In the lead article in the Arts Section of the April 4, 2001  N.Y. Times, Neil Strauss celebrates the sad and brilliant art of cartoonist Chris Ware (Acme Library, Jimmy Corrigan).  Strauss's lengthy article is headlined 'Creating Literature, One Comic Book at a Time,' and is accompanied by full color illustrations of Ware's work and a photo of Ware.  The author quotes cartoonist Ivan Burnetti, who states that Ware 'has changed our assumptions about this humble art form more radically than anyone since Robert Crumb.'  Strauss himself refers to Ware as 'one of the best graphic artists of his generation' and credits him with heralding ' the arrival of a more rarefied genre: graphic literature.'

 

In addition to all the praise, Strauss points out how Ware's art reflects his own life, how the artist's love of ragtime is mirrored in the compositional complexity of his work, how Ware has assimilated the lush graphic style of late 19th Century American commercial art, how in the midst of a profusion of panels, borders and delightfully humorous faux ad copy, there exist painfully inarticulate characters that bleed loneliness and desperation.

 

 

This article and others that have appeared in the Times and the all-important Times Book Review over the past three months (see 'Safe Area Gorzade Reviewed in N.Y.Times') represent a radical change in the attitude of the American literary establishment toward graphic novels and graphic literature.  This change provides specialty retailers with unparalleled opportunity to market to a new audience.  All of Chris Ware's Acme Library books are available from his publisher, Fantagraphics Books, as well as from distributors Diamond Comic Distributors, FM International, and Cold Cut Distribution.  This latest rave review is a great excuse to set up a Chris Ware boutique or window display, perhaps with the headline and illo involved.  Comics are being taken seriously at last, so it's high time to make money with serious comics.