Customer Reviews

The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE and the Changing Face of Comics

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved The Cartoonist! It was extremely entertaining and educational. I learned a lot about an industry I find fascinating. This is an incredible look inside Jeff Smith and his global "Bone" phenomenon as well the world of comic books and self-publishing. I highly recommend this DVD for anyone... but especially those interested in comic books, the comic arts and graphic novels. It's also a must-have for aspiring cartoonists as there is a wealth of information packed inside. This DVD is great!!

This video is a 76 min. documentary about Jeff Smith and his life before, during, and after the creation of the Bone graphic novel epic. It's exceptionally well produced and includes many interview segments with Jeff, Scott McCloud, and Jeff's friends/co-conspirators who worked with him for decades.

In the documentary you'll discover the origins of all the Bone characters and the lengthy process Smith went through to achieve the completion of his graphic novel.

One of the most interesting segments of this video is that it reveals Jeff's seven year stint as a part-owner of a small animation studio doing corporate/commercial work. Smith and McCloud describe how that experience helped translate and realize the vision behind Bone. It's especially pertinent for new comics artists and cartoonists. For me, it was the missing link to understanding WHY the art within Bone is so good, aside from technical expertise.

One bonus feature included on this DVD is an 82 min. discussion between Scott McCloud and Jeff Smith that took place at Ohio State University in front of a live audience. Combined with the primary video on the DVD, that totals over 2.5 hours of quality content.

Also included is a brief introduction by Jeff Smith to his latest project, RASL.

Overall, this DVD is a must-have for anyone looking to create their own graphic novels. It serves as inspiration and a guide, revealing insights to the process and what it takes to succeed. Highly Recommended!

This took me back. I was a comic dealer in 1992 an bought a lot of the books that Jeff was talking about. I remember my first prints 1 - 6 and how cool I thought they were. My wife even read the things and that was a first for me. Made a lot of money off the things too. Anyway, tells the story of the indy artist while focusing on jeff smith and bone. Tells how he came up with the story and how he got through writing the comic and what he plans to do later on somewhat. I met Jeff a long time ago and thought it was neat then. After seeing the dvd I am even more impressed with him and his story. Anyway, if you want to know about a cool story inside of a cool story either buy it or rent it. Anyway, just see it. On a side note, if the person you are seeing it with has no clue who Jeff Smith or bone is they will hate it.