false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174069032m/357864.jpg 357864 1 <B>A collection of raucous <I>Comics Journal</I> artists' profiles from the eclectic essayist and author of <I>The Pirates & the Mouse.</I></B> <P>Meet the artist <UL> <LI> who proved you could do ANYTHING in a comic book. <LI> who regularly performs an act of purification by passing a 21-foot long cloth through his digestive system. <LI> whose pink winged magic stogie-waving fairy godfather was the toast of 1940s intellectuals. <LI> who, more likely than not, never had sex with her Doberman. <LI> whose gore-splattered stories featured an all-teddy bear cast. <LI> who devoted a dozen years to creating an epic graphic novel equivalent of the "Odyssey" (but is now largely forgotten). </UL> Bob Levin explores the by-ways and back roads of creative genius in as off-beat a collection of characters as are likely to be found outside a carnival midway. Serious, dedicated, often driven by the hounds of Hell, these artists pursue often off-putting, always fascinating visions without regard to popular acclaim or financial reward. Levin's profile/essay style is a unique blend of pooched journalism, quasi-autobiography, faux cultural history, and semi-scholarship, and the perfect vehicle by which to engage these beyond-the-box personalities. And from these engagements he fashions powerful arguments for the value of unfettered expression, no matter from how far outside the mainstream it may issue.<P> Levin, an author and attorney, lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife Adele, his frequent collaborator. He is a long time contributing writer to The Comics Journal, where all of these pieces previously appeared. His last book, <I>The Pirates & the Mouse: Disney's War Against the Counterculture</I>, was hailed by critics as "masterful," "passionate," "elegant," "charming" (twice), "thoughtful," and "hilarious."<P> Essay subjects include: Chester Brown, S. Clay Wilson, Dori Seda, B.N. Duncan, Justin Green, Maxon Crumb, Crockett Johnson, Roy Lichtenstein, Graham Ingels, Jack Katz, Rory Hayes and more. 348007 20 4 2005 Outlaws, Rebels, Freethinkers & Pirates total:6|5:2|4:1|3:2|2:1| 6 22 9 0 3 0 false false Tue Oct 06 23:30:07 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 06 23:30:07 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Sun Apr 05 17:38:23 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 05 17:38:23 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed Mar 11 20:18:51 -0700 2009 Wed Mar 11 20:18:51 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Apr 11 22:23:30 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 02 07:37:39 -0800 2009 Sat Apr 11 22:23:30 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Tue Nov 11 12:39:10 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 11 12:39:10 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Sun Jun 01 08:58:07 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 01 08:58:07 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Sun Apr 20 13:09:42 -0700 2008 Sun Apr 20 13:09:42 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Sat Apr 05 17:27:17 -0700 2008 Sat Apr 05 17:27:17 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Sun Jan 13 12:19:09 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 13 12:19:09 -0800 2008 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=357864