What you are talking about at the end of this is really interesting. The restrictions can make for a better result because it forces you to really think about how you present the idea and often forces you to think about it in a new and more interesting way. The same thing happens in the movies after the Hayes Commission comes in. Writing and camera work became more clever in order to get around what they can't show, and led to some of the most iconic moments in culture
My old art professor used to always say, "there's nothing new under the sun." What he meant was that all ideas have germinated from something that precedes it and that we should never ignore or undervalue our predecessors. Great to see these books collected and honored.
I really like this kind of books you guys have been highlighting lately. Lots of insight on early comics history. It has been quite educational to hear your thoughts on them.
Sheldon Mayer was a giant and DC should really get a reprint line going for not only his Sugar & Spike and Scribbly, but also all that great Funny Animals stuff like Doodles Duck! Mayer was a great writer/artist, but he was also one of DC’s main editors at the beginning. He was the guy who talked the company into taking a chance on Siegel & Shuster’s creation. Scribbly is a fascinating piece of work, being that it’s the fictionalized story of a boy cartoonist and his neighbors. Might be a stretch to call it a precursor to autobiographical comics, but it’s a highly entertaining wonder.
between you guys and a guy named Wallace Ryan, my library has grown tremendously. you guys showcase these amazing older informative books full of comic history......Along with comic book reviews. I quickly grew out of the channels the only review the newest omnibus that the publisher sent to you for review!
This collection was my first introduction to the real Shazam (not Saturday morning) and the Spirit. It's so amazing to read and to appreciate the depth of history in the medium.
Ed has a great analogy with hip hop radio versions. I used to get music from Radio and MTV as a kid cause I couldn’t afford it. When I ended up buying the albums, I still sang the radio edits and preferred it ( I’m not a prude either) :)
Very well done. Great commentary. Some thoughts: Interesting how the Carl Barks pages have such interesting panel borders, yet the horizontal gutter at the half page is so regular. One wonders if this was to accommodate other reprint formats? They look as if they could (except for the splash page) easily be "chopped" for a landscape reprint format. When you guys flipped to the Barks, I thought, "Well, this is someone who cleraly understands the comic BOOK page!" His layouts and overall page composition, the balance of the closeups and repeated elements are a master class for the student of the form. I wholeheartedly agree with what Jim said about Little Lulu, Calvin and Hobbes, Donald Duck, et cetera, about the characters reading as genuine and being the perfect nightstand material for having "nice dreams." I'd include Gasoline Alley, Peanuts, Archie Comics, Betty & Veronica, and Hot Stuff, as well as the work of cartoonists who worked in the children's book market, like Dr. Seuss, even with the surreal silliness. There's a certain "civility" and thoughtfulness that ran through a particular strain of Mid-Century "kid lit," with its sometimes prosaic and mundane concerns that's very comforting. Ed has mentioned several times how creators like Jaime Hernandez saw the genius in the storytelling abilities and the revelation of character inherent in what at first appear to be schlock attempts at "relatable" humor that rise above the format to speak to more universal concerns, about friendship, family, the rhythms of life, et cetera. They often have more "rereadability" than more specifically "culturally relevant" or hip works, which quickly become very dated. I also wanted to make note that strips like Pogo and Krazy Kat may at first seem impenetrable to the uninitiated, become, upon continued reading, their own microcosms, which reward the reader for the effort as much, I would say even more, than others which may be initially more accessible. Over time, through the repeated use of specific formal elements, one can see these strips rise to sheer genius, and amid the "funny animal" hijinks, one finds the very heights of subtlety, sublimity and superlative skill.
Ed's Patreon: www.patreon.com/edpiskor
Jim's Octobriana 1976 Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimrugg/fluorescent-blacklight-outlaw-comic-book
I was in Eisners class at sva when this came out. He and Harvey both signed mine.
John Stanley drew the first three "Four Color" issues of "Little Lulu," and later drew most of issue #31.
My mom got me the two Smithsonian books when I was a kid. They were huge influences on me.
What you are talking about at the end of this is really interesting. The restrictions can make for a better result because it forces you to really think about how you present the idea and often forces you to think about it in a new and more interesting way. The same thing happens in the movies after the Hayes Commission comes in. Writing and camera work became more clever in order to get around what they can't show, and led to some of the most iconic moments in culture
Bach said much the same thing about music.
My old art professor used to always say, "there's nothing new under the sun." What he meant was that all ideas have germinated from something that precedes it and that we should never ignore or undervalue our predecessors. Great to see these books collected and honored.
Would love to see you guys take a look at Ivan Brunetti’s “Cartooning”
good call!
Damn Ed, those pages are looking good. Keep up the good work guys, cartoonist Kayfabe got me through lockdown.
I really like this kind of books you guys have been highlighting lately. Lots of insight on early comics history. It has been quite educational to hear your thoughts on them.
Best video yet. You guys are a treasure and should get way more views. Something special going on here. I hope you get more views and subscribers.
I really want a collection of Scribbly! I've got all the Sugar & Spike digests and the HC.
Great point about great creativity within limits near the end of the video.
I got this from the Smithsonian giftshop when I was maybe 10. As observed, great thing for a kid. Really put me on a different path.
Sheldon Mayer was a giant and DC should really get a reprint line going for not only his Sugar & Spike and Scribbly, but also all that great Funny Animals stuff like Doodles Duck! Mayer was a great writer/artist, but he was also one of DC’s main editors at the beginning. He was the guy who talked the company into taking a chance on Siegel & Shuster’s creation. Scribbly is a fascinating piece of work, being that it’s the fictionalized story of a boy cartoonist and his neighbors. Might be a stretch to call it a precursor to autobiographical comics, but it’s a highly entertaining wonder.
between you guys and a guy named Wallace Ryan, my library has grown tremendously. you guys showcase these amazing older informative books full of comic history......Along with comic book reviews. I quickly grew out of the channels the only review the newest omnibus that the publisher sent to you for review!
This collection was my first introduction to the real Shazam (not Saturday morning) and the Spirit. It's so amazing to read and to appreciate the depth of history in the medium.
Ed has a great analogy with hip hop radio versions. I used to get music from Radio and MTV as a kid cause I couldn’t afford it. When I ended up buying the albums, I still sang the radio edits and preferred it ( I’m not a prude either) :)
I got this book at a yard sale!
Very well done. Great commentary. Some thoughts:
Interesting how the Carl Barks pages have such interesting panel borders, yet the horizontal gutter at the half page is so regular. One wonders if this was to accommodate other reprint formats? They look as if they could (except for the splash page) easily be "chopped" for a landscape reprint format. When you guys flipped to the Barks, I thought, "Well, this is someone who cleraly understands the comic BOOK page!" His layouts and overall page composition, the balance of the closeups and repeated elements are a master class for the student of the form.
I wholeheartedly agree with what Jim said about Little Lulu, Calvin and Hobbes, Donald Duck, et cetera, about the characters reading as genuine and being the perfect nightstand material for having "nice dreams." I'd include Gasoline Alley, Peanuts, Archie Comics, Betty & Veronica, and Hot Stuff, as well as the work of cartoonists who worked in the children's book market, like Dr. Seuss, even with the surreal silliness. There's a certain "civility" and thoughtfulness that ran through a particular strain of Mid-Century "kid lit," with its sometimes prosaic and mundane concerns that's very comforting. Ed has mentioned several times how creators like Jaime Hernandez saw the genius in the storytelling abilities and the revelation of character inherent in what at first appear to be schlock attempts at "relatable" humor that rise above the format to speak to more universal concerns, about friendship, family, the rhythms of life, et cetera. They often have more "rereadability" than more specifically "culturally relevant" or hip works, which quickly become very dated.
I also wanted to make note that strips like Pogo and Krazy Kat may at first seem impenetrable to the uninitiated, become, upon continued reading, their own microcosms, which reward the reader for the effort as much, I would say even more, than others which may be initially more accessible. Over time, through the repeated use of specific formal elements, one can see these strips rise to sheer genius, and amid the "funny animal" hijinks, one finds the very heights of subtlety, sublimity and superlative skill.
This book was such a huge influence to me, first place i read little lulu, i had never seen that kind of storytelling before.
Wow, your comic remember so much the style of the Madman!! 😅✌😉Crazy
Wolverton's Spacehawk was great!
I had this. So good!
the walt kelly stuff really pops out at you
Cool, will you cover Smithsonian Newspaper Comics?
I guess you did - th-cam.com/video/DVRsaeru93M/w-d-xo.html
Possums and Opossums aren't rodents but marsupials :-)
Plastic man his amazing!
“This is not a funny story.”