Goodman Beaver
by Harvey Kurtzman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Harvey KurtzmanEditor: Denis Kitchen
Illustrator: Will Elder
Introduction: David Schreiner
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1983-01
ISBN: 0878160086
Number of pages: 159
Publisher: Kitchen Sink Press
Book Reviews of Goodman Beaver
Book Review: Excellently written satire, gorgeously rendered
Summary: 5 Stars
These are simply some of the most brilliant comic stories ever created, both in the writing and in the art. The sequential art in this volume achieves a rarefied place, only occupied by the likes of Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Alison Bechdel, Lewis Trondheim, Joann Sfar - or great partner work like Simon & Kirby, Gaiman & Russell, Pekar & Crumb. The comic stories in this volume rate up there with "Kirby's Fourth World," "Contract With God," "Fun Home," "Maus," "Airtight Garage," "Watchmen," "The Rabbi's Cat," and "Boy's Ranch" as some of our greatest comics literature.
These are the "Goodman Beaver" stories written by Harvey Kurtzman and drawn by Will Elder for Warren's HELP magazine - one of the satire magazines Kurtzman and Elder worked on after Kurtzman's acrimonious split from Bill Gaines and MAD. But these reproductions are not just any old reprint - this a very high quality, lovingly crafted volume by Kitchen Sink Press. Dennis Kitchen had a personal relationship with Kurtzman and Elder, and brought much of their work into print. This book is made from the ORIGINAL ART! The art is enlarged, so each page of the book is equal to a panel from the original comics.
After HELP was cancelled, these stories were reprinted in a pocketbook paperback, "Executive's Comic Book." In those days, when a comic book was reprinted in a pocket sized book, they turned the art sideways, and put two panels on a page, to fit the book's dimensions. Elder didn't like the way that looked, so he illustrated additional art on the originals, extending the panels so that they could fit one to a pocket sized paperback page. This art is what is reproduced here, in Trade Paperback sized format. Each page is essentially a splash page of gorgeously rendered Will Elder madness, with all the incredible detail blown up, so you can clearly see every gag, every piece of chicken fat, every beautifully rendered line, every perfectly placed grey tone.
At this size, one can see that Elder was not only a great humorist who had a remarkable gift for controlled chaos on the order of his inspiration Bruegel the Elder, but he was also a brilliant illustrator. His line is gorgeous, his rendering detailed, his composition balanced and beautiful. He has a wonderful command of deep space, and blends perfectly the needs of cartoon humor with formalism. When Goodman decides to imitate Marlon Brando, in order to gain self-confidence, Elder expertly blends Brando's features with Goodmans heightening the comic effect and the parody of Brando's affected mannerisms.
In these stories Kurtzman's writing is at it's most pithy, his satire at it's sharpest, his humor calculated not just to inspire guffaws, but critical thinking. Kurtzman savages the hypocritical undertones of American society in "Goodman Gets A Gun," as he explores what is the nature of power and status. In "Goodman Meets Tarzan" he and Elder take on racism, and the sort of unconcious racist undertone in American media, and even tho this story is from the 60's, many of the same stereotypes and attitudes they parody are alive today. "Goodman Underwater" is a little dated, as Kurtzman parody's the TV show SEA HUNT, but his masterful blending of Don Quixote and the ridiculous premise of there being so much crime undersea that it required vigilantism is priceless. "Goodman Meets Superman" is a polemic on human nature, human foibles, and the dichotomy between wanting to do good for others, but needing to take care of yourself in a society filled with people who are "looking out for number one."
Comics just aren't normally this well written, unfortunately, so grab this collection if you can find it. It is on sale at Kitchen Sink Press's website for the thirty five dollar cover price, and is worth every penny. Besides the comics, there is a very good essay at the beginning of the book, that goes into detail about the story behind how Archie Comics got control of "Goodman Goes Playboy" with a few panels from this lost comic. Archie Comics, in lieu of being able to monetarily outlast Kurtzman and Elder in a lawsuit, even tho the artists could have won a suit on the strength of previous legal decisions regarding parody, now owns the copywrite to this work. Justice, apparently, traps more than the guilty. Before each comic story is a short introduction. The essays include many quotes from Elder and Kurtzman. The comics are printed on a heavy newspaper stock, which shows the art off to great effect, as the porous nature of the paper allows for the grey tones to show through brilliantly. Even if HELP is eventually reprinted, it won't be the same. Seeing Elder's work in splash page after splash page is an indescribable experience.
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