The Comics Restoration Renaissance
Ben Schwartz in the New York Times discusses the glorious golden age of comic strip reprint projects we are currently living through--a phenomenon I've celebrated both at the American Spectator and here on Hit and Run.
Comments to "The Comics Restoration Renaissance":
The Peanuts books are fantastic. I have purchased each one the day it came out. My only complaint is why on earth they are only producing one per year.
PJ Doland | January 16, 2007, 2:53pm | #
I don't care how nicely printed or well-curated the collected Peanuts reprints are.They still aren't funny.
I treasure my Far Side collections. But honestly, most comics mystify me. I used to read Doonesbury back in the day. I grew out of all the "quaint" stuff like Hi and Louis, For Better or Worse, etc. And I never understood why anyone would read stuff like Apt 3g or Gasoline Ally. No plot, no humor, no point at all as far as I could tell.
John | January 16, 2007, 2:57pm | #
"I don't care how nicely printed or well-curated the collected Peanuts reprints are.They still aren't funny."
No accounting for taste. I would, however, reccomend that you read the ones from the 1960s and 70s when Shulz was really on his game before you make that statement. I will be the first to admit that he wasn't that funny anymore in his last few years.
mk | January 16, 2007, 3:06pm | #
I taught myself to read by pouring through Peanuts collections. I will probably pick those up as well just to be a good consumer.Looking back, I never really thought that they were supposed to be funny.
Warren | January 16, 2007, 3:08pm | #
John,I don’t know. I’ve got a Peanuts collection from when Violet and Pig Pen featured prominently. It’s easy to spot the punch lines, but I’d look down my nose at anyone getting a good belly laugh out of it. There’s some cultural commentary, and a little post modern folk wisdom, but it’s all so wishy-washy. Nothing I’d consider insightful or well crafted.
John | January 16, 2007, 3:28pm | #
"Nothing I’d consider insightful or well crafted."I would have to go back through the books to give good examples and I won't bore everyone with them. Pick up the 1960 through 1962 collection in a book store sometime and just read. I think you might change your opinion. They are really a dark and well crafted view of the human condition.
The words comics and restoration should not be used in the same sentence if used in a complimentary sense. Any comic fanboy should know this.
kevrob | January 16, 2007, 4:46pm | #
If the NYT wants to help save newspaper comics, why don't they start printing some?Kevin
I highly recommend Art Out of Time: Unknown Comics Visionaries 1900-1969 by Dan Nadel. A fine survey of dozens of unjustly forgotten artists.