Crazy Comic News
Walt Disney + Roald Dahl = crazy crazy crazy.When people hear the word “gremlins,” they probably think of mythical creatures, like gnomes or trolls, that have appeared in fairy tales and folklore for centuries. Actually, gremlins originated during World War II, and made their first literary appearance in a book by British author Roald Dahl, which Walt Disney once intended to turn into a movie.Basically, Dahl's book is now being published with the original Disney illustrations.
Now here's where the third name gets added into the mix:
Gremlin Gus was featured in comics adventures—all but one drawn by Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo—in Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories from 1943 to 1944.Disney and Dahl and Kelly. Part of me is relieved that the project never went through. What if it had and it was awful? What then? I don't think I could live with myself. At least if this book takes a turn for the blah we can blame other factors.
In other news, First Second has just signed up three new books. One is about French freedom fighter children. One is by the author of the truly amazing American Born Chinese. And one is written by Jane Yolen. Yup. It's called Foiled and is about a female fencer. I see a trend in the works. With authors like Shannon Hale (who is working on her own graphic novel) looking to work in the realm of gns, it seems to me as if savvy authors are increasingly turning their talents towards this highly lucrative (not to say creative) form of storytelling. Authors take note.
posted by fusenumber8 @ 12:21 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
Gremlins did make it into at least one WWII-era Bugs Bunny cartoon - it's in one of the "Golden Age" collections on CD that we have. There was only one gremlin, but it did look a bit like the ones in the picture you put up, and there was a plane. And a joke about fuel rationing at the end.
Kriz
Admittedly, my gremlin knowledge began with a Twilight Zone episode, continued with those peculiar 80s movies, and ended with the Simpsons tribut to the aforementioned Twilight Zone episode. None of which were quite as cute as what Disney had in mind.
I should rent that Golden Age collection. Sounds interesting.
I love those cartoon collections. They're not exhaustive - but I have no problem with the decision to leave out the ones that clearly reflect 1940s-1950s attitudes about race.
Kriz
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