By the Deitch Brothers (Fantagraphics)
ISBN: 978-1-56097952-4
There must be something to this DNA stuff. Gene Deitch is an Oscar winning animator and cartoonist, his first son Kim has been at the forefront of comics’ avant-garde since the days of the Counter Culture and “underground commix†scene whilst his other two, Simon and Seth Kallen, have both made their mark in the popular creative arts.
In this bold new venture the Deitch boys have created a graphic narrative oddity that is both compelling and captivating. Combining heavily illustrated prose, comics, calligraphy, pictorial lettering, cartooning and plain old strips, the five tales blend into a tribute to the versatility of illustrated storytelling in all its variations.
Beginning with a captivating paean to bottle caps and the collecting bug entitled ‘the Sunshine Girl’, followed by an intriguing prose-ish fantasy, ‘The Golem’, the full range of tale-telling is explored. This leads into the disturbing ‘Unlikely Hours’, and a whimsical shaggy dog story ‘Children of Aruf’.
Wisely leaving the very best ’til last, the Pictofictorial fun concludes with the superbly engaging and informative ‘The Cop on the Beat, the Man in the Moon and Me’; an especial treat for anybody interested in the history of comics and music.
Once again I’ve been as vague as I can be, because this is a book that rejoices in storytelling, and half the art and all the joy comes from reading it for yourself, so if you’re an older reader you should do just that.
© 2008 Gene, Kim, Seth Kallen and Simon Deitch. All Rights Reserved.