Archive for April 7th, 2006
The first issue of Bear hit the stands in June of 2003, and the tenth and final issue arrived in December, 2005. In between, Jamie Smart estimates that he worked on 300 pages – half of which were collected in 2004’s Bear: Immortal trade paperback, the other half of which will be collected in the upcoming Bear: Demons in June.
The comic is published by Slave Labor Graphics, an American “alternative” company, though Jamie himself is British.
Past articles on littlemathletics would suggest that this is the point that I should start talking about how the work is an example of postmodern genius, but Wikipedia beat me to the punch:
“The stories are marked by a combination of violent shocks, random silliness , and other hallmarks of Dada.”
I could spend a while here arguing that it does not, in fact, show the hallmarks of Dada, but that would be missing the point of Bear. It’s short, sharp and hilariously funny, and for that reason, it appeals to a wider audience than a majority of comics. Storywise, Bear is simply the story of a stuffed bear, named Bear, his owner, Karl, and Looshkin, Karl’s cat, whose life’s work is to torment and maim Bear. There’s no story arcs, or alternate universes, just swearing and destruction. And faeces. It’s got something for everyone.
littlemathletics spoke to Jamie Smart about Bear, his new projects, and much, more more.