Winsor McCay: The Complete Little Nemo 1905-1909

by Winsor McCay, Alexander Braun (Editor)

Meet Little Nemo, Winsor McCay s masterful comic creation that inspired artists from Robert Crumb to Federico Fellini. This sparkling reprint includes some of the best of Nemo s nighttime escapades from 1905-1909, as well as a comprehensive, illustrated study to the comic s pioneering dream narrative. Little Nemo ferries the reader back to a sweet once-upon-a-time-ness TASCHEN has done connoisseurs of fantasy and fine cartooning a grand service. The New York Times"

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Art

368 pages, Hardcover

Published February 9, 2017

About the author

Was an American cartoonist and animator, best known for the comic strip Little Nemo (begun 1905) and the animated cartoon Gertie the Dinosaur (1914). For legal reasons, he worked under the pen name Silas on the comic strip Dream of the Rarebit Fiend.
A prolific artist, McCay's pioneering early animated films far outshone the work of his contemporaries, and set a standard followed by Walt Disney and others in later decades. His comic strip work has influenced generations of artists, including creators such as William Joyce, André LeBlanc, Moebius, Maurice Sendak, Chris Ware and Bill Watterson.

Reviews

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how archival material should be done. Large, reproduced unadulterated, so ben-day dots are visible. A fantastic book length introduction bringing together a lot of scholarship, brilliant biography showing how early life influenced his art and choice of subjects. Art from the comic strips shown alongside antique postcards, and also postcards of architecture matching the view that McCay drew! FANTASTIC!
One tiny complaint, I can't lift the book to read it as it's so large and heavy! You will need a lectern, or heavy cushion on your lap as you read it at the table! BUT read the above to know I loved the content!

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my sister and my favorite movies as a kid was the 1980s animated adaptation of Little Nemo in Slumberland. When I became an adult, I wanted to read some of the original comics, which proved difficult because the format was so large as to render the font illegibly small and artwork pointlessly minuscule.

That’s one of the great things about this collection, though; in this massive book that honestly weighs around 5 pounds, the format is preserved in the 1910s Sunday paper format. Readable AND cumbersome! There’s a whole bunch of archival notes and early strips at the front, taking up roughly half the page count. It’s meticulous and beautiful.

What’s also great is seeing first-hand just how hugely influential Little Nemo was on the medium of comics.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Nemo In Slumberland is art of the highest order. Simply put, it's one of the greatest achievements in the history of comic strips (or comic books, for that matter).

Winsor McCay's surrealistic artwork has a trippy edge to it. I have no idea if he indulged in hallucinogenics, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did.

I had The Complete Little Nemo giant book that came in the suitcase box and sold it off and picked up the two "smaller" books. They are the same dimensions as the big book in height and width. It's still a heavy and unwieldy read. It's worth soldiering on, however.

I can't rave enough about this book.

[EJ Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read with fantastic reproductions of McCay's gorgeous art. The oversized format is, in my opinion, essential for appreciating this masterpiece.