Ben Schwartz on An Open Air Response to Jeff Smith's Response to My Anonymous Response...

... to the BEA First Ever Graphic Novelist's Continental Breakfast

By Ben Schwartz

Jeff Smith asks a legitimate question when he asks, "And who the fuck are you?"

In the interests of full disclosure, I sent an e-mail to Tom Spurgeon disagreeing with the BEA coverage I had seen on-line. Tom asked if it was OK to use some of my comments anonymously at a later date, and I OK'd it. And he did so, accurately. Whether they appear anonymously or under my by-line, I stand by every word I wrote.

To answer Jeff, I've been covering comics as a freelance journalist since 1986, from my essays on Carl Barks in the Barks Library to The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Comic Art, as well as currently for Vanity Fair, Bookforum, and an anthology of comics criticism I'm editing for Fantagraphics (who are also publishing a non-fiction comics and comedy history book of mine). I've written comics with, among others, Howard Chaykin, Ivan Brunetti, Terry Colon, and Peter Bagge, and am currently working with Bagge on an animated project, adapting his character Studs Kirby. And finally, I've been a member of the WGA since 1996, mainly for screenwriting, where I've worked with James Cameron, Arnold Kopelson, Stan Winston, and Howard Chaykin, among others.

As to Jeff's comment, "Please, you think Mike Mignola and I need a lesson in comics history? And who the fuck are you?" While the panel as a whole did discuss movies and comics, to be fair to Mignola, and Jeph Loeb, [Art] Spiegelman was mainly addressing Jeff on Will Eisner's use of cinematic technique in The Spirit, which Jeff felt was a sort of turning point for comics. Spiegelman disagreed, which has been reported elsewhere. The point is, he wasn't addressing the audience. But no, I'm sure Jeff Smith doesn't need any lessons on comics, least of all from me.

I agree with Jeff on one point. The crowd was impressive, and that says a lot about the enthusiasm comics are generating now, one of the few places the publishing industry can look to these days as a growth sector. As I wrote originally, I saw lots of positive stuff going on at BEA for comics. I also did not attend the second panel Jeff mentions, so maybe that one was great, I don't know.

Finally, no one should take my view of the event as any estimation of the panelists work. The four of them drew a huge crowd, and for good reason, with plenty of fans seeking autographs and lining up for a few moments to talk to the artists.
 
posted 8:25 am PST | Permalink
 

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