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

[John]

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.

[John]

Make that two per year.

[PJ Doland]

I don't care how nicely printed or well-curated the collected Peanuts reprints are.

They still aren't funny.

[Warren]

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]

"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]

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]

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]

"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.

[ed]

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]

If the NYT wants to help save newspaper comics, why don't they start printing some?

Kevin

[PapayaSF]

I highly recommend Art Out of Time: Unknown Comics Visionaries 1900-1969 by Dan Nadel. A fine survey of dozens of unjustly forgotten artists.