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| Suspended Animation, 5/28/2004 |
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Mabel Normand
$4.95 & 30 pgs.
From Fantagraphics
Writer and artist unknown
Available at comics shops
In 1920, The Kinema Comic [book] was published each Wednesday in London, and featured a silent movie comedian like Fatty Arbuckle, Snub Pollard or Mabel Normand.
Mabel who?
Mabel was the then "queen of comedy" and the "female [Charlie] Chaplin". She also modeled for artist James Montgomery Flagg and became one of artist Charles Dana Gibson's "Gibson Girls".
If you are scratching your head and have little or no interest in history, this review may regrettably hold no interest for you. It is your loss.
First published in 1921, Mabel Normand has been republished with a new cover by artist Kim Deitch. Inside are single-page slapstick adventures that will remind today's readers of a Sunday comic strip with some differences.
Comic strips were relatively new in the 1920s, and still experimenting with the techniques that we take for granted today. Mabel's strip seems clumsy because a caption on the bottom of each panel explains what you've just read in the art and dialog above it. It takes a moment or two to train yourself to read the caption first.
In addition, the dominant slapstick style of humor of Mabel's day is out of favor now. Even her self-respect, innocence, optimism, and gentleness seem out-dated in today's sex-drenched, hedonistic culture of gross disrespect for, well, everything.
Mabel Normand is also different because of its art. If you like artist Harry Peter's work on the first run of the Wonder Woman comic book, you'll enjoy the similar work of this uncredited, 'big-foot' artist. His style is simple and uncluttered, visually imaginative, energetic and full of the fashions, appliances, buildings and culture of the 1920s. Hurrah!!
But if you are uninterested in excellent art, the early history and style of silent movies and comic strips, and a style that embraces human dignity, you'll want to pass on this delightful bite of comics history.
Michael Vance
Shudder at Vance's Light's End horror short stories narrated by actor William Windom at www.plan9.org.
Questions? Comment? E-Mail Suspended Animation at vance@digitalwebbing.com
Any statements made, expressed or implied are solely those of columnists or persons interviewed and do not represent the editorial position of the administration, who does not accept responsibility of such statements. All characters and artwork shown are trademark and © of their respective owners.
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