Rubber Blanket
Encyclopedia
Rubber Blanket was an alternative comics
anthology
magazine edited by the husband/wife team of cartoonist
David Mazzucchelli
and painter/colorist Richmond Lewis
. It was self-published
under the banner of Rubber Blanket Press in a deluxe, oversized format from 1991 and 1993 lasted for three issues.
While an anthology of different artists, Rubber Blanket is mostly a showcase for Mazzucchelli's work. In it, he largely turns his back on the superhero
work that had made him a fan-favorite, and moved towards a personal storytelling style with bold and more expressionistic artwork. These stories earned Mazzucchelli the 72nd postion on The Comics Journal
s list of the best comics of the 20th century.
for DC Comics
and Daredevil
for Marvel
, when he abruptly left the world of superheroes (supposedly giving up an offer to draw the popular X-Men
series) to make more personal works. He didn't produce any commercial work for a year, and studied underground comix
and children's books, and took printmaking classes.
In 1991 he published the first issue of the anthology
Rubber Blanket in a deluxe, oversized format. Each issue was 9"x12", and was self-published
by Mazzucchelli and Lewis under the imprint of Rubber Blanket Press, based in Hoboken, New Jersey
. The name was taken from the rubber blanket used to transfer ink from the printing plates to the printing surface in offset printing
. The title was meant to indicate that the printing process was integral to the work published therein.
Rubber Blanket was mainly a vehicle for Mazzucchelli to publish his more adventurous work, but it also showcased a few other artists' work: Ted Stearn's "Fuzz and Pluck", works by David Hornung, some work by Mazzucchelli's wife Richmond Lewis
, and the beginning of a translation of the Italian
"Happy Birthday, Signora" by Massimo Semerano and Francesca Ghermandi.
"Happy Birthday, Signora" was later continued in the Kim Thompson
-edited Zero Zero
from Fantagraphics
, starting in issue #19, and renamed "Pop. 666". The chapter that was printed in Rubber Blanket #3 was reprinted in a new translation in Zero Zero #20, sometimes referring to the translation Mazzucchelli was involved with.
A fourth issue was never published, as Mazzucchelli had notices that his stories were getting longerfrom 9 pages to 24 and ultimately to 34 pages for "Big Man" in issue #3. Mazzucchelli wanted more space and wanted to dedicate the fourth issue to one long story. That story ended up being Asterios Polyp
, which was published as a hardcover graphic novel
by Pantheon Books
in 2009.
's "head blow off". All three issues are long sold out and highly sought after by collectors at high prices.
"The short stories in Rubber Blanket by David Mazzucchelli" ranked #72 on The Comics Journal
s list of the best comics of the 20th century.
Alternative comics
Alternative 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...
anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
magazine edited by the husband/wife team of cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
David Mazzucchelli
David Mazzucchelli
David Mazzucchelli is an American comic book artist and writer. His latest work is the award-winning graphic novel, Asterios Polyp.-Career:...
and painter/colorist Richmond Lewis
Richmond Lewis
Richard Lewis is an American painter who worked briefly as a comic book colorist. She is married to David Mazzucchelli. Coloring was a sideline from her main career as a painter, and occurred mainly because Mazzucchelli wanted to bring Lewis into his world of comics.- Writer/Artist :*"If It Weren't...
. It was self-published
Self-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
under the banner of Rubber Blanket Press in a deluxe, oversized format from 1991 and 1993 lasted for three issues.
While an anthology of different artists, Rubber Blanket is mostly a showcase for Mazzucchelli's work. In it, he largely turns his back on the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
work that had made him a fan-favorite, and moved towards a personal storytelling style with bold and more expressionistic artwork. These stories earned Mazzucchelli the 72nd postion 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 best comics of the 20th century.
Publishing history
Mazzucchelli had achieved success working on a number of popular titles, including Batman: Year OneBatman: Year One
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein...
for DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
for Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, when he abruptly left the world of superheroes (supposedly giving up an offer to draw the popular X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
series) to make more personal works. He didn't produce any commercial work for a year, and studied underground comix
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
and children's books, and took printmaking classes.
In 1991 he published the first issue of the anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
Rubber Blanket in a deluxe, oversized format. Each issue was 9"x12", and was self-published
Self-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
by Mazzucchelli and Lewis under the imprint of Rubber Blanket Press, based in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
. The name was taken from the rubber blanket used to transfer ink from the printing plates to the printing surface in offset printing
Offset printing
Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface...
. The title was meant to indicate that the printing process was integral to the work published therein.
Rubber Blanket was mainly a vehicle for Mazzucchelli to publish his more adventurous work, but it also showcased a few other artists' work: Ted Stearn's "Fuzz and Pluck", works by David Hornung, some work by Mazzucchelli's wife Richmond Lewis
Richmond Lewis
Richard Lewis is an American painter who worked briefly as a comic book colorist. She is married to David Mazzucchelli. Coloring was a sideline from her main career as a painter, and occurred mainly because Mazzucchelli wanted to bring Lewis into his world of comics.- Writer/Artist :*"If It Weren't...
, and the beginning of a translation of the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
"Happy Birthday, Signora" by Massimo Semerano and Francesca Ghermandi.
"Happy Birthday, Signora" was later continued in the Kim Thompson
Kim Thompson
Kim Thompson is an American comic book editor, translator, and publisher, best known as vice president and co-publisher of Seattle-based Fantagraphics Books. Along with co-publisher Gary Groth, Thompson has for almost thirty years used his position to further the cause of alternative comics in the...
-edited Zero Zero
Zero Zero
Zero Zero is a synth band, formed out of the New Jersey punk band Lifetime by Lifetime members Dave Palaitis-guitar & vocals , Ari Katz-vocals & drums, and Katz's wife Tannis Kristjanson -vocals & keyboards...
from Fantagraphics
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...
, starting in issue #19, and renamed "Pop. 666". The chapter that was printed in Rubber Blanket #3 was reprinted in a new translation in Zero Zero #20, sometimes referring to the translation Mazzucchelli was involved with.
A fourth issue was never published, as Mazzucchelli had notices that his stories were getting longerfrom 9 pages to 24 and ultimately to 34 pages for "Big Man" in issue #3. Mazzucchelli wanted more space and wanted to dedicate the fourth issue to one long story. That story ended up being Asterios Polyp
Asterios Polyp
-Sources:*Shaw, Dash. "TCJ 300 Conversations: David Mazzucchelli & Dash Shaw". The Comics Journal #300. Fantagraphics Books, December 2009. part -External links:* in New York Magazine* in The New York Times...
, which was published as a hardcover graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books is an American imprint with editorial independence that is part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.The current editor-in-chief at Pantheon Books is Dan Frank.-Overview:...
in 2009.
Issues
The stories in Rubber Blanket have never been collected in English. There have been foreign editions that have translated some of these stories in book form.- 1991, 48 pages
- "Near Miss" (David MazzucchelliDavid MazzucchelliDavid Mazzucchelli is an American comic book artist and writer. His latest work is the award-winning graphic novel, Asterios Polyp.-Career:...
) - "If it Weren't for Men..." (Richmond LewisRichmond LewisRichard Lewis is an American painter who worked briefly as a comic book colorist. She is married to David Mazzucchelli. Coloring was a sideline from her main career as a painter, and occurred mainly because Mazzucchelli wanted to bring Lewis into his world of comics.- Writer/Artist :*"If It Weren't...
) - "Beyond the Last Pier" (Art/Story: Lewis; Text/Story: Mazzucchelli)
- "Mope & Grope" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Dead Dog" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Near Miss" (David Mazzucchelli
- 1992, 56 pages
- "Blind Date" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Pyrum Spoth's Theory Of Truth" (David Hornung)
- "Mope & Grope" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Smiling Joe" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Discovering America" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Beach Boy" (Ted Stearn)
- "Air" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Hey, I'm Serious" (Mazzucchelli)
- 1993, 72 pages
- "Mope & Grope" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Life o' Bub" (Hornung)
- "Mope & Grope" (Mazzucchelli)
- "Happy Birthday, Signora" (Massimo Semerano & Francesca Ghermani)
translated from ItalianItalian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
by Semerano, Ghermandi and Mazzucchelli - "Big Man" (Mazzucchelli)
The longest story in Rubber Blanket, about a giant discovered washed up on the shore in a rural area.
The story has been said to be "essentially a very well-crafted Incredible Hulk story", but Mazzucchelli says he had intended it as a fable-like story, and not a commentary on superhero stories. - "Fuzz & Pluck" (Stearn)
- "The Death of Monsieur Absurde"" (Mazzucchelli)
Reception
Rubber Blanket has received much praise, and reportedly made Rob LiefeldRob Liefeld
Rob Liefeld is an American comic book writer, illustrator, and publisher. A prominent artist in the 1990s, he has since become a controversial figure in the medium....
's "head blow off". All three issues are long sold out and highly sought after by collectors at high prices.
"The short stories in Rubber Blanket by David Mazzucchelli" ranked #72 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 best comics of the 20th century.
Sources
- Mazzucchelli, David & Lewis, Richmond (editors). Rubber Blanket #3. Rubber Blanket Press, 1993
- Thompson, KimKim ThompsonKim Thompson is an American comic book editor, translator, and publisher, best known as vice president and co-publisher of Seattle-based Fantagraphics Books. Along with co-publisher Gary Groth, Thompson has for almost thirty years used his position to further the cause of alternative comics in the...
, ed. Zero ZeroZero ZeroZero Zero is a synth band, formed out of the New Jersey punk band Lifetime by Lifetime members Dave Palaitis-guitar & vocals , Ari Katz-vocals & drums, and Katz's wife Tannis Kristjanson -vocals & keyboards...
#20. 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...
, September/October 1996. - 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:...
, ed. 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...
#210. 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...
, February 1999. - Shaw, Dash. "TCJ 300 Conversations: David Mazzucchelli & Dash Shaw". The Comics Journal #300. Fantagraphics Books, December 2009. part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
See also
- Paul Auster's City of GlassCity of Glass: The Graphic NovelCity of Glass: The Graphic Novel is a one-volume comics adaptation of American author Paul Auster's novella City of Glass. The story was originally part of The New York Trilogy, and in 1994, David Mazzucchelli and Paul Karasik set out to adapt the offbeat, somewhat surreal short novel into a...
- RawRAW (magazine)RAW was a comics anthology edited by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly and published by Mouly from 1980 to 1991. It was a flagship publication of the 1980s alternative comics movement, serving as a more intellectual counterpoint to Robert Crumb's visceral Weirdo, which followed squarely in the...
External links
- David Mazzucchelli Master Post, an overview of Mazzucchelli's oeuvre