Comic Book Creator #21 Fall 2019 (magazine review).
This issue of ‘Comic Book Creator’s editorial announces that ‘Mad Magazine’ ended in February 2018 after 67 years. As circulation has only been slight in the UK the past few decades, I was surprised the news went passed us. The ability to poke fun at society, no matter which country, is an acknowledgement of free speech and home truths. To lose that in the USA is scary and Alfred E. Neumann should have been worried.
The main features starts off with an extended interview with Robert Crumb. Like one of the letter writers in his issue, I’m not into the ‘underground’ comics, and this interview focuses on his ‘The Book Of Weirdo’, accumulating his magazine’s material under one cover. Reading Crumb’s comments on the difficulties of editing and the length of time in production, I’m surprised this comicbook sub-genre has survived at all with no regard to deadlines or release dates. Saying that, it does give some insight into Crumb’s career.
In a 2014 interview, artist John Romita, Sr. explains his passion for Milton Caniff’s ‘Terry And The Pirates’ that got him into illustrating. As an American newspaper strip, we never saw it over here but I can understand Romita’s enthusiasm.
Rick Trembles is the son of cartoonist Jack Tremblay, and also went into the same profession and how their careers crossed each other. It makes for an interesting read, not to mention, based off the samples here, how good a painter Tremblay was.
As the cover of ‘The Goon’ shows, the main interview is with his creator Eric Powell. This is the first time I’ve come across either of them but I’m getting intrigued by him. Oddly, the interview focuses more on Powell than his creation. Even so, it’s getting me interested in the series than dismiss it as a thug comicbook.
Finally, a look at Steve Mannion’s work and a small interview. As his work is put out by Eric Powell’s Albatross Funny Books company, it gives some insight into both.
Oddly, although I haven’t pursued any of the material in this issue, I still came away better informed and that is always a good sign not to back off just because you haven’t heard of some people. I think with the Powell interview that there should be a bit more about his key characters for the international audience but that’s a side issue.
GF Willmetts
December 2019
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 84 page illustrated magazine. Price: $ 9.95 (US). ISSN: 2330-2437. Direct from them, you can get it for $ 9.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_132&products_id=1514
