Michael Barrier (historian)
Encyclopedia
Michael Barrier is an American animation
historian
. Barrier was the founder and editor of Funnyworld, the first magazine exclusively devoted to comics and animation. It began as a contribution to the CAPA-Alpha amateur press association
. Starting in 1970 it expanded to being a magazine of general circulation that eventually had a printrun of several thousand before ceasing in the early 1980s. He also was an early champion of the work of comic book artist Carl Barks
, in a period when comic book fandom was mostly devoted to the celebration of super heroes and tended to denigrate funny animal
comics. Barrier serialized a bibliography of Barks' work in Funnyworld and in 1968 contributed an extensive essay analyzing Barks' work to the seventh issue of the Thompsons' pioneering fanzine Comic Art. The essay and bibliography installments were the genesis for Barrier's 1982 book Carl Barks and the Art of the Comic Book, still considered the essential work on the artist. Long out of print (and the object of less than pleasant relations between Barrier and the publisher) Barrier has stated a new edition "which will be so extensively revised, as well as retitled, that it will really be a new book—will be published eventually by Fantagraphics Books
."
In 1973, Barrier signed a contract with Oxford University Press
to write a history of Hollywood animation. The research and writing of that book extended over twenty-four years. With the aid of associate (and animator) Milt Gray, Barrier undertook extensive research and interviews of all the key figures who played a role in the creation of classic American theatrical animation, mainly that of Disney (Silly Symphonies and Mickey Mouse), Warner Bros.
(Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), MGM
(such as the Tom and Jerry series) and the Fleischer
/Famous
studios. That research provided the basis of his landmark 700-page history of classic animation, Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age (published in hardcover in 1999 and reissued and revised as a trade paperback in October 2003).
Barrier also provided several audio commentaries
for the first five Looney Tunes Golden Collection
DVD
box sets, his largest audio contributions being for the first volume. He has also appeared in documentaries about animation. Barrier's most recent book is a biography of Walt Disney
, The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney. A review of the book by Jeff Ayers described it as "More of a critical slam of Disney's cartoons and films than a useful biography, this book will disappoint, bore, or anger fans of the man." Disney historian Wade Sampson in a contrary view stated "If you are a fan of Walt Disney and want information that you know you can trust, then I definitely recommend you add this book to your collection." He also has his own website devoted to animation and comic art.
Barrier has announced his next book, which he is currently researching, will be titled Funnybooks, "a book on comic books
that will pay much less attention to superheroes than the usual comic-book history and much more to the likes of Carl Barks
, Walt Kelly
, and John Stanley
—that is, to the mainstays of the Dell
line, as well as to such significant creators as Will Eisner
and Harvey Kurtzman
."
Barrier at one point engaged in a lengthy discussion on animation topics with John Kricfalusi
that he was allowed to post on his website.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. Barrier was the founder and editor of Funnyworld, the first magazine exclusively devoted to comics and animation. It began as a contribution to the CAPA-Alpha amateur press association
Amateur press association
An amateur press association is a group of people who produce individual pages or magazines that are sent to a Central Mailer for collation and distribution to all members of the group.-Organisation:...
. Starting in 1970 it expanded to being a magazine of general circulation that eventually had a printrun of several thousand before ceasing in the early 1980s. He also was an early champion of the work of comic book artist Carl Barks
Carl Barks
Carl Barks was an American Disney Studio illustrator and comic book creator, who invented Duckburg and many of its inhabitants, such as Scrooge McDuck , Gladstone Gander , the Beagle Boys , The Junior Woodchucks , Gyro Gearloose , Cornelius Coot , Flintheart Glomgold , John D...
, in a period when comic book fandom was mostly devoted to the celebration of super heroes and tended to denigrate funny animal
Funny animal
Funny animal is a cartooning term for the genre of comics and animated cartoons in which the main characters are humanoid or talking animals, with anthropomorphic personality traits. The characters themselves may also be called funny animals...
comics. Barrier serialized a bibliography of Barks' work in Funnyworld and in 1968 contributed an extensive essay analyzing Barks' work to the seventh issue of the Thompsons' pioneering fanzine Comic Art. The essay and bibliography installments were the genesis for Barrier's 1982 book Carl Barks and the Art of the Comic Book, still considered the essential work on the artist. Long out of print (and the object of less than pleasant relations between Barrier and the publisher) Barrier has stated a new edition "which will be so extensively revised, as well as retitled, that it will really be a new book—will be published eventually by Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
."
In 1973, Barrier signed a contract with Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
to write a history of Hollywood animation. The research and writing of that book extended over twenty-four years. With the aid of associate (and animator) Milt Gray, Barrier undertook extensive research and interviews of all the key figures who played a role in the creation of classic American theatrical animation, mainly that of Disney (Silly Symphonies and Mickey Mouse), Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
(Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was the in-house division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture studio in Hollywood, California during the Golden Age of American animation, responsible for producing animated short subjects to accompany MGM feature films in Loew's Theaters...
(such as the Tom and Jerry series) and the Fleischer
Fleischer Studios
Fleischer Studios, Inc., was an American corporation which originated as an Animation studio located at 1600 Broadway, New York City, New York...
/Famous
Famous Studios
Famous Studios was the animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount acquired the aforementioned studio and ousted its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1941...
studios. That research provided the basis of his landmark 700-page history of classic animation, Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age (published in hardcover in 1999 and reissued and revised as a trade paperback in October 2003).
Barrier also provided several audio commentaries
Audio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
for the first five Looney Tunes Golden Collection
Looney Tunes Golden Collection
The Looney Tunes Golden Collection was an annual series of six four-disc DVD box sets from Warner Bros.' home video unit Warner Home Video, each containing about 60 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated shorts...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
box sets, his largest audio contributions being for the first volume. He has also appeared in documentaries about animation. Barrier's most recent book is a biography of Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
, The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney. A review of the book by Jeff Ayers described it as "More of a critical slam of Disney's cartoons and films than a useful biography, this book will disappoint, bore, or anger fans of the man." Disney historian Wade Sampson in a contrary view stated "If you are a fan of Walt Disney and want information that you know you can trust, then I definitely recommend you add this book to your collection." He also has his own website devoted to animation and comic art.
Barrier has announced his next book, which he is currently researching, will be titled Funnybooks, "a book on comic books
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
that will pay much less attention to superheroes than the usual comic-book history and much more to the likes of Carl Barks
Carl Barks
Carl Barks was an American Disney Studio illustrator and comic book creator, who invented Duckburg and many of its inhabitants, such as Scrooge McDuck , Gladstone Gander , the Beagle Boys , The Junior Woodchucks , Gyro Gearloose , Cornelius Coot , Flintheart Glomgold , John D...
, Walt Kelly
Walt Kelly
Walter Crawford Kelly, Jr. , or Walt Kelly, was an American animator and cartoonist, best known for the comic strip, Pogo. He began his animation career in 1936 at Walt Disney Studios, contributing to Pinocchio and Fantasia. Kelly resigned in 1941 at the age of 28 to work at Post-Hall Syndicate,...
, and John Stanley
John Stanley (comics)
John Stanley was a comic book creator, best known for writing Little Lulu from 1945 to 1959. While mostly known for scripting, Stanley also was an accomplished artist who drew many of his stories, including the earliest Little Lulu issues. His specialty was humorous stories, both with licensed...
—that is, to the mainstays of the Dell
Dell Comics
Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1973. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium...
line, as well as to such significant creators as Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
and Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman was an American cartoonist and the editor of several comic books and magazines. Kurtzman often signed his name H. Kurtz, followed by a stick figure Harvey Kurtzman (October 3, 1924, Brooklyn, New York – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and the editor of several comic...
."
Barrier at one point engaged in a lengthy discussion on animation topics with John Kricfalusi
John Kricfalusi
Michael John Kricfalusi , better known as John K., is a Canadian animator. He is creator of The Ren & Stimpy Show, its adults-only spin-off Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon", The Ripping Friends animated series, and Weekend Pussy Hunt, which was billed as "the world's first interactive web-based...
that he was allowed to post on his website.