After many trials and tribulations, my comics-themed display Stories for Humans is now up in Room 220, and has been there about a week. Images from comics and graphic novels I chose from the National Art Library’s enormous collection adorn the walls, along with a public participation comic. I selected the content with a few criteria in mind; obviously they should have some appeal to me personally, but I also wanted both a diverse selection, and examples of comics that might appeal to non-comics readers.
A week has passed, giving time for visitors to add their panels to the interactive comic. After putting the first starting panel up myself, abetted by fellow comics creators Francesca Casavetti (panel 2) Dan Lester (panel 3) and the mysterious Schmurgen Jonerhaffs (panel 4) the story has gone in wild and unpredictable directions.
The original character is based on one of the netsuke in the V&A’s Japan collection, in the form of a badger dressed in a lotus leaf. As well as being an amazing carving, the character of the badger is very cute and suggestions of what he might be hiding under that leaf inevitably follow!
The story continues relatively sensibly… and then becomes a tale of the kind of haircuts that were fashionable in the early nineties and sported by the likes of rappers Kid ‘n’ Play.
I invite additions from everyone! This is how it’s done:
