Go, Read: Sean Kleefeld On Working In The Style And With The Characters Of Bill Watterson

Here. This is actually the first I heard that one of the homage strips to Watterson's great comic strip was starting to build momentum on its own -- I'd seen oblique references, I guess, but there are so many strips that are either officially or unofficially indebted to Watterson it's sometimes hard to tell what people are talking about. It's an odd gray area in terms of the court of people sitting around on computers arguing -- I don't know what the actual legal implications are -- in that one wants to fully support the use of existing art as commentary, and for satire, and homages, and not look like an old fussy dick in general, but figuring out where the line is crossed from artistic to commercial re-appropriation is something for which I don't have a natural feel beyond waving my cane and shouting for people to do something original.

I guess in the end I think it's kind of dull to do art like that, and except in the most base ways of getting a near-substitute for the impulse of "more," the actual taking in of such work proves unsatisfying for both audience and the maker of that art. There are exceptions, I'm sure. I also continue to be impressed with just how thoroughly Calvin And Hobbes has burrowed into the hearts of people that read it at a certain age. I think that's a mighty work, and remember looking at the press packet way back when while my Dad ate breakfast and going, "Whoa. Dad. Look." However, this strikes me as a younger generation's slightly different taking-to of that work. It might be sociological. Whereas people born 1964-1979 tend to reintroduce themselves to work in a kind of "Oh, I loved this. Look at this. Remember this? There it is!" way, it strikes me that those born 1980s tend to evince an attitude over work they loved at a younger age as "Yes. This. Fuck Yes. THIS." The love for Bill Watterson and his boy with the stuffed tiger has always been there, but it's only recent become wild-eyed. Those are broad strokes, admittedly.

I can see a lot of massive posts on this in the near-future, including maybe a thorough one from me when I know more, so being introduced to this material now seems like a good idea.
 
posted 9:35 pm PST | Permalink
 

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