La prochaine sur sa liste n’est autre que Betty Boop - l’égérie des dessins animés du studio Fleischer et sexe-symbole de l’âge d’or de l’animation américaine créée au début des années 30 - qu’il réinterprète pour le compte de l’éditeur Dynamite avec l’aide de la dessinatrice Gisèle Lagacé.
Betty Boop #1 sort en août sous pas moins de cinq couvertures : la première illustrée par Howard Chaykin (ci-dessus), une de Roger Langridge, une de Gisèle Lagacé, une de MaxFleischer et une dernière « à colorier » réalisée par J. Bone :
Covers by: Howard Chaykin, Roger Langridge, Gisele Legace, J. Bone.
Description: The most famous female cartoon star of all is back - and Dynamite has her! All-new adventures of Betty Boop (with her pals Koko the Clown and Bimbo, natch!) by writer Roger Langridge and Gisele Lagace. Join Betty as she works at the Oop-A-Doop Club, dreams of hitting the big-time, looks after her old Grampy… oh yeah, and fights ghosts! (Betty was always ahead of her time!)
[quote] The era generally resonates with me for some reason (at least in an aesthetic sense; I don’t imagine the Depression was much fun to live through). Artistically, it was such an exciting time: talking pictures had just been invented, animation was getting sophisticated for the first time, newspaper comics were at their artistic peak, jazz music was breaking all the rules, broadcast media in the form of radio was changing the way we consume entertainment. I think the Fleischers’ cartoons represent a perfect storm of a bunch of those things, and that, combined with their often highly eccentric and surreal choice of subject matter, straight from the id to your eyeballs, makes for a heady brew indeed! It just works, in a way that things that aren’t created in a “calculated” way so often do.
As for how I capture that tone, and Betty specifically: I’m not sure I do, entirely, but I’m giving it my best shot.** I write early in the morning as a rule, before I’m entirely awake, so I hope I capture a bit of that dream-logic that characterizes the cartoons.** I try to imagine how Betty would behave in the cartoons and have her react to the situations I throw at her in a way that seems consistent with what’s established there – being a tough cookie, never giving up, being fiercely loyal to her friends; it’s one of the basic tools in a writer’s kit, putting yourself in the shoes of your characters. I haven’t really analyzed it more closely than that! So far I seem to be getting away with it.[/quote]
Description: Lenny Lizardlips wants to turn Grampy’s house into a nightclub to bring hot tunes to the widows and orphans. A noble goal, surely? But all is not what it seems. Fiendish deeds are afoot! Time to call… the Department of Jazz! Brand-new, Fleischer-styled hijinks for Betty Boop, Koko, Bimbo and her friends.
Description: Bugs, bugs, bugs! The town is overrun with them! Sprays can’t get rid of them. Grampy’s inventions can’t shift them … and they’re getting bigger and bigger! Join Betty Boop, Koko, Bimbo and friends as they not only take on the insect kingdom, but also meet a record producer! Opportunity is finally knocking… or is that just the sound of deathwatch beetles?
Description: Betty may have finally hit the big time, because movie star Lex Linton wants her to be his leading lady! But all is not what it seems… and Betty, Bimbo, Koko and the gang may have to escape the Underworld itself before it’s all over! More thrills, laughs and swingin’ tunes – just the way you like 'em!
