The Book of Jim
Encyclopedia
The Book of Jim is a 1993 collection of short comic
stories by American
artist Jim Woodring
. It collects most of the material from the first volume of Woodring's Jim
magazine, including color reproductions of the covers of the four issues, plus four pages of new material in full color. It includes an introduction by Mark Martin
, with whom he was producing the series Tantalizing Stories
at the time.
The cover of the book contains the byline, "The punitively memorable best from Jim Woodring's notorious autojournal
."
The book ranked #71 on The Comics Journal
s list of the 100 best comics of the century.
Several of the pieces ("Tales of Bears", "The Hour of the Kitchen", "Screechy Peachy", "Horse Sinister", "Dinosaur Cage", "When the Lobster Whistles on the Hill", "Good Medicine", "My Dreamhouse") are prose pieces, most of which are illustrated. They are written in an automatic
, stream of consciousness
style that can be bewildering and disturbing.
This collects most of the material from the four issues of Jim
Volume 1, and adds the four-page full-color Screechy Peachy.
The non-Frank
material from Jim
Volume 2 remains uncollected as of April 2011.
Alan Moore
provided this quote:
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
stories by American
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
artist 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....
. It collects most of the material from the first volume of Woodring's Jim
Jim (comics)
Jim is a comic book series by Jim Woodring. Begun in 1980 as a self-published zine, it was picked up by Fantagraphics Books in 1986 after Woodring was introduced to Gary Groth by Gil Kane. The publisher released four magazine-sized, black and white issues starting in September, 1987...
magazine, including color reproductions of the covers of the four issues, plus four pages of new material in full color. It includes an introduction 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...
, with whom he was producing the series 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...
at the time.
The cover of the book contains the byline, "The punitively memorable best from Jim Woodring's notorious autojournal
Jim (comics)
Jim is a comic book series by Jim Woodring. Begun in 1980 as a self-published zine, it was picked up by Fantagraphics Books in 1986 after Woodring was introduced to Gary Groth by Gil Kane. The publisher released four magazine-sized, black and white issues starting in September, 1987...
."
The book ranked #71 on The Comics Journal
The Comics Journal
The Comics Journal, often abbreviated TCJ, is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels...
s list of the 100 best comics of the century.
Overview
The book is a collection of different short pieces, mostly in black and white. Most of the comics are based on Woodring's own dreams, translated verbatim into comics from his dream journal. The stories have been described as "autobiographical", though they are not strictly based on events from Woodring's waking life.Several of the pieces ("Tales of Bears", "The Hour of the Kitchen", "Screechy Peachy", "Horse Sinister", "Dinosaur Cage", "When the Lobster Whistles on the Hill", "Good Medicine", "My Dreamhouse") are prose pieces, most of which are illustrated. They are written in an automatic
Automatic writing
Automatic writing or psychography is writing which the writer states to be produced from a subconscious and/or spiritual source without conscious awareness of the content.-History:...
, stream of consciousness
Stream of consciousness
In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode that seeks to portray an individual's point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character's thought processes, either in a loose interior monologue, or in connection to his or her actions.Stream-of-consciousness writing...
style that can be bewildering and disturbing.
Contents
- Author's Note
- Introduction by Mark MartinMark 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...
- "Two Children Inadvertently Kill an Agent of the Devil"
- "What the Left Hand Did"
- "Cheap Work/My Hero is a Bastard"
- "Tales of Bears (part 1)"
- "The Lousy Show"
- "Invidible Hinge"
- "At the Old Estate"
- "Let's Play"
- "Enough is Enough"
- "The Hour of the Kitten"
- Covers to JimJim (comics)Jim is a comic book series by Jim Woodring. Begun in 1980 as a self-published zine, it was picked up by Fantagraphics Books in 1986 after Woodring was introduced to Gary Groth by Gil Kane. The publisher released four magazine-sized, black and white issues starting in September, 1987...
#1-4 (full color) - "Screechy Peachy" (full color, previously unpublished)
- "Particular Mind"
A dream comic which "begins and ends with images of Woodring’s cartoon alter-ego[...]drawing, or rather trying to draw, a process filled with frustration." "Jim" is frustrated with his lack of ability in an art class. Through a series of ever-changing scenes, "Jim" eventually builds his confidence back up, only to have it torn down again when he returns to the art class. - "Horse Sinister"
- "Powerland"
- "Big Red"
- "Pulque"
- "Barnyard Trouble"
- "Dinosaur Cage"
- "Nidrian Gardener"
- "Seafood Platter From Hell"
- "Pillar of Stew"
- "When the Lobster Whistles on the Hill (part 1)"
- "Good Medicine"
- "Li'l Rat"
- "Big Red"
- "My Dreamhouse"
- Jimland Novelties
Pages advertising items handmade and sold by Woodring
This collects most of the material from the four issues of Jim
Jim (comics)
Jim is a comic book series by Jim Woodring. Begun in 1980 as a self-published zine, it was picked up by Fantagraphics Books in 1986 after Woodring was introduced to Gary Groth by Gil Kane. The publisher released four magazine-sized, black and white issues starting in September, 1987...
Volume 1, and adds the four-page full-color Screechy Peachy.
The non-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...
material from Jim
Jim (comics)
Jim is a comic book series by Jim Woodring. Begun in 1980 as a self-published zine, it was picked up by Fantagraphics Books in 1986 after Woodring was introduced to Gary Groth by Gil Kane. The publisher released four magazine-sized, black and white issues starting in September, 1987...
Volume 2 remains uncollected as of April 2011.
Reception
The book didn't sell impressively, but has been widely praised. It was ranked #71 on the Comics Journal's list of the 100 best comics of the century.Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
provided this quote:
See also
- Alternative comicsAlternative comicsAlternative comics defines a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to "mainstream" superhero comics which in the past have dominated the US comic book industry...
- Autobiographical comicsAutobiographical comicsAutobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
- Dream journalDream journalA dream journal is a journal in which dream experiences are recorded. A dream journal might include a record of nightly dreams, personal reflections and waking dream experiences. It is often used in the study of dreams and psychology. Dream journals are also used by people trying to lucid dream....
Sources
- Woodring, Jim. The Book of Jim. Fantagraphics BooksFantagraphics BooksFantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
, 1993. ISBN 1-56097-091-X - Groth, GaryGary GrothGary Groth is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of The Comics Journal and a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books.-Early life:...
. interview with Gary GrothGary GrothGary Groth is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of The Comics Journal and a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books.-Early life:...
from the Comics Journal #164 Jim Woodring interview], page 54-87. The Comics JournalThe Comics JournalThe Comics Journal, often abbreviated TCJ, is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels...
#164. Fantagraphics BooksFantagraphics BooksFantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
, December 1993.
External links
- Official website selling Woodring's ware, including "Jimland Novelties"