IDW’s Yoe Books imprint once again rescues a treasure from the undeserved mists of comics history obscurity with the release of The Complete Milt Gross Comic Books and Life Story, a massive 354-page doorstop of a book that returns its subject’s lunatic works to the spotlight.
Rightfully known as “America’s Great Yiddish Humorist,” Milt Gross was born to Russian Jewish immigrants in 1895 and raised in New York City at a time when the burgeoning newspaper comics were making a pop culture splash. Gross’ contributions to the field were loaded with briskly-paced word play and lively illustrations that exuded an energy and singular madness that stood in direct contrast to the efforts of his contemporaries. The medium may have been saddled with the descriptor of “the funnies” early on, but Gross’ work was gut-bustingly hilarious in ways that would lead him to be appreciated beyond the confines of the newspaper page and would open doors to Hollywood (including working with admirer Charlie Chaplin) as well as comic books.
Absolutely ahead of his time, Gross even pioneered the graphic novel with his wordless She Done Him Wrong. His series Count Screwloose, Pete the Pooch, That’s My Pop! and the fantastically cynical Banana Oil! Are all unearthed in comics historian Craig Yoe’s riveting volume and none of Gross’ seminal humor seems to have aged a day. PW Comics Week chatted with historian Craig Yoe about Gross and the book:
PW Comics Week: Gross’ work contains a frenetic, manic quality that practically propels itself off the page, much of which comes from his “loose” drawing style, a visual hook that seems quite at odds with much of the work of his contemporaries. Was his work received as some sort of “odd duck” within the comics field?
Craig Yoe: Yes, I think Milt Gross’ comics were an extreme anomaly compared to other cartoonists’ strips at the time. But he had the upmost respect from his friends and fellow practitioners like TAD Dorgan, Winsor McCay, and Ernie Bushmiller, all of whom had a more refined approach. They enjoyed the hilarity as much as Gross’s readers and critics of the time did. How can you argue with the genuine, out-loud belly laughs you get from reading Gross’ comics?
PWCW: You clearly can’t argue with it!Gross’ wild style bears a number of similarities to the sensibility of the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes in their heyday, a series of animated cartoons that displayed a strong influence of Jewish humor. Any thoughts on this?
Craig Yoe: Gross had lots of fans in Hollywood, like Charlie Chaplin, who drafted him to help him script his movie The Circus. Gross also had rabid fans in the animation community and it is known that Gross was hired by MGM to be a cartoon director before the ugly politics there at the time did him in. But what has never before been known is that he also was personally recruited by Walt Disney to work on The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. I reveal that in the book, and also how Gross worked with the zany musical bandleader, Spike Jones.
PWCW: Mad’s Al Jaffee was influenced by Gross. How else has Gross’ impact spread since his era?
Craig Yoe: I was thrilled when Al Jaffee enthusiastically agreed to do a FOLD-INtroduction for the book. If Herriman (of Krazy Kat renown) was a difficult act to follow, Milt Gross was impossible. I can think of no cartoonist that had or has the white-knuckled wooden roller coaster intensity of the wild and crazy Milt Gross art and humor. Many cartoonists in the print, digital, and animation community have picked up the book. Sales have been phenomenal across many groups, but particularly among practicing professional cartoonists. The book has gotten rave reviews in the National Cartoonists Society Newsletter and in The Jester, the British Cartoonist Group’s newsletter, for example. And the animation community has been eating the book up with a spoon. I imagine that we’re going to see some influence from Gross in the next few years, as these cartoonists are devouring the 350 pages of Milt Gross wacky goodness collected in my book.
PWCW: How did you become aware of and interested in Gross?
Craig Yoe: Milt Gross has been pretty much forgotten, but during his time he was a superstar in comic strips and illustrated novels, as he pioneered the graphic novel with his He Done Her Wrong (1930). Gross also pioneered autobiographical comics, was written up in magazines and newspapers, had radio shows devoted to his work, and was a popular public speaker. In my extensive research into comics history, I couldn’t turn around without discovering high praise for his genius. The Complete Milt Gross Comic Books and Life Story simply brings back awareness to this stellar comic iconoclast.
[The Complete Milt Gross Comic Books and Life Story is available at comics shops and bookstores nationwide.]