Scan barcode
kevin_shepherd's review
3.0
Winsor McCay (b.1866-d.1934), for those unfamiliar, was a master cartoonist and animator. Although he did other strips, he is best known for his ‘Little Nemo’ which ran in full page panels (you see kids, we used to have these publications called “newspapers”…). Nemo, McCay’s creation, was a child who dreamed semi-coherently and in sequence. At the end of every strip Little Nemo would wake-up safe at home, his parents apparently oblivious to his dream state adventures.
As sheer art, this is fantastic. By the standards of any era, McCay was an imaginative genius. I don’t think anyone could thoroughly look at the history of comics and not acknowledge Nemo as an instrumental milestone in the evolution of the art form. It’s simply brilliant.
Nevertheless, when looking at Nemo with 2022 eyes, there are a few old fashioned comic devices that are no longer comical. Child abuse and animal abuse pop up here and there—racist caricatures, however, are rampant(!). If you are unaware of how appalling POC portrayals were in 1907, prepare to be repulsed. It’s just that bad.
As sheer art, this is fantastic. By the standards of any era, McCay was an imaginative genius. I don’t think anyone could thoroughly look at the history of comics and not acknowledge Nemo as an instrumental milestone in the evolution of the art form. It’s simply brilliant.
Nevertheless, when looking at Nemo with 2022 eyes, there are a few old fashioned comic devices that are no longer comical. Child abuse and animal abuse pop up here and there—racist caricatures, however, are rampant(!). If you are unaware of how appalling POC portrayals were in 1907, prepare to be repulsed. It’s just that bad.
More...