So, in case you happen to be interested in comic strips... · 11:31pm Jan 6th, 2016
There are two great documentaries out there that should be seen by anyone who enjoys comics in general, and comic strips in particular.
The first is Stripped, which is about strips in general and the future of the comic strip in todays world. A fate that is quite uncertain given the decline of newspapers.
What I really like about things like this is the chance to see how others work, and especially seeing their studios. The tools they use, what their workspace is like, etc. There are some great interviews, from old timers like Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey, Hi and Lois), to legends like Bill Waterson (who allowed himself to be recorded, audio only, for the documentary), and more recent figures like Jeph Jacques (Questionable Content) and Ryan North (Dinosaur Comics).
Another fascinating part is when it discusses the fact that cartoonists used to be very prominent figures who could expect to make a very good living. Not something that immediately comes to mind when you think of comic artists today.
The decline of newspapers and how it impacts this seems obvious, but the documentary does a good job of adding depth and emotion to the situation.
That part gets me down, since it just makes me think of the larger story of "innovation" driving down the wages of a previously healthy sector.
It does talk about the new, growing status-quo of webcomics, and the promise that offers. The contrast in the documentary itself is interesting. Seeing the variety in material in the first half of the film vs. what comes once they hit the webcomic section around the midway point. All sorts of great things get some attention, and it's easy to see a real difference in quality.
The other documentary is Dear Mr. Watterson, which is about the phenomenon of Calvin and Hobbes.
http://www.dearmrwatterson.com/
More personal in tone, and a fine examination of what remains one of the greatest comic strips ever made. This one especially resonated with me, on a level that I find difficult to articulate. Just like how Calvin and Hobbes itself has a power and energy that can't be quantified or expressed in wholly conventional terms.
One thing appreciated, on a more mundane level, is that the documentary made a point of attributing some of the energy and appeal of Calvin and Hobbes, when compared to other comics, to the excellent brushwork seen in the strip. Which really makes it come alive in a way that you didn't get a lot of on the comics page prior to then.
So, yeah. Give both of these a look. They're worth it.
