Winsor McCay. Les aventures complètes de Little Nemo 1905–1909

by Winsor McCay, Alexander Braun (Editor)

Little Nemo may be a diminutive hero of comic narrative but he sure stands tall as one of the greatest voyagers of the 20th century. The master creation of Winsor McCay (1869–1934), this small and restless sleeper inspired generations of artists with his weekly adventures from bed to Slumberland, a dream realm of colorful companions, elaborate architecture, psychedelic scenery, and thrilling adventures. Winsor McCay’s Little Nemo 1905–1909 collects, in glorious full color, all 220 of Nemo’s nocturnal escapades from the period 1905 to 1909. Through them, we delight not only in the splendor of Slumberland, a surreal benchmark for Robert Crumb and Federico Fellini, but also McCay’s pioneering panel layout and storytelling techniques, his timing and pacing, and extraordinary architectural detail. In the accompanying 150-page illustrated essay, art historian and comics expert Alexander Braun places Winsor McCay’s life and work within the cultural history of the U.S. media and entertainment industry, and explores the immense art historical significance of McCay’s dream narrative. At once an adventure story, visual delight, and piece of cultural history, this publication is a tremendous monument to one of the most innovative pioneers―and one of the most intrepid explorers―of comic history.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Art

368 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 2016

About the author

Was an American cartoonist and animator, best known for the comic strip Little Nemo (begun 1905) and the animated cartoon Gertie the Dinosaur (1914). For legal reasons, he worked under the pen name Silas on the comic strip Dream of the Rarebit Fiend.
A prolific artist, McCay's pioneering early animated films far outshone the work of his contemporaries, and set a standard followed by Walt Disney and others in later decades. His comic strip work has influenced generations of artists, including creators such as William Joyce, André LeBlanc, Moebius, Maurice Sendak, Chris Ware and Bill Watterson.

Reviews

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how archival material should be done. Large, reproduced unadulterated, so ben-day dots are visible. A fantastic book length introduction bringing together a lot of scholarship, brilliant biography showing how early life influenced his art and choice of subjects. Art from the comic strips shown alongside antique postcards, and also postcards of architecture matching the view that McCay drew! FANTASTIC!
One tiny complaint, I can't lift the book to read it as it's so large and heavy! You will need a lectern, or heavy cushion on your lap as you read it at the table! BUT read the above to know I loved the content!

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my sister and my favorite movies as a kid was the 1980s animated adaptation of Little Nemo in Slumberland. When I became an adult, I wanted to read some of the original comics, which proved difficult because the format was so large as to render the font illegibly small and artwork pointlessly minuscule.

That’s one of the great things about this collection, though; in this massive book that honestly weighs around 5 pounds, the format is preserved in the 1910s Sunday paper format. Readable AND cumbersome! There’s a whole bunch of archival notes and early strips at the front, taking up roughly half the page count. It’s meticulous and beautiful.

What’s also great is seeing first-hand just how hugely influential Little Nemo was on the medium of comics.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Nemo In Slumberland is art of the highest order. Simply put, it's one of the greatest achievements in the history of comic strips (or comic books, for that matter).

Winsor McCay's surrealistic artwork has a trippy edge to it. I have no idea if he indulged in hallucinogenics, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did.

I had The Complete Little Nemo giant book that came in the suitcase box and sold it off and picked up the two "smaller" books. They are the same dimensions as the big book in height and width. It's still a heavy and unwieldy read. It's worth soldiering on, however.

I can't rave enough about this book.

[EJ Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read with fantastic reproductions of McCay's gorgeous art. The oversized format is, in my opinion, essential for appreciating this masterpiece.