After a failed stage adaptation and one failed radio version, Crockett Johnson’s Barnaby headed for the stage a second time. Adapted for children’s theatre by Robert and Lilian Masters, this Barnaby made its debut in Terre Haute, Indiana, in May 1948. Looking ahead to the publication (in February 2013, I am told) of The Complete Barnaby, Vol….
Karen Hallion mashes Dr. Who with Crockett Johnson‘s Harold and the Purple Crayon! An apt comparison. Just as the crayon guides Harold through improbable distances, so does the Tardis — its ability to navigate the universe is as impressive as that purple crayon. Hat tip to Fashionably Geek and Gene Kanenberg Jr. (on Facebook). The t-shirt…
The commercials for The Lorax film say: I am the Lorax. I speak for the tweens.1 The commercials for the many Lorax tie-ins say: I am the Lorax. I speak for the SUVs.2 I am the Lorax. I speak for the pancakes.3 I am the Lorax. I speak for the diapers.4 But what does the…
69 years ago today, the first daily strip of Crockett Johnson‘s Barnaby ran in the newspaper PM. One year from today, Fantagraphics will begin reprinting Barnaby in full (co-edited by me and Eric Reynolds) — and the University Press of Mississippi will publish my biography of Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss. In anticipation of both…
In advance of the film’s release, Kansas State University’s Media Relations asked us to talk about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We did. They taped us, and edited the results down to 3 minutes. Karin is on the right. And that’s me on the left. They also put out a news release on Friday…
Just back from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, which (as you may have read by now) is a fantastic adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s six-volume series of graphic novels. This is why. Director Edgar Wright understands what O’Malley is trying to do. As in the books, the film treats narrative as a playful, allusive, genre-bending…
