The Frank Book [Hardcover]

Jim Woodring (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

A visionary work of comic art for the ages. Readers who haven't discovered Jim Woodring's "Frank" stories have a colossal treat waiting for them. Since 1991, these lusciously rendered, hypnotic fables have dazzled comics readers the world over. Now, for the first time, Fantagraphics will collect all the Frank stories in one massive and deluxe tome, The Frank Book. Between its handsome cloth covers are 344 pages of Frank comics, drawings and oddities. A fancy dustjacket, swoon-inducing endpapers and ribbon bookmark make this book a decorative object as well as a repository of storytelling genius. Frank is a unique, visionary comic, exquisitely drawn and so fully realized that readers find themselves drawn deeply into Woodring's hallucinatory mindscape. The stories, almost entirely wordless, are told with brilliant, candy colors that people of all ages find alluring. Is The Frank Book a book for children? For some children, certainly: smart, secure children who enjoy a good puzzle and aren't too upset by a little grim mayhem. This is strong stuff, in places. What are the stories about? It's impossible to say... clued-in readers all agree they are about something, but the world of Frank must be experienced to be understood.

Who is Frank? Another unanswerable question. Does it explain him to say that he is an 11-year-old generic anthropomorph who lives in a force-laden landscape called the Unifactor? That he is curious but not smart, naïve but not noble? That his most outstanding character trait is his ineducability? What of Pupshaw, Frank's semi-subservient housedog-like godling? Or Manhog, the bloated bladder of sin with a heart of radiance? Who can explain the platonic Jerry Chickens, or the lachrymose Lucky? Does it explain things to say that Frank has a Real Pa and a Faux Pa, and that they are indistinguishable? The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget The Frank Book. This definitive collection is the very best way to give, receive and experience one of the great cartoon achievements of the 20th century. 9g pages full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Woodring, a modern master of hallucinatory cartoon fables, specializes in comics that look normal but aren't. Woodring's hallmarks are inventive, often bizarre creatures who inhabit otherworldly landscapes and dreamlike narratives. This book's hero, Frank, is a catlike anthropomorph who lives in a surreal, exotic world. Woodring uses cartoon grammar brilliantly: within a single panel, he captures the round, loose style of classic animated cartoons and conjures the best of early Disney, while simultaneously acting as master engraver, with a quality of line work and elegant shading reminiscent of Gustave Dore. Many of the stories are in b&w, but when color appears, the palette is a cheerful kaleidoscope. For director Coppola, Woodring's work is magical and "maliciously oblique." While innocent Frank is principally defined by his curiosity, he isn't without guile. The mostly wordless vignettes chronicling his misadventures are actually meditations on friendship, fear, consequence and cruelty, with a mixture of pathos, humor and gore that is often disquieting. His escapades also include a recurring parade of characters: Pushpaw, Frank's faithful pet; the repulsive Manhog, perennially unlucky liege of Whim (a sinister figure with a devilish barbed tail); Faux Pa and Real Pa; and the Jerry Chickens, geometrically shaped fowl who play cards. Woodring's talent is finally captured in a definitive collection that lives up to his genius. The production and design make it an outstanding gift for enthusiasts, and it assembles all the Frank material since the 1991 debut, including covers, illustrations, trading cards and ephemera for the completist.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The total absence of dialogue in Woodring's "Frank" is fitting, because words alone fall far short of conveying the ineffable nature of this exquisite comic strip. But here goes: Frank is a vaguely feline anthropoid who inhabits a lush landscape with other, equally peculiar characters, such as the grotesque Manhog, Frank's recurring antagonist; Pupshaw, his satchel-like pet and protector; and Whim, a rail-thin, moonfaced devil. Frank's quietly bizarre adventures generally occur when the none-too-bright creature's curiosity lures him into fraught encounters with the other cast members or with the environment itself. Woodring depicts Frank's disturbingly alluring world in a highly controlled but expressive, cartoony style that evokes early animated films, and which he presents in either stark, bold black-and-white or the brash colors of early Disney cartoons. The overall effect is compellingly enigmatic and completely convincing, comics art of a highly rarefied nature that doesn't appeal to everybody but is as imaginative, daunting, and distinctive as George Herriman's classic strip, "Krazy Kat." Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560975342
• ISBN-13: 978-1560975342
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,212,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete Compendium of Comic Critter, July 11, 2003

By 

Stefan Jones (Suburbs of Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Frank Book (Hardcover)

Jim Woodring has been drawing FRANK adventures for over a decade. They've appeared in many places, including his own comic book and an edition of the Whole Earth Catalog. This nicely produced hardcover collects all two-dozen-odd FRANK adventures, with a few new pieces, an afterward by Woodring, and an introduction by (!) Francis Ford Coppola (!).

FRANK is an odd little fellow: A generic funny animal, a bit like a cat, a bit like a bear, a bit like a chipmunk. He's usually mild mannered and curious, but is capable of great compassion and fits of violent temper.

Frank's world is rich and strange: A wilderness dotted with exotic buildings and very odd creatures, such as the id-driven Manhog, the Jivas (spirit-creatures that look as though they were cut on a lathe), and the menacing, demon-like Whim. It's all very dream-like; sometimes nightmarish, sometimes charming, always intriguing.

Frank's adventures are entirely pantomime, with written words confined to an occasional sign or letter (or ransom note...). They range from one page vignettes ("In the Mood") to epics like "Frank's High Horse" and "Frank's Real Pa." Some ("Frank in the River") are interesting little adventures; some are humorous; a few are terribly disturbing ("The Palace of Horrors").

Most of the strips are in wonderfully elaborate and evocative black-and-white. The color strips appear shockingly lurid in contrast.

I adore FRANK and had no trouble paying for this volume despite owning two previous (and now redundant) collections. But I suspect his adventures may not appeal to everyone. The easily freaked-out may find them positively creepy. A few sample FRANK strips are available on Woodring's website (dub-dub-dub dot jimwoodring dot com); I suggest checking them out before leaping in.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, July 10, 2003

By 

E. K. RIGHTER (Chalfont, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Frank Book (Hardcover)

After turning just a few pages of this book I was lost in the world of Frank. Frank's world has its own form of logic that seems startling at first. The character's define themselves through their actions since there are is no dialogue. Recurring, repetitive images and patterns abound. Jim Woodring's artwork here is truly amazing. The forward by Francis Ford Coppola is somewhat enlightening but gives the reader no idea what to really expect. This collection of comics is definitely not one for the kids; it is rather cruel and gruesome at times. There is also a very twisted sense of humor at work here. This book made me laugh, gasp, and wonder. All in all a brilliant collection of work with extras in the back such as cover artwork. Definitely a treat for the eyes as well as the soul. Bonus: This is also a much better deal than buying both the Frank #1 and Frank #2 books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My new favorite comic, February 9, 2004

By 

"walnut142" (Stuyvesant NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Frank Book (Hardcover)

I was just recently pulled from the dregs of mainstream superhero comics in the last 2 years. It was a slow and painful operation, but eventaully my eyes were opened to how stupid they really are. So, of course, i got into indy comics, where the art is not only categorically better but the stories are...god, don't even get me started. We're not talking about me or indy comics in general here. We're talking about the remarkable Jim Woodring's FRANK. Woodring is a master artist who pulls tricks out of his hat that no one's ever even thought of before; his inventive use of pressure on his pen to create the effects of light and dark, not mention every texture imaginable, is absolutely astonishing. Every panel of every page looks so finished you'd think there was an assembly line working on this. Nope; it's just Woodring. If his original black and white pages weren't enough, his full-painted comics and covers convey a measure of patience and diligence unheard of even in most fine art. His expressive characters are all wonderful to look at, because nothing like any of them has ever been seen before. Now, Woodring's art could be praised so many times in so many different ways that Amazon would collapse, but his stories deserve just as much recognition. Every issue is breathtakingly creative, and the plots are completely oringinal. Somehow, despite the fact that they're all silent, a connection is made with the characters on a deep, intense level. Frank, curious and innocent (but not noble), Pupshaw, dependent and loyal, Whim, vindictive and conniving, and every other character within are perfectly fleshed out. Woodring is subtly and bombastically brilliant; you barely even notice that the book is silent or that you're reading about a cat-ferret-beaver. Thing. Frank is a generic anthropomorph, resembling a lot of things but being none of them. FRANK is as surreal as any Dali piece, and in some ways, on par with them in sheer originality and quality. the stories are bizzare, fluid, funny, disturbing, unsettling, lively and like nothing i've ever seen before. Collected in this handsome hardcover volume (which means no more scrabbling for individual issues), Frank is a dream-come-true in so many ways. The book the favorite of all the comics i own, because it cannot be called similar to anything else. Thank god for Jim Woodring; the comics world will be barren and lonely without him.