I hope my FB friend, Al, won't mind, but I am quoting myself from a little "talk" we had today:
I like joy, anger, and physical, human feeling in art. In comics, I see that diminished by Spiegelman & Fantagraphics' influence, and am angry about it.
I'm reading some early Tezuka now, and THAT is work I like. Unafraid of being earnest to the point of "uncool".
It's my first time reading his comics at length. They have a sense of fancy and sincerity discouraged in current fare.
I mean, I'm tired of hipsters desolate over their coffee mugs, "above it all".
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY MILTON KNIGHT
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Sunday, July 13, 2014
LATEST EDITION
Regarding CLR James: Ye editor says not to lose heart, the book will be published. I dam sure hope so!
Below, another sequence from my CLR James 'graphic novel' (comic, dammit!). James at age 8 in Trinidad.
Yrs, MK
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY MILTON KNIGHT
Below, another sequence from my CLR James 'graphic novel' (comic, dammit!). James at age 8 in Trinidad.
Yrs, MK
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY MILTON KNIGHT
FOILED AGAIN
The project I’ve been working on since Fall last year is less than likely to see print. The history of CLR James, 20th century Trinidadian social activist, is not a subject I would have chosen myself. It was presented to me by an editor who said it had a publisher and that it was a “done deal”. It wasn’t, and once the months of (paid) labor were presented, the publisher passed on it. They have committed themselves to too many ‘graphic novel’ projects as it is. (I have my doubts about the legitimacy of the “graphic novel revolution’, but will go into that another time.)
Since the humor element of comics has been supplanted by strivings for Art and Education (‘humor’, ‘comics’, how’s that for irony?), I hoped that this book might break one or two glass ceilings for me, and also hoped that the book would serve a more noble purpose: to use a cartoon style to present images of blacks in new, constructive, even heroic roles. I wanted to make a book that would make kids’ eyes pop and would inspire wonder and interest to those of all ages, especially those who normally avoid the majority of stodgy graphic textbooks. A sort of ‘learning by accident’.
Since, as I said, the book is less than likely to see print, I feel less beholden to keep it a secret. Here’s a sequence summarizing CLR James’ play, TOUSSAINT L’OVERTURE, about the former slave who led his fellow Haitians to freedom. Paul Robeson created the leading role, and it is he who plays it here. (Note: Haiti was under French rule at the time, 1791, and renamed San Domingo. The blacks had been officially freed, but the conditions of life remained the same.)
Since the humor element of comics has been supplanted by strivings for Art and Education (‘humor’, ‘comics’, how’s that for irony?), I hoped that this book might break one or two glass ceilings for me, and also hoped that the book would serve a more noble purpose: to use a cartoon style to present images of blacks in new, constructive, even heroic roles. I wanted to make a book that would make kids’ eyes pop and would inspire wonder and interest to those of all ages, especially those who normally avoid the majority of stodgy graphic textbooks. A sort of ‘learning by accident’.
Since, as I said, the book is less than likely to see print, I feel less beholden to keep it a secret. Here’s a sequence summarizing CLR James’ play, TOUSSAINT L’OVERTURE, about the former slave who led his fellow Haitians to freedom. Paul Robeson created the leading role, and it is he who plays it here. (Note: Haiti was under French rule at the time, 1791, and renamed San Domingo. The blacks had been officially freed, but the conditions of life remained the same.)
Yrs, MK
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY MILTON KNIGHT
Monday, July 7, 2014
NOTION
Tired of 'awesome' art that isn't ABOUT anything.
This is a 'Golden Age' of polished artists; the schools are spewing out more than ever before. But most of them are high on polish and low on actual ideas. There is nothing there besides being 'awesome'. And to see every country going this way is depressing to me. No more styles unique to their countries. Just one big, highly polished lump.
This is a 'Golden Age' of polished artists; the schools are spewing out more than ever before. But most of them are high on polish and low on actual ideas. There is nothing there besides being 'awesome'. And to see every country going this way is depressing to me. No more styles unique to their countries. Just one big, highly polished lump.
SLAUGHTER THE EVIL
Today's my first day seeing Tod Slaughter, England's drooling, cackling poverty row horror star. These broad melodramas are like staged spook shows. Even Ed Wood said they were bad (but loved them). Three finales here.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
CANINE/FELINE CLASSICS!
Now out: another in the GRAPHIC CLASSICS line of paperbacks; CANINE/FELINE CLASSICS features a whole heap of vital cartoonists bringing pet-oriented literature to life in full color. (Happy to say I have two pages therein.)
Now available from the publisher at only $15. http://graphicclassics.com/
Now available from the publisher at only $15. http://graphicclassics.com/
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
HOW PLIMPS AND PLUMPS FOOLED THE DETECTIVE
Odd German cut out animation from about 1912. I believe the full title is HOW PLIMPS AND PLUMPS FOOLED THE DETECTIVE. http://youtu.be/8ZlFUSSC8IA
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
MOSCOW LAUGHS
One of my favorite pieces of musical film. Opening number of JOLLY FELLOWS or MOSCOW LAUGHS;1934, USSR. Cleverly cut to approximate a five minute continuous pan across the countryside. That the director (Grigori Aleksandrov) was inspired by... SILLY SYMPHONIES is apparent. The singer is Leonid Utyosov, one of the few Russian jazz bandleaders of the time.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
BEGGING
Now guys are hanging out in gas stations begging money for their film projects! I had to tell him "NO" three times in increasing volume, as in a cartoon. "Buy my comic!" "Buy my CD!" "Finance my film!" Begging is becoming a way of life in the USA. Something is wrong.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
TALE WITHOUT AN ENDING
When I was a kid, I wrote a long, unfinished story in a blank book. In a chapter of it, a kid (actually a prince) lands in a cave. A fat caveman wipes the pig's feet grease from his lips, gets up from his TV, and walks up menacingly to the kid, yelling, "What the hell is this piece of chickenshit doing in my goddamn house?" His wife lamely protests, "What language!" The caveman bites her ass off, and throws her to the dogs in the back. She made a good rubber bone.
Father & Mother, get it?
BTW; a beautiful girl showed up and killed the caveman by slicing him into pieces.
Father & Mother, get it?
BTW; a beautiful girl showed up and killed the caveman by slicing him into pieces.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
WHEN I'M GONE...
When I know I am going to die, I will have my originals burned. No one will be able to lavish the praise (and cash) on me in death that the various Big Daddy Roth imitators are receiving during their lifetimes.
Friday, June 20, 2014
ANNOUNCEMENT!
A contest: DRAW YOUR FAVORITE BOHEMIAN AND WIN BIG PRIZES! From Verso Books, publishers of a book I'm in, BOHEMIANS. Good Luck! http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/1622-we-re-giving-away-2-posters-with-illustrations-from-bohemians-a-graphic-history-and-two-copies-of-the-book
Thursday, June 19, 2014
SKETCHES
QUOTE
Ralph Bakshi on my more recent work: "Well, from it, I can see you know a lot more about the world. You know what life is. I dunno if I like that."
Yrs, MK
COPYRIGHT 2014 BY MILTON KNIGHT
Friday, June 13, 2014
ANTHOLOGIES
A few anthology books I'm proud to have taken a small part in recently:
BOHEMIANS: A century of counter culture edited by Paul Buhle and rendered by a sparkling array of comic artists. Available from Verso Books.
MOLASSES: Some very funny stuff here, engaging, new, and classic, too. Cover artist and editor, the enterprising Jason Payne. Available this September. Click HERE for previews.
APUCKALYPSE: Cartoonists from all parts of the globe given one page each to share their visions of the end time. In both English and Italian editions, both rocking with rueful laughter. Here, check out their Facebook page.
Today's song: "My Canary has Circles Under his Eyes", a robust bouncer from England's Debroy Somers.
Yrs, MK
BOHEMIANS: A century of counter culture edited by Paul Buhle and rendered by a sparkling array of comic artists. Available from Verso Books.
 |
| Panels from "'Stretch' Johnson, my five page contribution to BOHEMIANS. |
MOLASSES: Some very funny stuff here, engaging, new, and classic, too. Cover artist and editor, the enterprising Jason Payne. Available this September. Click HERE for previews.
 |
| Panels from "Blackbird Pie", my two page strip in MOLASSES. |
APUCKALYPSE: Cartoonists from all parts of the globe given one page each to share their visions of the end time. In both English and Italian editions, both rocking with rueful laughter. Here, check out their Facebook page.
 |
| From my page in APUCKALYPSE. |
Today's song: "My Canary has Circles Under his Eyes", a robust bouncer from England's Debroy Somers.
Yrs, MK
Thursday, June 12, 2014
MOOD MUSIC FOR MILTON
One of th' good ol' favorites, HEARTS & FLOWERS.
Snazzy li'l tune...YOU DON'T LIKE IT (Not Much)
Snazzy li'l tune...YOU DON'T LIKE IT (Not Much)
Monday, June 9, 2014
SEVEN YEARS WITH THE WRONG WOMAN
The humor in this song's a little bitter...
(Top image courtesy of Diane Wanek.)
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