Andrew McGinn

http://lampbane.livejournal.com/614876.html

"I found the book interesting and entertaining because I pretty much knew exactly what the writer was getting at. A lot of newspaper strips are pretty vapid, especially the ones that aren't even done by the original creators now. That's why I rarely ever look at a comics page anymore (well, and the fact that no one buys newspapers). I know from my work experience that the newspaper strip industry isn't driven by content and sales, but by licensing product. Lots and lots of product. And that is precisely Chas' problem in the strip—it's hard for him to get anyone to give a damn what he does in the actual "Simple Pleasures" strip because the managing editor only cares about keeping the licensees happy.

After a while it gets a bit tiresome, though, because not only is the anti-syndicate message very heavy-handed, but even I couldn't find Chas' increasingly disturbing strips funny. It went a little too far; not that there isn't a place for that type of humor, but it felt pretty disrespectful for Chas to do what he did. And plenty of people say that to him, including his own mother, but they're "outsiders" so we aren't meant to take them as seriously. His editor lets it all slide because she thinks it's all pretty hilarious and doesn't care if the strip gets cancelled, but it seems pretty damn irresponsible for her to let some of those get published."… (more)

This story of an alternative cartoonist son who tries not to fill his syndicated cartoonist father's shoes has a great premise and some laugh-out-loud moments. But, as some of the other reviewers here have noted, the execution sometimes doesn't live up to the premise. While the strips Chas produces to "kill" the strip can be hilarious in their over-the-topness (like the one in which young Dougie becomes a drug mule), they also really stretch credibility - not even an editor who doesn't care about her job would ever let some (or even most) of these strips run. Nevertheless, there's a lot to like here, too, and I look forward to what the team of McGinn & Neitzke do next.… (more)

The Legacy, written by Andrew McGinn and illustrated by David Neitzke will ring close to home for many potential readers. Ostensibly about the trials of the son of a nationally syndicated cartoonist who wants to pass the torch of following in his footsteps and not let his long-running strip die, it can also be seen as a parable about the burden placed on any child to continue in the path of their parents (I think this is exceptionally true of firemen, policemen, career military men, doctors, loggers and farmers).
In this particular case, the son wants to be a cutting-edge in-your face indie comix creator, while his dad's strip hasn't changed since the early sixties, and it's humor was early fifties style even then. The protagonist, Charles Brown (yep, only he is referred to as "Chas"), unable to deny his dad's deathbed plea (which may or may not have actually happened) for him to carry on the strip, takes it over with the intention of driving a stake into it's heart. The journey he takes to do so, and the resolution of his dilemma, rings true and is worth checking out.
Two notes before closing:
1) The Legacy is probably not suitable for middle schoolers, due to language (and I think the story could have been told just fine without dropping bombs- not everyone talks like that).
2) My favorite part of the entire book was The Coda, 18 pages of a sometimes accurate (with only the names being changed) , sometimes garishly overplayed history of comics, complete with references to the McCarthy era, the War on E.C., Underground Comix and the changing comic scene. This section was very well done, and i look forward to more of the same by this team.… (more)