The life and career of underground comics icon, activist, historian and all-around character Denis Kitchen will be explored in a new documentary film currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Titled Oddly Compelling, the project will trace Kitchen’s journey from his young hippie cartoonist days to his 30-year career as one of the most important independent comic-book publishers in North America, and his work as a tireless advocate for the First Amendment as founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Filmmakers Soren Christiansen and Ted Intorcio have captured hours of in-depth, candid conversations with Kitchen, as well as fellow cartoonists and colleagues including Alison Bechdel, Daniel Clowes, Emil Ferris, Noah Van Sciver, Derf Backderf, Warren Bernard, Eddie Campbell, Paul Gravett, Karen Green, Justin Hall, Gary Hallgren,Tom Heintjes, MariNaomi, Peter Poplaski, Carol Tyler, Joel Christian Gill, Jonathan Todd, Mile High Comics’ Chuck Rozanski, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Interim Director Jeff Trexler. The film also features rare archival footage of comic book legends Robert Crumb, Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman, along with new animation of Kitchen’s iconic cartooning (check out a first-look clip below).
“Who would’ve thought that in the 21st century the world would watch Americans ban books, challenge free speech, and threaten its own democratic principles,” said Christiansen. “We’ve had threats to our democracy before, and every time these threats occurred, it took people, like Denis, to stand up and fight for those inalienable rights. He may be the least appreciated of the underground legends, in part because he devoted a disproportionate amount of his career to publishing the work of others. He was there at the very beginning of the Underground Comix movement, and his contributions, starting with Mom’s Homemade Comics, Krupp, Distribution and Kitchen Sink Press are responsible for bringing ground-breaking and much-loved content to a much wider audience.”
In 1969, Kitchen founded Kitchen Sink Press and, for more than 30 years he published many of the most prominent and innovative creators in comics, including Eisner, Kurtzman, Crumb, Charles Burns, Al Capp, Milton Caniff, Howard Cruse, Trina Robbins, Mark Schultz, Art Spiegelman, Scott McCloud, Alan Moore, the ground-breaking Gay Comix series, and countless others.
In 1989, Kitchen formed the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund after comic store manager Michael Correa was convicted of possession and sale of so-called “obscene” material, which included a series published by Kitchen Sink Press. Kitchen subsequently raised money for experienced defense attorneys, resulting in the overturn of Correa’s conviction on appeal, and the organization Kitchen founded continues to fight ongoing First Amendment cases.
Kitchen’s comics have been collected in multiple books; his most recent is the acclaimed Creatures From the Subconscious from Tinto Press. His original art has been in numerous one-man and group exhibitions, and he was just granted an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Wisconsin.
“Let’s face it, Denis Kitchen is needed now more than ever,” said Intorcio. “We want people to know about Denis Kitchen to benefit or learn from his struggles in confronting their own challenges. Denis has been (and continues to fight be) an advocate for artists, free speech, and underrepresented voices. The work he published under Kitchen Sink Press and his formation of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund have provided untold assistance to comics retailers busted for product that offends local authorities and creators feeling the pressure of censorship and cancellation.”
Oddly Compelling will document Kitchen’s career and activism and also explore his personal collection of curiosities: He has amassed an astonishing array of unusual collectibles, from over 100,000 vintage postcards, scores of Big Boy, Kewpie and celluloid figures, metal toys and robots, to original comic art and political buttons. He has also spent years creating “The Valley of Frankenstein Dolls,” an eccentric outdoor art project that offers unique eye candy throughout the documentary.
In collaboration with Tinto Press and Denis Kitchen Archives, the Oddly Compelling campaign will be offering rare Underground Comix, remarqued books, personalized prints, film posters and original Kitchen art as backer rewards, along with streaming and Blu-ray versions of the documentary.
“The lion’s share of the Oddly Compelling documentary footage has been captured, although there are some elusive interviews we hope to secure,” said Christiansen. “Our goal is to raise enough to finish editing and production and prepare for the festival circuit. We estimate several months of work remain to finish shooting, edits, adding effects, animation of Kitchen creatures, and sound design.”
For more information follow Denis Kitchen on Instagram, follow Tinto Press on Facebook and Instagram and follow Oddly Compelling on YouTube.
To support the campaign, visit Kickstarter.com.
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