Just saw this Q&A with Dean Mullaney about the new comic strip reprint books coming ahead at IDW Publishing. The whole interview, by Tom Mason, is at Comics411.TOM: What are the next books coming up?
DEAN: Bruce Canwell and I are finishing up the final two “Terry” books, and working on the next few volumes of “Little Orphan Annie.” Then, I’m taking over as editor and designer of IDW’s “Dick Tracy” with volume 7—just in time to play in the sandbox with BB Eyes, Pruneface, Flattop, Mrs. Pruneface, The Mole, and the heyday of Chester Gould’s gallery of grotesque rogues. After that, I have “The Complete Rip Kirby” by Alex Raymond which we’re shooting from syndicate proofs (!) and the official “Bringing Up Father“ with the Sunday pages in color.
Now, all this reminds me that there are a lot of reprint projects out there.
And, of course, there's NBM's "Forever Nuts" hardcover series of reprints with its release of Bud Fisher's MUTT & JEFF and Frederick Burr Opper's HAPPY HOOLIGAN.
And let's not forget about the incredible high quality of the Classic Comics Press releases: Stan Drake's THE HEART OF JULIET JONES, Leonard Starr's MARY PERKINS ON STAGE and DONDI by Gus Edson & Irwin Hasen.
And the works of Clare Briggs, Frank King, Tove Jansson and (very soon) Canadian cartoonist Doug Wright, as well as prolific comics creator John Stanley are in print at Drawn & Quarterly.
And, speaking of John Stanley, the LITTLE LULU series of comics are in their 4th year of being reprinted by Dark Horse.
And then there's the Pacific Comics Club. Where else could you find Frank Godwin's Connie strip?
And then there's the PEANUTS hardcover series, Feiffer, Segar's POPEYE, DENNIS THE MENACE, PRINCE VALIANT and more at Fantagraphics.
I'm not mentioning all the great reprints that DC and Marvel have done -- in both expensive and inexpensive editions.
Gee whiz. This was going to be a short entry, but there are a lot of great reprints out there.
Oh, and I heard there's a Roy Crane BUZ SAWYER project in the works somewhere.
We seem to be living in the Golden Age of Comic Strip reprints. I love my annual purchase of the Peanuts boxed sets, and I only wish they would print them faster.
ReplyDeleteThanks for alerting me to other reprints... I'm still hoping for a decent Krazy Kat... one day...
This is a golden age, Jerry. I keep hearing about stuff like the complete run of POGO being reprinted, Jack Kent's KING AROO, Percy Cosby's SKIPPY, etc. Here's hoping that it comes true.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much KRAZY KAT reprinted - both dailies and Sundays. Jerry, are you saying that none of them meet your standards? Have you seen that giant $95 book of KK Sundays?