">The Golden Touch,</a> </i>a 1935 short animated adaptation
of the King Midas story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with so many
fairy tales, this adaptation had promise, but did not have the lasting effect
that other original works such as <i>Steamboat Willie</i> had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story is a morality tale, much like the reality
of wealthy Americans at a time in the 1930s, when most average were suffering from
deleterious effects of the Great Depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While Disney tried to rail against the elites of America, the overall
story simply did not hold the attention of the general public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author argues the failure of <i>The Golden
Touch </i>served as a lesson learned for <i>Snow White</i> when it was produced
later that year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Other essays
discuss not only the attempted adaptations of Alice in Wonderland, but also the
works of Frank Baum and the <i>Wizard of Oz</i> series of books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the first book was made into short
cartoons before the major release of the Disney adaptation in 1951, the idea of
the “plausible impossible” was introduced in the 1939 cartoon <i>Thru the
Mirror</i>, and the concept became a feature of the Disney films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Baum’s Oz, the opportunity came in the late
1950s when Disney was able to purchase the rights to all of the books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The project never really came to fruition
however, but the legacy of how Disney wanted many popular books or fairy tales
adapted into his realm was written into the company’s DNA.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many of the authors
write on a now lesser-known aspect of Disney: the live movies, as opposed to
the staple animated features which have been associated with the company since
the successes of the 1980s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the
live adaptation of Jules Verne’s <i>20,000 Leagues under the Sea</i> to the
movie <i>Tonka</i> (a Sal Mineo film centered on a horse that was a witness to
the battle of the Little Big Horn), the authors look at how these films often
carried a far more expansive view of Walt Disney and his approach to storytelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when the movies are (rightly) criticized
for casting Anglo actors in minority roles, the overall theme Disney was trying
to attain was that of tolerance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">With the book arranged
in a chronological timeline of the “forgotten” films, and the first half is
about the time Walt Disney directly oversaw the creative process in some form
or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the last hundred pages,
the essays center on the move forward after Walt’s death in 1966.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book also goes associated spinoff ideas
such as Disneyland, Disney World, EPCOT, and overseas ventures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some of the
information gleaned from the book was interesting, as seemingly odd for Disney
as we know it in the 2020s: collaboration with Salvador Dali on <i>Destino</i>,
a movie that was started in the 1940s but not released until 2003; the war
films which had a shelf life of World War II, yest still offer insight into
propaganda films made by the major studios in an era before television or the
internet; association with seemingly ill-fitting Hollywood stars as Bette Davis
and Bette Midler; and the adult-themed live-action films produced by a Disney
owned and controlled company, Miramax films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The book allows
the non-Disney expert a look at some of the lesser-known projects and how they
served as a “here’s what NOT to do for next time”, such as the case of <i>The Golden
Touch</i> or the lesser-known Oz works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It also links together aspects of Walt Disney’s mindset about a return
to values prized in more rural communities, and a connection to farming and
nature that was being pushed aside, even by Disney, in areas where theme parks
were situated. Disney’s natural and successful progression into comic book
publishing was also noted, despite the company’s current disinterest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The final aspects of the book discuss the
preservation of defunct Disney attractions and their appeal to fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One area that is
ripe for future discussion is the corporation’s acquisition of Marvel and Star
Wars characters and stories, and how that has already altered the entertainment
industry, as well as stories Mickey Mouse entering the public domain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In total, the book offers a revealing look
into Disney’s output, and does give a reader a starting point to delve into aspects
of their lesser-known projects, which puts their successes into a wider
context.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-71037907992885275462023-12-12T09:56:00.002-05:002023-12-30T22:42:22.850-05:00“The look of a ghost with ashes in her shoes.” Review of Leela Corman’s Victory Parade by Hélène Tison<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-Q-dYbRxOxvhfRWWy_YmubC_cM02QF0nY2xAiFQZKycC_RIuXHYWLLmyjp_T__uOXkdAtnc_CKqqPAyPrMY_t7ZVsNU0FYDJtWn79mL9wqgRKFGnMYMjVY4ryFzHS5M8kuo0LJS1zKXiTUR1-rcBcU7DntHqN65msinvsKxgSoulk5uWbRmUkr7hiak/s3375/review%20fig%201%20Corman%20Victory%20Parade%20Cover%20Art.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3375" data-original-width="2925" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-Q-dYbRxOxvhfRWWy_YmubC_cM02QF0nY2xAiFQZKycC_RIuXHYWLLmyjp_T__uOXkdAtnc_CKqqPAyPrMY_t7ZVsNU0FYDJtWn79mL9wqgRKFGnMYMjVY4ryFzHS5M8kuo0LJS1zKXiTUR1-rcBcU7DntHqN65msinvsKxgSoulk5uWbRmUkr7hiak/s320/review%20fig%201%20Corman%20Victory%20Parade%20Cover%20Art.jpg" width="277" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">Review by Hélène Tison<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;"><b>Leela Corman. <i>Victory Parade. </i>New York: Pantheon Graphic Library, 2024. $29.00. ISBN 9780805243444. </b><b>https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/552601/victory-parade-by-leela-corman/</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 24px; text-align: center;">“The look of a ghost with ashes in her shoes.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">Leela Corman is a warm, lively,
funny and very serious person – much like her work as a cartoonist, from <i>Unterzakhn</i>
(Schocken/Pantheon, 2012), her Eisner-nominated graphic novel about life in New
York City’s Lower East Side at the turn of the twentieth century, to her
collections of short fiction and nonfiction <i>You Are Not A Guest</i> (Field
Mouse Press, 2023) and <i>We All Wish For Deadly Force</i> (Retrofit/Big
Planet, 2016), to her new graphic novel <i>Victory Parade</i> (to be published
by Schocken/Pantheon in April 2024) which is described on her website as “a
story about WWII, women's wrestling, and the astral plane over Buchenwald.” To
which one could add such prominent themes as migration and diaspora, racism and
antisemitism, brutal social hierarchies, authoritarianism, predatory patriarchy
and sexual exploitation, and the many grey areas of life, including in the
country that some consider to be “the world’s greatest democracy.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">Corman’s art is striking. She has
been working with watercolor for about a decade now, a technical and aesthetic
choice that underscores the sensory or haptic quality of this entirely
hand-made graphic novel (apart from the lettering – cf. my upcoming interview). It creates a
sense of intimacy with the characters, enables the reader to feel the
tenderness of the author not only for her protagonists, but also for the
survivors and the dead that haunt the concentration camp – and the Jewish
American soldier who has returned to civilian life. Her work is beautiful, but
not beautifying: as discussed in the interview, Corman presents us with a cast
of de-idealized and highly expressive figures. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">Corman does a lot of research for
her graphic stories, and <i>Victory Parade</i>, which could be described as
part fantasy and part historical novel, is no exception: it is full of
references, both visual and narrative, not only to the events, but also to the
culture and arts of the time, such as Germany’s Bauhaus and New Objectivity,
the musicals of Busby Berkeley, propaganda posters or period beer cans. It is
also informed by Corman’s family history.<o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1SiUYM1WZbadqCylNJLRghc7Wr6FFlVtpiiBjnOeZg3DVwgjZZcuKh0za34GJCAF3_aO7quQ75AItvlSMPNtvhHhEQnAamroE7dYJTEQNswBFV8-tYbNrh_n05l-mkn8hzU7YSnVf8mZhF9wS5VURHO493NOmCgUzp8a_ExE3ZAR0smS7R6UteUM5A0/s7472/review%20fig%202%20Corman%20Victory%20Parade%2095.tiff" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7472" data-original-width="6274" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1SiUYM1WZbadqCylNJLRghc7Wr6FFlVtpiiBjnOeZg3DVwgjZZcuKh0za34GJCAF3_aO7quQ75AItvlSMPNtvhHhEQnAamroE7dYJTEQNswBFV8-tYbNrh_n05l-mkn8hzU7YSnVf8mZhF9wS5VURHO493NOmCgUzp8a_ExE3ZAR0smS7R6UteUM5A0/w395-h470/review%20fig%202%20Corman%20Victory%20Parade%2095.tiff" width="395" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: center;">Fig. 2 - <i>Victory
Parade</i>, page 95. © Leela Corman 2023<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">As in <i>Unterzakhn</i>, the female
characters in <i>Victory Parade</i> are resourceful and impressively powerful –
indeed Ruth, the wrestler, is something of a superhero – but as a social group,
they are rather low in the hierarchy. This is reflected in the very structure
of the book, which first focuses on women (Rose the welder and her colleagues;
her daughter Eleanor; Ruth/Rifche, a young Jewish refugee from Germany who
lives with Rose), who are central to the story as they are to the war industry
for a while – until the soldiers come home, the women are sent back to the
kitchen, and Sam (the husband Rose doesn’t love) comes home after having participated
in the liberation of Buchenwald, and takes center stage in the narrative. With
the exception of the several scenes where Rose and her lover George share
intimate and tender moments, sexuality is generally conflictual or predatory in
<i>Victory Parade</i>: the book opens on a scene of sexual harassment, and it
is ubiquitous, violent and ultimately deadly for Roses’s friend Pearl – as it
is, indirectly, for Ruth who was sexually exploited as a child in Germany. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">It is fascinating to read <i>Victory
Parade</i> in light of Corman’s autobiographical and nonfiction work, which
brings to light the more specific and personal meaning of a number of details,
images, and symbols. In her graphic narratives, trauma is embodied in the
figure of falling, drowning or immersed women who are alternately crushed, distraught,
sinister, or empowering – just as nature, the forest in particular, is an
ambivalent space, “a place of trauma as much as refuge” (<i>You Are Not A Guest</i>, p. 3). Traumatic loss and multigenerational trauma run through Corman’s
autobiographical stories, as in “Yahrzeit” (in <i>We All Wish For Deadly Force</i>,
unpaginated), in “Blood Road,” where the figure of the artist braces herself
for “an epigenetic storm” as she plans to visit Buchenwald (<i>You Are Not A
Guest</i>, p. 22) and in the story that gives the 2023 collection its name, when
she visits the Polish town where many of her ancestors were murdered in 1942. In
those stories – as is the case for <i>Victory Parade</i>’s Ruth who is
described by another character as having “the look of a ghost with ashes in her
shoes” (36) – trauma is often impossible to articulate, but it doesn’t go away,
it persists as hallucination, after-image, as specters or the undead, limbs and
bodies hiding in the woods, coming out of the ground or the sky who accompany,
soothe, or bully, Leela Corman’s characters. And so, in the last section of <i>Victory
Parade</i>, she addresses, in painful and tender detail, the central trauma running
through the generations in her maternal family, and in many others – the Holocaust.
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">The manner in which she chooses to
address it, in a thirty-page episode focusing on the so-called “liberation” of
a camp by young, unprepared American soldiers, points to a central trope in the
book, indeed, in its very cover: the coexistence of two unimaginably opposed experiences,
two continents, one ravaged by brutal, genocidal war and another whose people
were far from unconcerned or uninformed, but where ordinary life did not change
drastically. The superimposition is symbolized in the uncanny figure of the
skull-faced pin-up in a pink bathing suit, legs dangling above a pile of
corpses; smoking and blowing toxic, deadly-looking fumes that form the
background to the word “Victory,” she puts its antiphrastic quality into relief.
<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">The “victory” announced by Harry Truman
on May 8, 1945 (we see Rose listening to his speech on the radio, p. 119) is
bitter in the narrative as well: not only does it signal the end of Rose’s
relative freedom, but it also heralds the end of innocence or ignorance, the
revelations of the extent of Nazi horrors, the confirmation of the fates of
relatives left behind in Europe… The antiphrasis is also a comment on political
hypocrisy and cynicism, exemplified by that very same speech, in which Truman promises
to “build an abiding peace, a peace rooted in justice and in law,” mere weeks
before giving the order to launch atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Although that episode is left out, its “off-frame” presence is hard to miss,
and is confirmed (again, elliptically) in the concluding quote by Japanese
photographer Shōmei Tōmatsu.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">After the preceding paragraphs, it
may come as a surprise to read that <i>Victory Parade</i> is not devoid of
humor – humor which is neither gratuitous nor mere comic relief, as when Corman
offers her readers moments of unexpected, highly political and very dark comedy.
She not only dares to tackle Nazi concentration and extermination camps, a
topic which is notoriously hard to do right, without trivializing or
sensationalizing one of the worst episodes in human history. But, in the mode
of Roberto Benigni’s controversial 1997 film <i>Life Is Beautiful</i>, she
dares to do so in a passage that she calls the “Busby Berkeley death scene,”
(p. 172) superimposing the camp and the type of light, extremely popular
entertainment that came out of Hollywood throughout the war years.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;">Leela Corman’s graphic novels are
both historical and topical – in <i>Unterzakhn</i>, before Roe was overturned,
she reminded her readers of the reasons why access to abortion is a matter of
life and death; today, with <i>Victory Parade</i>, she wants us to remember what
tyrannical supremacy and the murderous maligning of the racial Other actually
mean – and warns us against going on with our lives as though nothing were
amiss while the humanity of others is being denied.<o:p></o:p></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">Hélène Tison is associate professor at the University of Tours (France)
and is the author of<o:p></o:p></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><i>Female Cartoonists in the United States: Bad
Girls and Invisible Women </i>(Routledge,
2022).<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://ijoca.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-story-of-holocaust-is-not-pretty.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Read Dr. Tison's interview with Leela Corman. <br /></span></a></p><p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk152922524;"></span>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-29742208357797707902023-12-11T19:59:00.002-05:002023-12-11T19:59:33.720-05:00Book Review: Matthias Lehmann's Parallel<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5C8XAbWGH7rx9AeBPCW9NG0YtooUujJg2V657Y52mIUuoX5HcgS6YZf9EaU6p3SLQfgVqePHvFIm_y7qD89QunAodebDi0w-lRGJzZhMAkNYEqHgFexDV91JrBqdn6hdYuVC5zCikVddivJTKZkklpgcLYiRCWpEk2Go5eXU6lUW6T-FDQbi-X6hGeb4/s1080/PARALLEL-COMPFNLWEB_720x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5C8XAbWGH7rx9AeBPCW9NG0YtooUujJg2V657Y52mIUuoX5HcgS6YZf9EaU6p3SLQfgVqePHvFIm_y7qD89QunAodebDi0w-lRGJzZhMAkNYEqHgFexDV91JrBqdn6hdYuVC5zCikVddivJTKZkklpgcLYiRCWpEk2Go5eXU6lUW6T-FDQbi-X6hGeb4/s320/PARALLEL-COMPFNLWEB_720x.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b><o:p>reviewed by </o:p></b><b style="text-align: right;">Lizzy Walker, W</b><b style="text-align: right;">ichita State University<br /></b></span><p></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Matthias Lehmann. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Parallel</i>. Oregon: Oni Press, 2023. 452
pages, $29.99 9781637151006. <a href="https://oni-press.myshopify.com/products/parallel">https://oni-press.myshopify.com/products/parallel</a></span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></b></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Translated
from German into English for the first time by Ivanka Hahnenberger, Matthias
Lehman's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Parallel</i> presents the story
of Karl Kling, a gay man living in 1980s Germany. He is struggling to reconnect
with his estranged daughter through a letter he wants to send to her. Lehmann
presents Karl's story in two timelines. One timeline is in the 1980s before the
Berlin Wall coming down and Germany’s reunification, shortly after Karl had
retired from his job. The second timeline is during 1950s postwar Germany,
after Karl has returned from his time in the German army. The story presents
Karl's struggle to conform to familial expectations and social conventions,
keeping his sexuality hidden from everyone close to him, and with reason.
Homosexuality was illegal until 1994.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The graphic novel opens with elderly
Karl and his friend Adam discussing his retirement, but Karl's demeanor does
not reflect any joy at facing his "hard-earned" reward. His mood
improves little at the celebration held in the local bar that evening. When
Adam talks of the beaches of Italy, and of the gorgeous women he could meet,
Karl does not say much. Later, when Adam inquires about Karl's estranged
daughter, Hella, Karl reveals he has not heard from her in eight years. In a
flashback, the reader sees that last fateful evening with Karl and Hella. She
is angry with him, she yells at him, and she leaves. The story snaps back to
the present, and Karl starts going through old photographs. His first memory
conjured by these windows in time is from when he served as a cook in the
German army in World War II. An innocent romantic encounter with his tent-mate
gives the reader the first glimpse at Karl hiding his homosexuality.</span><span style="background: white; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Karl's life in the 1950s is fraught
with bad decisions and tragedy along the way. After Karl kisses a man whom he
mistakes for his old tent mate in the restroom at a local bar, rumors start to
circulate. This information makes it to his father-in-law who happens to be a
prominent figure in the community. He issues a severe warning to Karl, who does
not heed it. Instead, he meets a man at the local swimming hole, which leads to
a sexual entanglement that costs him his marriage and his livelihood when his
father-in-law intervenes yet again, via a group of men who assault the two lovers.
When he leaves his first marriage, Karl finds friends and foes in his struggle
to come to terms with his identity while still attempting to maintain a
straight façade. Eventually, Karl marries a second time, which becomes a
relationship also fraught with tragedy. At one point, a clandestine lover loses
his housing, so Karl invites him to live with his family. Much to the surprise
of Karl, and the reader, this ends terribly, but not as might be expected. </span><span style="background: white; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Throughout this graphic novel, Lehmann
depicts Karl with all of his flaws. Despite how much he says he wants a
traditional family, Karl destroys them by hiding his extramarital relationships
the best that he can, while denying his identity out of necessity. He could not
live openly as he might have wanted because of the illegality and stigma of
being homosexual. As infuriating as Karl's actions are, it is a struggle to remain
angry with him. While his life story unfolds, the reader sees his second
marriage fall apart, more relationships fall apart, and betrayal after
betrayal. They are not all of Karl's doing, but come as the result of his
actions. </span><span style="background: white; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lehmann's approach to themes of
loneliness, confusion, deception, and how the decisions of one man's lifetime
culminate in isolated introspection and coming to terms with his past both work
to provide the reader with a whole person. Karl is not perfect. The reader can despise
the character's actions in one panel, and have compassion and empathy for Karl in
the next. Lehmann's use of nonlinear storytelling helps tell the complicated
story of Karl's life, weaving back and forth between his past and present,
interspersed with the letter he is writing to his daughter. Karl's story hurts
and it is meaningful in that hurt. It is engaging in a way that makes the
reader feel like they are witnessing a very human character. Lehmann does not
sugarcoat anything here. The reader sees everything primarily from Karl's point
of view. At first, I wondered why Lehmann did not spend any time from Hella's
point of view, but this could be for various reasons, including that the story
is based on an actual relative of Lehmann's.</span><span style="background: white; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: small; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It is worth taking time reading
through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Parallel</i>, both to digest
Karl's whole story and to take in the artwork. While there are many secondary
characters, it is not hard to remember who they are and what their roles are in
Karl's life, both those he harms but also ones with whom he shares genuine
friendship. Lehmann's chosen palette for this graphic novel is black and white,
and he makes good use of light and shadow. The backgrounds are worth taking
extra time to peruse. Lehmann effectively matches the environment with the mood
of particular scenes well. </span><span style="background: white; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: white; font-size: small;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in; text-align: right;"><br /></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-42505617784736725692023-11-17T16:44:00.004-05:002023-11-17T16:44:29.627-05:00Book review: Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben.<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6tC2nrImRmKjzcv1FOXYjFc8_QqJ9-zOZiIjhsSI_aX-LIG_rwsMpBtPAhkEl_xe8M3Pv9L0WMlS711A-0rZasP2ZhX76aTCqfZk2KPk4eZpraWiyuaemZ5jOtjONGQ8_oI7az0LxfqLycG6FMKIt7tDvScseqqlbWRTayvZXB1rK5IMJ08ZeUpQ7pk/s1362/gay%20general.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6tC2nrImRmKjzcv1FOXYjFc8_QqJ9-zOZiIjhsSI_aX-LIG_rwsMpBtPAhkEl_xe8M3Pv9L0WMlS711A-0rZasP2ZhX76aTCqfZk2KPk4eZpraWiyuaemZ5jOtjONGQ8_oI7az0LxfqLycG6FMKIt7tDvScseqqlbWRTayvZXB1rK5IMJ08ZeUpQ7pk/s320/gay%20general.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b>reviewed by Cord Scott</b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Trujillo, Josh and Levi
Hastings. Washington’s Gay General: The Legends
and Loves of Baron von Steuben. New York: Abram’s Surely Press, 2023. $24.99 ISBN
978-1-4197-4372-6. <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/washingtons-gay-general_9781419743726/">https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/washingtons-gay-general_9781419743726/</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In today’s politically
charged cultural atmosphere, the argument that history is often written to fit social
events of the day is one that resonates.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Permeating aspects of current society across the board, many Americans
are uneasy with thinking of national heroes having what they perceive as less
than desirable traits. This sort of argument could, and most likely will, be
made by anyone trying to ban this book from libraries.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">However, Steuben’s life is a great example of
how complicated the stories of the Founding Fathers truly are.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The graphic novel centers
on Trujillo, the writer, finding out about Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian
soldier who was brought to the American colonies to help train George
Washington’s forces. Von Steuben was
instrumental in creating a training regime for the colonial army, was the first
Inspector General of the US Army, and created the “Blue Book” a training manual
that still has relevance to the modern US military. Trujillo was drawn to von
Steuben as an openly gay man in a time of history when it was literally a
crime. While his affectations were
widely known, there are few firm pieces of direct evidence, as many personal
references or thoughts on homosexuality would be destroyed (p. 15). Narratively
interesting is that Trujillo readily identified his own shortcomings in terms
of scholarship, interest in history, or proximity to the actual areas where von
Steuben lived. But this is something that historians often must face: how does
one make a story complete, warts and all?
To that end, the result was commendable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Friedrich von Steuben was
born in Prussia in 1730 and had wanted to pursue a military career. He was a shy child, and not above exaggerating
stories or his own feats to get ahead in life.
As Trujillo wrote (p. 24) von Steuben often embellished stories to
attain promotion or higher status. He
felt that he deserved such things as he was professionally that good, but this
was a lifelong trait. Von Steuben came
to adulthood at a time when the Prussian military was used as the model for
training, discipline, and strength in battle.
King Frederick I (Frederick the Great) of Prussia often outfitted his
soldiers in smart-looking uniforms and had requirements for height. Trujillo argues that Frederick was also gay,
and so the “Prussian Giants” (p. 73) appearance may have been for his own
proclivities as well as that of military prowess.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">He had made close
connections with Frederick, Frederick’s brother Prince Henry, and Claude-Louis,
Comte de Saint-Germaine, a noted mercenary general from that era. While von Steuben was known for his
dalliances with men, it had never been overly dangerous as his military
standing shielded him to an extent. Following the Seven Years’ War in Europe
(known as the French and Indian War in America), von Steuben was virtually
destitute, and living on the kindness of others. Due to military cutbacks, the costs of war,
and his own indebtedness, von Steuben had constant worry about money. However, his reputation as a rake was
becoming more of a liability and that is when he was introduced to Benjamin
Franklin. The reputation of both men for
preferring younger lovers was well known, in Trujillo’s narrative.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hired by Franklin, Von
Steuben was part of a foreign contingent of military officers who rallied to
the American cause. Trujillo noted that the stories of von Steuben appearing at
Valley Forge in a flamboyant uniform were not true, although he did often have
uniforms that were made to impress his importance. His aides who were often very young (in their
teens and early twenties while von Steuben at this point was in his fifties). These
aides helped with the problems with his lack of English. When training
soldiers, he was having to rely on one or two languages as well as interpreters
which made immediate training corrections a bit strained, but his men liked him
for the care he took of them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Where Trujillo comes into
some minor historical issue is with descriptions. He notes that von Steuben was considered an
outsider as he only spoke German. This
may not have been the issue it appears as German was under consideration for
the official language of the colonies.
Second, the commentary on Benedict Arnold was awkward. Arnold is correctly considered a traitor, but
he was never seen as inept, as Trujillo described him. Arnold was a tested commander who is
recognized at both Saratoga and West Point New York for his importance. He,
like von Steuben, felt he was deserving of far more than he had received. In Arnold’s case, it led to his betrayal of
the colonial army.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The later part of the
book describes von Steuben’s struggle to be recognized, and more importantly
paid, for his contributions following the American victory. As with anyone had kept personal aspects of
his life from the public eye (and history), the book ventures into the realm of
speculation. However, Trujillo acknowledges
that it is hard to be accurate when facts are unknown. A strength of the story also lies in the creator’s
relating it to modern hardships of those in the LGBTQIA+ community. The story also doesn’t shy away from von
Steuben’s faults, from excessive drinking and vanity, to his ownership of
slaves, to the complicity of treatment towards minorities in America. People often approach historical figures as
perfect people, and either have issues with, or outright deny, any
wrongdoing. This is dangerous as it sets
a false narrative, and the authors avoided it here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The issue of
homosexuality in the American military is still a confusing one. On one hand, the modern military often tries
to emulate the warrior ethos of the ancient Spartans of Greece, with motivational
t-shirts such as “Molon Labe” (Come and Take them – them being weapons). However, the Spartans also fought with their
male lovers, which runs in opposition of mainstream America’s concept of Greek
society. It may be worth noting that Abrams did not publish this under their
ComicArts imprint.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This
book can create an interest in history, biography, or the American Revolution, and
be a good starting point for future reading.
As in other Revolutionary War comics (<i>Rebels</i> from Vertigo and <i>U.S.</i>
the graphic novel come to mind), it is a bit muted in colors, as though the
past was a less vivid place. There may be some issues marketing it towards
teens, beyond the obvious one, as there are a couple of swear words. There is no gratuitous nudity, which does not
detract from the story, but some will no doubt still find it offensive, in the
way they might object to <i>Maus</i>. Any
historical-based book should have a bibliography for reference, and it would
benefit this book as well. These are
minor issues. In all, it is a good
starting point into the lives of the “Founding Fathers,” glaring issues and all. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div class="msocomtxt" id="_com_12" language="JavaScript">
<p class="MsoCommentText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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</div><p><br /></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-49839343977711289342023-11-17T16:00:00.008-05:002023-12-30T14:53:57.562-05:00Book review: J. Andrew Deman – The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men - a review by James Willetts<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PTsRWIbZDMTTuS8unZ1W3IiZnFFevye5aY70hu7z8Kc2U2M3I1Lb8KhxHuETQWJtT1EJLLGMHoyFFYea9kiwWDJhDTLJUic7kCQQTn7hrc-nuK3yhPTwBH3NhF90Ii_Ij1akh8TQ3tR6llmmqqNW3FonBqPAWpxHYFlJA4wwLK-MXYCPCnrLVbt_tIY/s2775/9781477325452.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PTsRWIbZDMTTuS8unZ1W3IiZnFFevye5aY70hu7z8Kc2U2M3I1Lb8KhxHuETQWJtT1EJLLGMHoyFFYea9kiwWDJhDTLJUic7kCQQTn7hrc-nuK3yhPTwBH3NhF90Ii_Ij1akh8TQ3tR6llmmqqNW3FonBqPAWpxHYFlJA4wwLK-MXYCPCnrLVbt_tIY/s320/9781477325452.jpg" width="212" /></a></b></div><b>J. Andrew Deman, <i>The Claremont
Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men, </i>Austin: University of Texas Press,
2023. <o:p></o:p><a href="https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477325452/">https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477325452/</a></b><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="text-align: left;"> reviewed by </span> James Willetts</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 39.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It’s rare that a work of comics
criticism emerges that boasts both academic bonafides and the promise of
cross-over appeal for general audiences of comics readers. <i>The Claremont Run</i>
has the potential to be that, thanks to author J. Andrew Deman’s popular Twitter
(now X) account – @ClaremontRun – which spent the past few years analyzing
X-Men comics and became a critical part of both comics fandom and public
scholarship on the platform. Boasting an introduction from Jay Edidin, the
co-host of podcast <i>Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men</i>, Deman’s book is
positioned squarely as a potential crossover work combining criticism with wider
comic book audience appeal. As such it treads a difficult line between being
engaging for those who are approaching it as fans of the source material, and
those looking for deeper scholarly analysis on Chris Claremont’s time as lead
writer on the X-Men comics. Fortunately, Deman is more than up to the task,
presenting a rich dive into Claremont’s legendary run on the X-Men that will
prove valuable for casual fans and academic audiences alike.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; tab-stops: 39.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At the heart of this is Deman’s
engaging prose and clear love for the subject matter. These allow him to move
effortlessly back and forth between explanatory close readings of X-Men
storylines and deeper dives into the technical craftsmanship of Claremont’s
work. Deman utilizes a mixed-methods research methodology in order to bring in
quantitative data to guide his readings and research, examining the ways in
which Claremont presents characters, and exploring questions of team dynamics,
changing representation, and portrayals of gender within the X-Men. This
methodology adds what Deman refers to as a “holistic, evidence-based
perspective,” missing from most examinations of Claremont’s work. Covering
almost 200 issues of Uncanny X-Men across sixteen years, Deman’s methodology
analyzes a vast range of metrics. This includes everything from the percentage
of times characters appear on covers of issues they appear in (showing that
Storm, Wolverine and Cyclops were the characters most likely to appear) to the
number of times characters interact with one another and in what contexts.
Interesting enough alone, this data-led approach allows Deman to make claims
about commercial and storytelling concerns that might otherwise be overlooked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Indeed,
Deman explores some intriguing – and often surprising – avenues of research. <i>The
Claremont Run</i> demonstrates that Cyclops, for instance, is a character who
shows remarkable and consistent growth over the course of the Claremont run,
developing into a character with both internal and external emotional depth.
Under Claremont’s pen, Cyclops is thus one of the most physically expressive
characters on the X-Men, despite a reputation for being stoic and closed-off.
This is supported by evidence, thanks to the quantitative base of Deman’s
research. A key benefit of this is that it allows Deman to push back against
close readings which might otherwise approach characters based upon their
broader histories. Deman is careful to note that because these characters
operate in a shared universe, characterization is typically reverted to the
most well-established archetype under other writers. By treating Claremont’s
run as a singular piece of work, however, Deman demonstrates an impressively
ambitious and cohesive set of story-arcs. He argues that Claremont’s work was defined
by arcs like the <i>Dark Phoenix Saga</i>; “massive and ambitious storyline”
(27) which formed a collective story told over dozens of issues.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">While much
academic scholarship on Claremont’s work has dwelled on the “Claremont women” –
the strong, independent female characters that defined much of his run – less
attention has been paid to Claremont’s male characters. Deman rectifies this,
devoting the latter half of the book to an examination of the varied ways in
which Claremont portrays masculinity, including the paradigmatic shift of
Cyclops from patriarchal leader to supporting character in the stories of Storm
and Jean Grey, to the hypermasculinity of Wolverine, and the emasculation of
Alex Summers/Havok.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Deman’s work thus
adds an important inflective to conventional narratives of gender and sexuality
in X-Men comics. These typically dwell upon Jean’s journey, or the sapphic
undertones present in Storm’s relationships with other women, or the importance
of a teenage Jewish girl, Kitty Pryde, for expanding the readership. While
these aspects are acknowledged in <i>The Claremont Run,</i> they are presented
as both significant moments in their own right, but also as part of a broader examination
of the ways in which Claremont undermined and subverted ideas of masculinity,
femininity, sexuality, and gender roles. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>The Claremont
Run</i> thus stands as an excellent extension of existing scholarship and a
critical addition to the canon of Claremont studies. As a thin monograph it’s not
comprehensive – there is still much to be said about how other X-Men characters
are presented – but it’s an admirably thorough job in regard to the characters
it does cover and is sure to be successful in expanding the field of comics
criticism to a wider audience.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p><i>Editor's note: We'll be running <a href="https://ijoca.blogspot.com/2023/12/book-review-j-andrew-deman-claremont.html" target="_blank">two reviews</a> of this book on the blog, as one of the editors (ok it was me) assigned it twice. However, I think there is enough room in the field for multiple reviews of the growing literature. </i></o:p></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-8704983065019060552023-11-14T15:05:00.001-05:002023-11-14T15:05:27.225-05:00IJOCA wants you! to help celebrate its 25th anniversary<div dir="ltr"> <p class="gmail-MsoSubtitle" style="text-align:right;line-height:150%;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold" align="right"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoSubtitle" style="text-align:right;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold" align="right"><span lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoSubtitle" style="text-align:right;line-height:150%;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold" align="right"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Rockwell Extra Bold",serif" lang="EN-GB">INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMIC ART<span></span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoSubtitle" style="text-align:right;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold" align="right"><span style="font-size:14pt" lang="EN-GB">John A. Lent<span></span></span></p> <p class="gmail-MsoSubtitle" style="text-align:right;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-weight:bold" align="right"><span style="font-size:14pt">Founding Publisher/Editor-in-Chief<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:right;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" align="right"><span>669 Ferne Blvd., Drexel Hill, PA 19026, U.S.A.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:right;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" align="right"><span lang="EN-GB">Tel:<span> </span>(610) 622-3938<span> </span>Email:<span> </span><a href="mailto:jlent@temple.edu">jlent@temple.edu</a><span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:right;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" align="right"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.ijoca.net">www.ijoca.net</a><span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif" align="center"><b><span lang="EN-GB">PRESS RELEASE<span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">November 14, 2023<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">The <b><i>International Journal of Comic Art</i></b> ("IJOCA") celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary with Volume 25, Number 2, now in preparation. At the time of its first number in 1999, it was the only academic journal on comic art, preceded by <i>INKS</i>, which had folded, though later revived. <i>IJOCA</i> continues to be the oldest, continuously-published comic art journal.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Remaining independent of established journal publishers and academic institutions for funding and the tainted, conglomerate-owned peer review system for evaluation, <i>IJOCA</i> takes pride in not having been hemmed in by a prescribed quota of pages per issue, a limited number of illustrations, or long publication delays caused by peer reviewing.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">The journal already has published about 1,470 articles with a total of 30,600 pages, encompassing 35 symposia on varied topics, in addition to approximately 300 each of book and exhibition reviews, all the time, keeping to its mission of being encyclopedic and interdisciplinary.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Quality, innovativeness, and variety have marked <i>IJOCA</i>'s history. Most of the world's leading comic art researchers have published in <i>IJOCA</i>; on many occasions, the journal was the first to introduce topics, never shied away from broaching topics perhaps off-limits in other periodicals, and varied content on all aspects of comic art.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">As we celebrate our quarter century, we invite comments from those familiar with <i>IJOCA</i>, to be included in Vol. 25, No. 2. Thank you.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;text-indent:28.35pt;margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">And, our gratitude for all your support.<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB"><span> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 3.5in;text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">John A. Lent<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 3.5in;text-indent:0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">Founder/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief<span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 4in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><i><span style="font-size:11pt" lang="EN-GB">International Journal of Comic Art</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"><span></span></span></p> </div> Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-89328621957727983072023-11-01T22:31:00.002-04:002023-11-01T22:34:06.607-04:00Georgia Higley, "America's comic book librarian," retires from Library of Congress <p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFyaCFdeqbrDRcVht1m48UsA-nAIRouAIevwTh9UxiiUHY99jY06PAog6gZOthfNWyRGCS7ckLPsVVPhQK0sZ3SmivEe_zEbsC6h6i7BScZv5XEyBLgEcY6SumnkQSklS4GCo0O9dCQDgbLeO49XTS2WbsS05c0hUt5Jl3-XN6srIoww_UsDs_askd1A/s2992/20231025_124939.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFyaCFdeqbrDRcVht1m48UsA-nAIRouAIevwTh9UxiiUHY99jY06PAog6gZOthfNWyRGCS7ckLPsVVPhQK0sZ3SmivEe_zEbsC6h6i7BScZv5XEyBLgEcY6SumnkQSklS4GCo0O9dCQDgbLeO49XTS2WbsS05c0hUt5Jl3-XN6srIoww_UsDs_askd1A/s320/20231025_124939.jpg" width="320" /></a>by Mike Rhode <br /></p><p>I don't know if anyone actually ever called her "America's comic book librarian," but someone should have.<br /></p><p>On October 31, 2023, Georgia Higley retired from the Library of Congress (LOC) where she had worked for 33 years upon joining the staff as a library intern in 1990. Georgia had been in charge of the Newspapers and Current Periodicals division and had overseen the rebuilding, strengthening, and spotlighting of one of the largest comic book collections in the world and possibly the largest in America. The <a href="https://www.loc.gov/research-centers/newspaper-and-current-periodical/collections/comic-books" target="_blank">website for the collection</a> calls it, "The largest publicly available comic book collection in the world is comprised of over 165,000 original
print issues and 12,000 different titles that span 1934-present." </p><p>The following bullet points about her career were initially pulled from the LOC's internal newsletter <i>The Gazette </i>(January 30, 2004) and updated by one of her colleagues:</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4NnpAV4tY2uDxiaHSHOXx5lRAWt1qYrsHvbTySAHVT3hKBYjcr6LOfD8NQqTgmPYJjPlkWtH73uuWiX2txOWInkMqMXIunIzSrY_-kJ8mytjiu39pN-ut-OjGL8TvKB9IlPGbuGot2_7jiHy-WkD2dhNe_S-Y7KKkaSFQ1Akd064CcsuMEKzj1i4Jys/s1764/20231025_125910.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1764" data-original-width="1585" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4NnpAV4tY2uDxiaHSHOXx5lRAWt1qYrsHvbTySAHVT3hKBYjcr6LOfD8NQqTgmPYJjPlkWtH73uuWiX2txOWInkMqMXIunIzSrY_-kJ8mytjiu39pN-ut-OjGL8TvKB9IlPGbuGot2_7jiHy-WkD2dhNe_S-Y7KKkaSFQ1Akd064CcsuMEKzj1i4Jys/w323-h359/20231025_125910.jpg" width="323" /></a><li class="m_2329159377137593463MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">Began her career at the Library of Congress on September 4, 1990.<u></u><u></u></li><li class="m_2329159377137593463MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">Served
in varying capacities: intern, reference librarian, automated reference
service specialist, acting head of Reference Section, co-founder of the
LOC Reference Forum, trustee
for the LOC Professional Association Continuing Education Fund, section
head of Newspaper and finally newly reorganized Physical Collections
Services Section<u></u><u></u></li><li class="m_2329159377137593463MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">Headed the Newspaper Section from 2004 to 2020.
<u></u><u></u></li><li class="m_2329159377137593463MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">In
2020 appointed head of the Physical Collections Services Section – a
combined section of newspapers, government documents and current
periodicals, responsible for acquiring, preserving
and serving physical collections of the division. <u></u><u></u></li><li class="m_2329159377137593463MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">Significant force behind the expansion and preservation of the comic book collection in the early 2000s through today.</li></ul><p>While Georgia was running the section that collected comics, in 2011 the<a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-11-157/library-announces-agreement-with-small-press-expo/2011-08-29/" target="_blank"> Library and the Small Press Expo (SPX) began to work together</a> to ensure the preservation of America's alternative and mini comics through a cooperative program that saw LOC librarians fanning out throughout the SPX exhibit floor and asking cartoonists to donate copies of their works. Those works were then added to a Small Press Expo collection (actually two - <a href="https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchType=7&searchId=51181&maxResultsPerPage=25&recCount=25&recPointer=0&resultPointer=0&headingId=19203141" target="_blank">one of comic books,</a> and <a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/2011660357/" target="_blank">one of original art, prints, and ephemera</a>) at the Library. As of this writing 3,345 comics have been cataloged. The project is the work of scores of people, but Georgia has been one of the mainstays of it.<br /></p><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChiCDREZ0o75T-E-UO0FmTM2QiAGYD-WrlxaFDZ5_P19nNbDYXKVpkTdvSbRaI-hH1xcHeHMppD3D6JJmVfYuwnhh6489q2CudGHndSWw3-xgjPnJOWtQXbBcRwJK1I8nSJV-nSF8aPqPVDDfJ3fX-a9DNbB2p9-5XnpbNWupLy53Upktfdro-CEOOOU/s2420/20231025_130037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="2420" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChiCDREZ0o75T-E-UO0FmTM2QiAGYD-WrlxaFDZ5_P19nNbDYXKVpkTdvSbRaI-hH1xcHeHMppD3D6JJmVfYuwnhh6489q2CudGHndSWw3-xgjPnJOWtQXbBcRwJK1I8nSJV-nSF8aPqPVDDfJ3fX-a9DNbB2p9-5XnpbNWupLy53Upktfdro-CEOOOU/w530-h312/20231025_130037.jpg" width="530" /></a></div>When asked about her plans at her recent retirement party, Georgia said that she might volunteer for SPX in the future, but in the meantime she would be working on cleaning out an old shed falling apart in her backyard. We wish her well in both of those endeavors. </div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3o-2AxLyEWn0LNoC1ojgLvnDkDVfwoAbtiQHgjFzOHnCwj0QPnByMmGuFki6IwX_-qpzftj6naKkl104P6-I082Aq8fGthZW2zqEdPaxqaHImq_HbbgBiFdle2Xr8T51noOF2CwqPH9gQmwGeCHuo6kmRgX4567bVGg0Ki_9QMTVCOPIX1z9CQdZCZQ0/s2403/20231025_130155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1441" data-original-width="2403" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3o-2AxLyEWn0LNoC1ojgLvnDkDVfwoAbtiQHgjFzOHnCwj0QPnByMmGuFki6IwX_-qpzftj6naKkl104P6-I082Aq8fGthZW2zqEdPaxqaHImq_HbbgBiFdle2Xr8T51noOF2CwqPH9gQmwGeCHuo6kmRgX4567bVGg0Ki_9QMTVCOPIX1z9CQdZCZQ0/w560-h337/20231025_130155.jpg" width="560" /></a></div> </div><div dir="auto"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkDf9yepw6QsTrQAty4jD19VnjtckK8IIFaa9KSrb5UaZ3n1uZxC6R_wr1fya5f0OE0FfOilRT8IBpXWFpPov_mHg1EO9xP4lwsp-UD_sUW3t03vGs0vkDKcxqNXoog3m0z9X0Cqu7ViNd8vMqonM9rAyx4O2wHDKdZqovx3bjJN6HZYkoN7kzVrXXlk/s1838/20231025_130614.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="1838" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQkDf9yepw6QsTrQAty4jD19VnjtckK8IIFaa9KSrb5UaZ3n1uZxC6R_wr1fya5f0OE0FfOilRT8IBpXWFpPov_mHg1EO9xP4lwsp-UD_sUW3t03vGs0vkDKcxqNXoog3m0z9X0Cqu7ViNd8vMqonM9rAyx4O2wHDKdZqovx3bjJN6HZYkoN7kzVrXXlk/w584-h365/20231025_130614.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDaZ5hhwOwjFqzWa2vtP4Y7WNFGULwcG89ePn1hfpYbACxsPW3hK5UrH4QLXPbvPvu1Fu0QzIos6F3XLeCnyjcbuGIWL6YL8oE9gWQjWXadedB1oqbFme3Xmiu68dk6ltuehrcRFkC7ixuCbxNxwTXsSSHkU8VIKpWYh84OxMqf_XqOwNvERC9vCWWsM/s2992/20231025_131200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDaZ5hhwOwjFqzWa2vtP4Y7WNFGULwcG89ePn1hfpYbACxsPW3hK5UrH4QLXPbvPvu1Fu0QzIos6F3XLeCnyjcbuGIWL6YL8oE9gWQjWXadedB1oqbFme3Xmiu68dk6ltuehrcRFkC7ixuCbxNxwTXsSSHkU8VIKpWYh84OxMqf_XqOwNvERC9vCWWsM/w577-h577/20231025_131200.jpg" width="577" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The comic book collection remains open for research and the division is
currently being overseen by longtime comic book reference librarian
Megan Halsband. <br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRSJ3q1gBFyJEOY9mosBqiC-sjKFg5mARZssGmsCwd1rG8CUeoBpfEHYOGJheYphIMk0KpxgJq52l_GLWSXGf_siRkNaIlo0JbNBC5_rNNEjFArXHTHEigY_OArgjAydFYr9KVytfL2glJhmelZxbmFV6NxUmo9qyVPMl5pwKG7oYuv95JlmkgSQJBcQ/s2992/20231025_134827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRSJ3q1gBFyJEOY9mosBqiC-sjKFg5mARZssGmsCwd1rG8CUeoBpfEHYOGJheYphIMk0KpxgJq52l_GLWSXGf_siRkNaIlo0JbNBC5_rNNEjFArXHTHEigY_OArgjAydFYr9KVytfL2glJhmelZxbmFV6NxUmo9qyVPMl5pwKG7oYuv95JlmkgSQJBcQ/w471-h471/20231025_134827.jpg" width="471" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKCTUJlYg4Rs9UvPOQwJW2brdU8gTBn-LHBQ2xaz3gaZzg1zwVNmn0hDFelNPQOilZDuouRO8Nzh-4L1hIVSZ_Vlu4dfuRVmzFgZAPgneX4XncH1LxB1OQTDK78QAysbf8U65RaPBKrzMUl6EDMc2Qk7p7jH9fasjMNIUo3BVOOqsTSt0ZUqLeSbpXs8/s2992/20231025_134825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKCTUJlYg4Rs9UvPOQwJW2brdU8gTBn-LHBQ2xaz3gaZzg1zwVNmn0hDFelNPQOilZDuouRO8Nzh-4L1hIVSZ_Vlu4dfuRVmzFgZAPgneX4XncH1LxB1OQTDK78QAysbf8U65RaPBKrzMUl6EDMc2Qk7p7jH9fasjMNIUo3BVOOqsTSt0ZUqLeSbpXs8/w478-h478/20231025_134825.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>This article has been posted simultaneously to the ComicsDC and International Journal of Comic Art blogs.</i></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-56989298738966677782023-10-31T10:41:00.004-04:002023-10-31T13:28:57.188-04:00Book Review: Drawn to Satire: Sketches of Cartoonists in Singapore by CT Lim and Koh Hong Teng.<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56B9S8p7DkY0lvLU6hk4slvrwx0Dpoqilv5R16VwvnQohn78ZmZIcIvKCPGVlAtlfablYG8G96OXXsCza8u5JHosmw-XavEc-5scGzHisuNfbJCFmu8i8iVe-ns_5J23cyDD-mbY94Nqm6Sx-BaPn8Dz9FiQm3FVb6yWYBRAV0l2suOG6BAN72p01QQI/s2717/Pages%20from%20Lim%20-%20Drawn%20to%20Satire%20review%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2717" data-original-width="1890" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56B9S8p7DkY0lvLU6hk4slvrwx0Dpoqilv5R16VwvnQohn78ZmZIcIvKCPGVlAtlfablYG8G96OXXsCza8u5JHosmw-XavEc-5scGzHisuNfbJCFmu8i8iVe-ns_5J23cyDD-mbY94Nqm6Sx-BaPn8Dz9FiQm3FVb6yWYBRAV0l2suOG6BAN72p01QQI/s320/Pages%20from%20Lim%20-%20Drawn%20to%20Satire%20review%20copy.jpg" width="223" /></a> <b><i>Drawn to
Satire: Sketches of Cartoonists in Singapore.</i> CT Lim and Koh Hong Teng. Pause Narratives, 2023. 144 pages,
$26.89.</b></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span>reviewed by <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Felix Cheong</span></p><p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">If one uses a
metaphor of satire as the art of stabbing an issue to draw humor instead of
blood, so too does the biographical <i>Drawn to Satire</i> -- in ways
that are as inventive as they are at times infuriating. Therein
lies the double-edged sword of this lovingly produced book -- you
wish it could have done so much more, but paradoxically, so much less.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Written by CT
Lim and illustrated by Koh Hong Teng, <i>Drawn to Satire </i>sketches,
both literally and figuratively, the lives of
eight pioneering cartoonists, from well-known names like Morgan
Chua, to the relatively obscure Dai Yin Lang. While the chosen cartoonists
tend to be ethnically Chinese males, the book also includes one
Malay, Shamsuddin H. Akib, and one woman, Kwan Shan Mei – which begs the
question if they were added as token gestures. I will return to this question later.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;">Each chapter
begins with a quick overview of the cartoonist’s backstory and before you know
it, drives directly into his themes, motivations and, occasionally, hang-ups. Here, Lim, the go-to authority on comics in
Singapore, has obviously use<wbr></wbr>d his extensive research,
h<wbr></wbr>aving published previously on the history of comics (in particular,
political cartoons) in the Lion City, in addition to being an IJOCA editorial
advisor for the city-state. For this book, he has also conducted interviews
with the cartoonists who are still alive, such as Shamsuddin
and Koeh Sia Yong, and with relatives of those who have passed away,
such as Tchang Ju Chi and Lim Mu Hue.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">In keeping
with its subtitle that the book is nothing more than “sketches,” each
chapter (14-15 pages) reads rather, well, sketchily. It is akin to the experience
of speed-dating, but on the printed page; just as the reader gets into the
story – whoosh! – it is gone. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAIpb2PfEFxzYDqm13TPwbC8zLtLFwHJaQY_tFq9aLEz8pDytYMCPx59w4xVqI6n8sdxk57f_5GLY2B8W4i5gmNMtSttD_1x2k2FAUAYPE_Zjk6AAwEcy06dRNsoYRftNExa-z17-hQSnIHccR3Zh6mM8_MO9Tno4WbWIrbREGkO6iZPxvEJQLY52LRg/s2717/Pages%20from%20Lim%20-%20Drawn%20to%20Satire%20review%20copy-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2717" data-original-width="1890" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAIpb2PfEFxzYDqm13TPwbC8zLtLFwHJaQY_tFq9aLEz8pDytYMCPx59w4xVqI6n8sdxk57f_5GLY2B8W4i5gmNMtSttD_1x2k2FAUAYPE_Zjk6AAwEcy06dRNsoYRftNExa-z17-hQSnIHccR3Zh6mM8_MO9Tno4WbWIrbREGkO6iZPxvEJQLY52LRg/s320/Pages%20from%20Lim%20-%20Drawn%20to%20Satire%20review%20copy-2.jpg" width="223" /></a><span style="color: black;">A case in
point: the opening chapter on Tchang Ju Chi, a political
cartoonist who was abducted by the Japanese military and presumably executed
during the Sook Ching massacre of 1942. He was only 38 years old at that
time. While the narrative tries to know the man, instead he comes across
as a type -- the Chinese émigré with apron strings still knotted
tight to the motherland, rather than a person in his own right. The in-your-face
thought bubbles do not help by merely telling, rather than showing why, that
despite having found his calling in Nanyang, Tchang still harkened back
to China and viewed Sino-Japanese tensions with growing unease.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Indeed,
if <i>Drawn to Satire </i>has a failing, it is how
it sacrifices depth for breadth. Instead
of featuring eight cartoonists<wbr></wbr>, it could have gone with
just five. Pioneer artist Liu Kang, for instance, could have been
dropped; after all, his life is already well-documented
and his comics output was limited to just <i>Chop Suey, </i>published
in 1946<i>. </i>Similarly, Kwan Shan Mei’s reputation rests on her
children’s picture books, rather than satirical cartoons. Perhaps she was
included to showcase a fair representation, but much of her chapter is devoted
to conjecture and a summation of the authors’ intentions for the
book. And while Din Yin Lang’s life certainly makes for an intriguing
espionage tale, too little is known about him to be
anything more than a sidebar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">So, while
covering eight cartoonists might fulfill Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
required by funding bodies – the authors acknowledge support
from four institutions, such as the National Heritage Board, the Singapore
Chinese Cultural Centre, and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts – the
book does itself a disservice when more could have been done with
less. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">Still, <i>Drawn
to Satire </i>is a breezy read, helped, no doubt, by Koh’s unfussy art style, and
at the same time, pays homage to the cartoonists by reproducing their
works (and even two iconic Singapore paintings, Liu Kang’s “Artist and
Model” and Chua Mia Tee’s “Epic Poem of Malaya”). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">What ultimately
sells the book for me is Lim’s unconventional storytelling, which takes a leaf
from the growing creative graphic biography field. Instead of writing
a Wikipedia-like chronology, Lim dips into each cartoonist’s
life and extracts specific incidents that define and shape him. More
interestingly, he introduces an interloper (or provocateur), a fictional
foil who flits in and out of the panels with time-travel ease and
with whom the cartoonists interact. This unnamed character (who sometimes
breaks the fourth wall) creates a Brechtian effect, a narrative device used
either for Lim to set the context of what you are reading,
or to slather asides and editorial comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixM3V9eppWQf8M4gSnFgDKH4U3O89dMrFDnRLP58ZpVA3NmBjcirr-1S4gV-t5TC5nRePVMZ05LV8kfOuOCFf0JlzXgeYBjk6AthE5S6TvkaCbc1DTTp8y_ri1cOII4oyt6M73ztWsfG-2k78-XDOQfFWVHFTkE_XYVfE18AbCmF0sJnxaWj9g6gePVWQ/s2717/Pages%20from%20Lim%20-%20Drawn%20to%20Satire%20review%20copy-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2717" data-original-width="1890" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixM3V9eppWQf8M4gSnFgDKH4U3O89dMrFDnRLP58ZpVA3NmBjcirr-1S4gV-t5TC5nRePVMZ05LV8kfOuOCFf0JlzXgeYBjk6AthE5S6TvkaCbc1DTTp8y_ri1cOII4oyt6M73ztWsfG-2k78-XDOQfFWVHFTkE_XYVfE18AbCmF0sJnxaWj9g6gePVWQ/w273-h392/Pages%20from%20Lim%20-%20Drawn%20to%20Satire%20review%20copy-3.jpg" width="273" /></a><span style="color: black;">In fact,
Lim even cheekily inserts himself into the narrative; after
all, he is as much part of the comics ecosystem in
Singapore as the cartoonists he writes about, but he does it in a way that
neither grates nor gloats. If anything, his self-referential
character borders on self-deprecating, particularly in a funny sequence
when he is depicted as a clueless emcee at the launch
of Koeh Sia Yong’s art exhibition in 2023. Indeed, as befitting
a book about satirical cartoons, humor is its chief calling
card; sequences such as Morgan Chua fleeing to Hong
Kong (to avoid the Singapore government’s crackdown on <i>The
Singapore Herald, </i>a newspaper it had deemed subversive) have a <i>Looney
Tunes</i> zaniness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;">While it is
not perfect, <i>Drawn to Satire </i>is what the comics scene in
Singapore needs – it plugs a gap of scholarship and, in equal
measure, is entertaining and enlightening. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span><p></p>Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187520770620783657.post-60125544542448040362023-09-18T09:41:00.001-04:002023-09-18T09:41:39.217-04:00MSU hires Comics Studies Librarian Jason Larsen<div dir="ltr"><div dir="auto"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif">Since August 14th, Jason Larsen has been the <span>Comics Studies Librarian at the largest comic book collection in the world. </span></span></font><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span>While getting his library degree, <a href="https://ischool.illinois.edu/news-events/news/2021/10/practicum-spotlight-michigan-state-university-libraries">he interned at MSU.</a> </span></span></font><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span>The <a href="https://ipf.msu.edu/construction/current-projects/main-library-special-collections-renovate-third-floor-and-hvac">Library is currently working on a renovation </a>which will see the collection moved out of the basement. Larsen was at University of Illinois where he studied under Mara Thacker, (who is building a Southeast Asian collection at that library, although she just began a year-long sabbatical). <br></span></span></font><div dir="auto"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br></span></font></div><div dir="auto"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://ijoca.blogspot.com/2022/11/randy-scott-retires-from-michigan-state.html">Randy Scott, the founding and guiding force behind the collection, retired in 2022 </a>after 49 years in the position. Scott made MSU a major force in comic studies, expanding on the foothold that Russell Nye had built with a popular culture collection. The collection focused on American and European works as well as South American and is by far the largest most publicly available collection in the United States. During that time he established the <a href="https://comics.lib.msu.edu/rri/index.htm">Reading Room Index</a>, an attempt to describe material in more detail than the standard library catalog, so you could decide what to look at before getting to the library. The RRI has not been updated since his departure.</span></font></div></div> </div> Mike Rhodehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14551914909843150387noreply@blogger.com0