INTERVIEW: BRUCE CANWELL ON IDW’S ARCHIE traditional newspaper COMICS

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Archie traditional newspaper Comics

Bruce Canwell is the partner Editor of the library of American Comics, who have created such books as Bloom County, King Aroo, bit Orphan Annie, as well as Rip Kirby for IDW. This month, they bring us Archie traditional newspaper Comics which collects strips by Archie co-creator Bob Montana. Westfield’s Roger Ash just recently contacted Canwell to discover more about this book.

Westfield: exactly how did you come to publish the Archie newspaper strips? exactly how carefully are you working with Archie Comics on this?

Bruce Canwell: Greg Goldstein, who is IDW’s chief operating Officer, did the actual offer that enabled us to reprint the Archie strips. Over a year ago, the collective decision was made to release IDW’s different strip jobs under The library of American Comics (LOAC) banner, which instantly enabled LOAC to take over production on Dick Tracy. It likewise meant, while Editorial director Dean Mullaney as well as I still select the majority of LOAC projects, other IDW leaders can bring jobs to LOAC. That’s exactly how we landed Bloom region as well as household Circus last year – editor Scott Dunbier has pre-existing connections with Berke Breathed as well as the household of Bil Keane. now Greg has brought us Archie. one of the things I like finest about this offer is that Archie’s hometown of Riverdale is based on the real-life town of Haverhill, Massachusetts, which is in the higher Boston area, less than twenty miles from where I live. (By the way, for you non-Bostonians, “Haverhill” is pronounced “HAYV-ur-ull”!)

As far as our connection with Archie Comics goes, obviously, Greg worked together carefully with Archie’s executives in doing the deal. The people at Archie seem like a friendly as well as thoroughly expert group, so they’ll lend us a assisting hand as needed. however we understand they have their own line of routine comics to create as well as we don’t want them to view us like an irritating youngster tugging on their shirt as well as pestering them: “What about this? What about that? What about the other?” We want to be as expert as the Archie crew, which means we view them as a resource, however one that we shouldn’t abuse.

Archie everyday strip 1

Westfield: For those who may not be familiar with the work of Bob Montana, what can you tell us about him?

Canwell: Bob was a truly interesting guy. He spent a number of of his boyhood years on the road. He as well as his household performed a Vaudeville act headlined by his father, who was a singing cowboy! We’ve discovered some entertaining info about “Montana, The Cowboy Banjoist” that we’ll be sharing with readers. As Bob grew older, he started complying with a more traditional artist’s path — he went to institution in new York City, introduced his career around 1941, as well as began the Archie newspaper strip in 1946. ultimately he settled down in Meredith, new Hampshire — that’s one more town only about an hour away from where I live.

Of course, Bob was THE artist who produced the visual look of the Archie steady of characters. most of us grew up with the Dan DeCarlo versions of the Riverdale gang, yet I believe visitors will discover it interesting to compare as well as contrast the “Montana look” with the “DeCarlo look.” I’m a Dan DeCarlo fan, however I’d state Bob Montana’s characters are looser, their “acting” is somewhat wider than Dan’s, as well as they tend to have a wider variety of expressions as well as body language. Preparing this book has been my very first prolonged reading experience with the Bob Montana Archie as well as I’ve ended up being thoroughly charmed by his work.

Westfield: exactly how does the everyday strip compare to what people see in the Archie comic books?

Canwell: There are the obvious similarities – the core characters you’re familiar with from the comic books are all here. You’ll discover Archie as well as Jughead, Betty as well as Veronica, miss Grundy as well as Archie’s parents. The core connections are the ones we’re all utilized to: is Archie more thinking about Betty (the traditional woman next door) or Veronica (the spoiled bit rich girl)? From this perspective, the Archie strips are like the comics equivalent of comfort food.

Archie everyday strip 2

That said, the strips put a different spin on the ball, which visitors should discover refreshing. The pacing of stories is different in strips than it is in comic books. Strips serve up a bit joke or a mini-cliffhanger daily as they develop to a bigger payoff, where comic book stories develop along a smoother arc to reach a story’s climax. There are likewise subtle differences in characterization that visitors will see – Jughead is more sardonic in the strips than he was in all the Archie comics I’ve checked out throughout my lifetime. The newspaper strips were introduced with the assumption that 1940s visitors had never seen or heard of Archie Andrews as well as his pals. That means the narrative begins at a rational beginning, with the arrival of Veronica Lodge at Archie’s high school. The analogy I’d draw from all this: if the Archie comic books are the equivalent of the traditional marvel Universe, the Archie comic strips are the equivalent of the ultimate Universe.

Westfield: The library of American Comics always has awesome extras in their books. What extras can we look ahead to in this volume?

Canwell: Roger, I have a multi-layered response to this one!

First layer: we at LOAC work difficult to try to discover new or little-known info about the strips as well as their cartoonists – our goal is to add to the general body of understanding that’s available, not just to retread ground others have already walked on. We’re likewise always on the lookout for original artwork, unusual photographs, merchandising items, as well as other unusual visuals we can show readers.

Second layer: keeping that in mind, our very first Archie volume will function text by the one as well as only Maggie Thompson. Maggie doesn’t requirement me to hype her – her understanding as well as like of comics is universally known, her composing skills have been displayed both in countless fan publications as well as for many years in The Comics Buyer’s Guide. We’re delighted to be working with her, as well as within only a day or two of her accepting the Archie assignment, she was sending us e-mail about the pulp magazines MLJ published before moving into comics as well as eventually introducing Archie. Maggie had these pulps in her own personal collection! I completely expect Maggie’s text is going to assist us all discover some new things about the genesis of Archie Comics. (Maggie’s likewise composing the introduction for our King Aroo volume 2, which will be offered around holiday time. It’s a tough phone call as to who’s the biggest Aroo fan: Maggie, Dean Mullaney, or me!)

Archie everyday strip 3

Third layer: keep in mind exactly how I mentioned Bob Montana ultimately settled in Meredith, new Hampshire? The great news for all of us is: Bob’s two daughters still online there! They are delighted their dad’s work is going to be offered when once again as well as they’re making their household archives offered to support the LOAC Archie series. So expect to see household photos, newspaper syndicate advertisements, artwork, as well as reminiscences from Bob Montana’s daughters throughout our Archie books.

Westfield: are there any type of upcoming library of American Comics volumes on the method that you’d like to mention?

Canwell: Do you see that B*I*G grin on my face? That’s since in August we’ll release our very first Polly as well as Her pals volume! “Polly” is Polly Perkins, a flighty young blonde, as well as her “pals” are the many guys who want to woo her. even though the series bears Polly’s name, the star of the strip is her father, irascible ol’ Paw Perkins. The character who steals the show is Kitty, the household cat, whose antics in pantomime add a fantastic comedic dimension to the story. If the misadventures of the Perkins household weren’t delightful enough, Polly features wonderful, frequently surreal artwork by cartoonist Cliff Sterrett. The Sunday pages are so eye-poppingly great, we’re publishing this book in an additional big 12″ x 16″ format. Polly fans have to be as excited as I am about this, as well as after reading this book I’m betting newcomers will join me in saying, “I like me some Polly!”

2010 is likewise the year LOAC begins to touch comic books in addition to comic strips. Our very first step in that direction appears in July, when we begin reprinting the newspaper strip trick agent Corrigan. A fair concern would be, “How does this comic strip mark a move into the comic book arena?” response is, for many years Corrigan was written as well as drawn by Archie Goodwin as well as Al Williamson. Archie, of course, was the much-beloved creator who left an indelible mark as the very first editor for Jim Warren’s line of magazines (Creepy, Eerie, Blazing Combat), later as the writer of Iron guy as well as editor of legendary Illustrated as well as Marvel’s prominent creator-owned legendary Comics line, then later still as a Batman editor par excellence, since he was the original guiding light behind Legends Of The Dark Knight. Al Williamson worked around the location – EC, Dell, Charlton, Pacific, Marvel, as well as other stops in between each of those – as well as has long been one of the most respected as well as admired comics artists of the past half-century. When George Lucas wished to introduce a star Wars newspaper strip, who did he tap to create it? Those trick agent Corrigan guys, Goodwin as well as WIlliamson!

Then October brings Genius, Isolated: The Art & Life Of Alex Toth, which we believe will be THE comics artist biography of 2010. We’re working with the approval as well as support of the Toth estate, as well as in addition to detailed protection of Alex’s life story, we’ll be providing many unusual or never-before-seen visuals in addition to total reprints of a number of of his stories. We’re excited to be offering visitors new insights into the mind of Alex-the-man, as well as fresh, full-color examples of the work of Alex-the-artist’s-artist.

Westfield: any type of closing comments?

Canwell: Here’s a tip of the Boston Red Sox cap to everybody who buys as well as reads our books. We appreciate all the support we receive, as well as we checked out as well as discuss all the comments we get — particularly the criticism! We’re making it easier for visitors to get in touch with us by introducing www.libraryofamericancomics.com. The site will have news about upcoming LOAC projects, info about our total catalogue of books, special offers as well as contests, even more additional material about the strips as well as creators we publish, in addition to direct e-mail links to Dean as well as me. We’ll add other fun as well as interactive concepts in the near future as the site matures. We hope everybody who reads LOAC books will go to us at LOAC on the web!

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