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Erebus, issue 4, 1943
Page 8
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FANTASIART By Frank Wilimczyk Jr. The term "fantasy art", because it is so broad an expression, could easily be divided into a number of distinctive groups. Certainly not the smallest of the groups formed by this division would be the class known as the "fantasy cartoon". In the past few years, the fantasy cartoon as become an integral part not only of the stf field, but of the cartoon-loving public. When I refer to "fantasy cartoon", I mean the cartoons published in such magazines as the New Yorker, Satevepost, Colliers, etc. (Not Amazing, Fantastic, or Planet.) Top man on the "funny-man" parade is Virgil ("Vip") Partch, a twenty either year old artist, who, in the past year, has become this country's best-known and best-liked cartoonist. Vip's cartoons are masterpieces of incongruity, and the drawings themselves are the most refreshing bits of work you've ever seen! And a large portion of Vip's stuff is pure fantasy or stf; for instance, here is my favorite: a selective service board official, interviewing a nonchalant robot, asks, "Mechanically minded you say?" A cartoonist who is not far behind Partch, is Charles Addams, most of whose cartoons have appeared in New Yorker. A short time ago, Addams had a book of his cartoons published ("Drawn and Quartered"), and the introduction was written, quite appropriately, by Boris Karloff. Addams' cartoons are mostly of a weird nature, often featuring such outre and bizarre creatures as gorgons, three armed gentlemen, mummies, drooling monsters in haunted houses, mysterious, vampish looking lady spies, and countless others. If you haven't as yet seen any of Mr. Addams' work, I suggest that you rush down to your nearest library, and look up as much of it as possible. A sample: a gorgon sitting in a hair dressing parlor, while attendants look aghast. Then there are William Steig's "Lonely Ones" (from his book of the same name), strange little people, picturing in brush and ink, diverse emotions and attitudes. As examples of true fantasy art, "The Lonely Ones" stand alone. The rendition is masterful, the explanation superb. For example, a ball, balanced precariously on the edge of a table. The title: Suspense. A cynical, mean looking old man crouching in a wooden crate; title: "People are no Damn Good." I can't praise the lonely ones enough. Modern unparalleled fantasy, "they" can be appreciated only if you see "them". There are more, many more, but there is not enough space to discuss them all, and some have already been reviewed by more capable fans. Chief among the latter are "Barnaby", "Li'l Abner", "Prince Valiant", etc., which, though they are continuity cartoons, are worth following.
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FANTASIART By Frank Wilimczyk Jr. The term "fantasy art", because it is so broad an expression, could easily be divided into a number of distinctive groups. Certainly not the smallest of the groups formed by this division would be the class known as the "fantasy cartoon". In the past few years, the fantasy cartoon as become an integral part not only of the stf field, but of the cartoon-loving public. When I refer to "fantasy cartoon", I mean the cartoons published in such magazines as the New Yorker, Satevepost, Colliers, etc. (Not Amazing, Fantastic, or Planet.) Top man on the "funny-man" parade is Virgil ("Vip") Partch, a twenty either year old artist, who, in the past year, has become this country's best-known and best-liked cartoonist. Vip's cartoons are masterpieces of incongruity, and the drawings themselves are the most refreshing bits of work you've ever seen! And a large portion of Vip's stuff is pure fantasy or stf; for instance, here is my favorite: a selective service board official, interviewing a nonchalant robot, asks, "Mechanically minded you say?" A cartoonist who is not far behind Partch, is Charles Addams, most of whose cartoons have appeared in New Yorker. A short time ago, Addams had a book of his cartoons published ("Drawn and Quartered"), and the introduction was written, quite appropriately, by Boris Karloff. Addams' cartoons are mostly of a weird nature, often featuring such outre and bizarre creatures as gorgons, three armed gentlemen, mummies, drooling monsters in haunted houses, mysterious, vampish looking lady spies, and countless others. If you haven't as yet seen any of Mr. Addams' work, I suggest that you rush down to your nearest library, and look up as much of it as possible. A sample: a gorgon sitting in a hair dressing parlor, while attendants look aghast. Then there are William Steig's "Lonely Ones" (from his book of the same name), strange little people, picturing in brush and ink, diverse emotions and attitudes. As examples of true fantasy art, "The Lonely Ones" stand alone. The rendition is masterful, the explanation superb. For example, a ball, balanced precariously on the edge of a table. The title: Suspense. A cynical, mean looking old man crouching in a wooden crate; title: "People are no Damn Good." I can't praise the lonely ones enough. Modern unparalleled fantasy, "they" can be appreciated only if you see "them". There are more, many more, but there is not enough space to discuss them all, and some have already been reviewed by more capable fans. Chief among the latter are "Barnaby", "Li'l Abner", "Prince Valiant", etc., which, though they are continuity cartoons, are worth following.
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