Sunday, April 05, 2009
The Resurrection of Humbug
.
Harvey Kurtzman went from Mad to Trump to Humbug to Help!
Mad went from a comic book to a magazine. Humbug was a magazine that was downsized to comic book proportions, which was a factor in its doom. I remember searching for copies by looking behind larger publications in the magazine racks. By the time Humbug increased in size, it was too late.
Harvey Kurtzman went from Mad to Trump to Humbug to Help!
Mad went from a comic book to a magazine. Humbug was a magazine that was downsized to comic book proportions, which was a factor in its doom. I remember searching for copies by looking behind larger publications in the magazine racks. By the time Humbug increased in size, it was too late.
©2009 Fantagraphics Books
Thanks to Fantagraphics, Humbug is back in a big way. Instead of crumbling newsprint, it's now a splendiferous two-volume slipcased set with quality paper, an attractive design by Adam Grano and extensive digital restorations by Paul Baresh. In addition to story annotations by John Benson, an intro by Benson and Gary Groth, and a lengthy Benson interview with Arnold Roth and Al Jaffee, there are even four pages detailing how the Baresh restorations were accomplished (see above). When no original art or paste-ups were available, they scanned from the printed pages.
The film clip below reveals that Jack Davis drew the bottom right panel almost identical to Eli Wallach's position in that scene.
The film clip below reveals that Jack Davis drew the bottom right panel almost identical to Eli Wallach's position in that scene.
Elia Kazan won a Golden Globe for Baby Doll, and it received four other Golden Globe nominations and four Oscar nominations. The film benefited from a terrific Kenyon Hopkins score, remastered in 2003. Listen to "Lemonade"! Hopkins also did the music for The Strange One, 12 Angry Men, Wild River, The Fugitive Kind, The Hustler, Lilith and This Property Is Condemned.
Labels: fantagraphics, humbug, jack davis, jaffee, kurtzman, roth
¶ 10:22 AM
Comments:
<< Home
Great collection of this under-appreciated gem. Lots of beautiful artwork even though the story subjects may be a bit hard to follow or appreciate since they were so tied to then current events.
Would have liked an interview with Jack Davis, but as Roth and Jaffee explained Jack was more of a hired gun on this project.
Next up is 'TRUMP' and The Art of Harvey Kurtzman!
Took my copy of The EC Horror Library off the shelf and red it this past weekend. I think your introduction is one of the best ever written. I also noticed Berni Wrightson and Frank Brunner mentioned as contributors. Do you remember what they did?
And I'd love to read more of your recollections of working with Woody Gelman at Topps.
Would have liked an interview with Jack Davis, but as Roth and Jaffee explained Jack was more of a hired gun on this project.
Next up is 'TRUMP' and The Art of Harvey Kurtzman!
Took my copy of The EC Horror Library off the shelf and red it this past weekend. I think your introduction is one of the best ever written. I also noticed Berni Wrightson and Frank Brunner mentioned as contributors. Do you remember what they did?
And I'd love to read more of your recollections of working with Woody Gelman at Topps.
Do you think Jack Davis flipped the photo of Baby Doll or was it originally shot the way it was drawn?
(I'm gonna keep asking questions until you actually answer one, Bhob.)
And 'Anonymous'- Why don't you just tell Marty who Jack Davis is.
(I'm gonna keep asking questions until you actually answer one, Bhob.)
And 'Anonymous'- Why don't you just tell Marty who Jack Davis is.
I think Anonymous thought "bad" was directed at Davis.
Davis flopped the original still probably because Doll-Baby spoke first in the splash. Jim McDermott flopped Carroll Baker to match Davis, butted the two images together and sent to me. I liked the comparison and uploaded.
Don't know about Wrightson and Brunner. Must have been something added after the book left my hands.
Post a Comment
Davis flopped the original still probably because Doll-Baby spoke first in the splash. Jim McDermott flopped Carroll Baker to match Davis, butted the two images together and sent to me. I liked the comparison and uploaded.
Don't know about Wrightson and Brunner. Must have been something added after the book left my hands.
<< Home
