Frank in the River
Encyclopedia
Frank in the River is a 24-page comic
story by Jim Woodring
.
Like all Frank stories, Frank in the River is virtually wordless and the story is conveyed entirely in pantomime
.
in 1992 in a special full-color issue of Tantalizing Stories
, Tantalizing Stories Presents Frank in the River, and features Woodring's signature character, Frank
. The special issue also included a shorter full-color story by Mark Martin
featuring his character Montgomery Wart.
, Frank accidentally knocks over a huge statue
, destroying it and part of a wall
. Receiving a bill
for the damages, he takes a job cleaning the inside and grounds of a large building which seems to be a palace
. While he is cleaning he notices a red cistern
in the center of one of the palace rooms. At the end of the day he is fed a meal of gruel
by Manhog, who apparently is also a palace employee.
The next morning a swarm of strange monster
s clamber out of a nearby river
and onto the palace grounds. Frank runs out to do battle with them, and by the end of the day has killed them all. He buries their corpses in a hole which he covers with a large rock. Cleaning up after the battle, he peeks in the cistern and finds a small figurine
which resembles the statue he knocked over. At dinner
Frank finds that Manhog has chopped up the remains of the monsters he killed and cooked them into a nauseating porridge
. Rejecting the food, Frank goes to bed.
That night Frank is awakened by a light turning on. Getting up, he sees Manhog moving around, and surreptitiously follows him down a long flight of stairs to an underground canal
. Frank's attempts to find out what Manhog is up to are thwarted when he unexpectedly encounters a stop sign
, which causes him to tear back towards his room in a panic. After catching his breath he looks in the cistern again, and finds a different figurine shaped like one of the monsters he fought earlier.
Getting an idea, Frank makes a figurine that looks like himself and puts it in the cistern. Soon a small squad of Frank clones
emerge from the river. The real Frank, pleased with himself, sits back and smokes a pipe, while Manhog is dismayed by the approaching clones. Manhog looks in the cistern and finds the Frank figurine, which he smashes on the ground in anger.
Down in the mess hall the Frank clones wait expectantly for food. Manhog again serves up his same monster carcass porridge. Unlike the real Frank, the clones hungrily lap it up. When one of the clones bites down on a hard object in his porridge, all the clones are alarmed to see that it is the figurine of the destroyed statue. They chase Manhog back into the kitchen
, where they are appalled to see evidence of the carnage that went into making their meal. The Frank clones seize both Manhog and the remaining monster carcasses and drag them into the river, where they all disappear.
The real Frank, observing the scene from a telescope
, is happy. He reclaims the statue figurine and puts it back in the red cistern. Having earned lots of money from the work he has been doing, he quits his job and goes to repay the owner of the garden, but the owner (unseen except for his hand
) simply pats him on the head and allows him to keep the money. Frank goes to a real estate agent
and buys himself a house
, from which he can look out and see the place where he previously toiled.
.
for Best Colorist
, while the special issue it appeared in won the award for Best Single Issue or Story. Woodring and the story were also each nominated for an Eisner Award
, for Best Painter (Interior) and Best Short Story respectively.
The logic
of cause and effect
behind the sequence of events in Frank in the River is notoriously difficult to figure out. Woodring once released a limited facsimile
edition of the complete rough draft of the story, "with a caption under each panel explaining just what is going on."
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
story by Jim Woodring
Jim Woodring
Jim Woodring is a Seattle-based cartoonist, comic book author, artist and toy designer. He also produces fine art works in a variety of other media, including painting and charcoal....
.
Like all Frank stories, Frank in the River is virtually wordless and the story is conveyed entirely in pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
.
Publication history
It was published by TundraTundra Publishing
Tundra Publishing was a Northampton, Massachusetts-based comic book publisher founded by Kevin Eastman in 1990.-Overview:Tundra was meant to provide a venue for high-quality work by talented cartoonists and illustrators. Its publications were noted in the trade for their high production values,...
in 1992 in a special full-color issue of Tantalizing Stories
Tantalizing Stories
Tantalizing Stories was a comic book series by Mark Martin and Jim Woodring published by Tundra Publishing. The contents of each black and white issue were divided between the two cartoonists and featured a variety of comic short stories, illustrations and text pieces...
, Tantalizing Stories Presents Frank in the River, and features Woodring's signature character, Frank
Frank (comics)
Frank is a cartoon character created by American cartoonist Jim Woodring. He is a bipedal, bucktoothed animal of uncertain species with a short tail, described by Woodring as a "generic anthropomorph". When shown in color, his fur is purple...
. The special issue also included a shorter full-color story by Mark Martin
Mark Martin (cartoonist)
Mark Martin is an American cartoonist known for lighthearted humor and satire.-Career:Martin's first major work in the 1980s was Gnatrat, a parody of Batman, featuring a rat who dresses as a gnat to fight crime...
featuring his character Montgomery Wart.
Plot synopsis
While trespassing inside an elaborate ornamental gardenGarden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
, Frank accidentally knocks over a huge statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
, destroying it and part of a wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
. Receiving a bill
Bill (payment)
A bill or invoice is a document requesting payment for an order previously supplied. Presentation of a bill is common practice on the part of credit card companies, utilities, and other service providers...
for the damages, he takes a job cleaning the inside and grounds of a large building which seems to be a palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
. While he is cleaning he notices a red cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
in the center of one of the palace rooms. At the end of the day he is fed a meal of gruel
Gruel
Gruel is a food preparation consisting of some type of cereal—oat, wheat or rye flour, or rice—boiled in water or milk. It is a thinner version of porridge that may be more often drunk than eaten and need not even be cooked...
by Manhog, who apparently is also a palace employee.
The next morning a swarm of strange monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s clamber out of a nearby river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
and onto the palace grounds. Frank runs out to do battle with them, and by the end of the day has killed them all. He buries their corpses in a hole which he covers with a large rock. Cleaning up after the battle, he peeks in the cistern and finds a small figurine
Figurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
which resembles the statue he knocked over. At dinner
Dinner
Dinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
Frank finds that Manhog has chopped up the remains of the monsters he killed and cooked them into a nauseating porridge
Porridge
Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish...
. Rejecting the food, Frank goes to bed.
That night Frank is awakened by a light turning on. Getting up, he sees Manhog moving around, and surreptitiously follows him down a long flight of stairs to an underground canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
. Frank's attempts to find out what Manhog is up to are thwarted when he unexpectedly encounters a stop sign
Stop sign
A Stop sign is a traffic sign to notify drivers that they must stop before proceeding.-Specifications:The Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals proposed standard stop sign diameters of 0.6, 0.9 or 1.2 metres. UK and New Zealand stop signs are 750, 900 or 1200 mm, according to sign...
, which causes him to tear back towards his room in a panic. After catching his breath he looks in the cistern again, and finds a different figurine shaped like one of the monsters he fought earlier.
Getting an idea, Frank makes a figurine that looks like himself and puts it in the cistern. Soon a small squad of Frank clones
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
emerge from the river. The real Frank, pleased with himself, sits back and smokes a pipe, while Manhog is dismayed by the approaching clones. Manhog looks in the cistern and finds the Frank figurine, which he smashes on the ground in anger.
Down in the mess hall the Frank clones wait expectantly for food. Manhog again serves up his same monster carcass porridge. Unlike the real Frank, the clones hungrily lap it up. When one of the clones bites down on a hard object in his porridge, all the clones are alarmed to see that it is the figurine of the destroyed statue. They chase Manhog back into the kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
, where they are appalled to see evidence of the carnage that went into making their meal. The Frank clones seize both Manhog and the remaining monster carcasses and drag them into the river, where they all disappear.
The real Frank, observing the scene from a telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
, is happy. He reclaims the statue figurine and puts it back in the red cistern. Having earned lots of money from the work he has been doing, he quits his job and goes to repay the owner of the garden, but the owner (unseen except for his hand
Hand
A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered extremity located at the end of an arm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs...
) simply pats him on the head and allows him to keep the money. Frank goes to a real estate agent
Real estate broker
A real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy...
and buys himself a house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, from which he can look out and see the place where he previously toiled.
Collected editions
Frank in the River is reprinted in the book collections Frank Volume 1 (1996, ISBN 1-56097-153-3) and The Frank Book (2003, ISBN 1-56097-534-2), both published by Fantagraphics BooksFantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
.
Reception
Frank in the River was the first full-color Frank story by Woodring, and is still his longest color story to date. Its intense, luminous hues won Woodring the 1993 Harvey AwardHarvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
for Best Colorist
Colorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
, while the special issue it appeared in won the award for Best Single Issue or Story. Woodring and the story were also each nominated for an Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
, for Best Painter (Interior) and Best Short Story respectively.
The logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
of cause and effect
Causality
Causality is the relationship between an event and a second event , where the second event is understood as a consequence of the first....
behind the sequence of events in Frank in the River is notoriously difficult to figure out. Woodring once released a limited facsimile
Facsimile
A facsimile is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale,...
edition of the complete rough draft of the story, "with a caption under each panel explaining just what is going on."