01: THRILLER (DC, 1983)
Steven and Chris explore Trevor von Eeden and Robert Loren Fleming’s misunderstood masterpiece, THRILLER. Originally published by DC Comics in 1983.
Listen to full episode :
THRILLER Issue 1, page 10
Von Eeden’s dope cover for THRILLER #3
Meanwhile column by RLF
THRILLER in Who’s Who
Angie Thriller
Salvo on the move
CRYB Episode 1: Show Notes - Trevor Von Eeden & Robert Loren Fleming's THRILLER ...or... Trevor Von Eeden is a Goddamn Genius
0:05 - Discussing our first exposure to the "unsung-shock-your-brain" idea bomb that is THRILLER.
9:07 - An attempt to summarize this unwieldy pulpy beast of a story, with an assist from Robert Loren Fleming and discursive detours into The Shadow, Doc Savage, and Richard Pryor.
18:04 - Unconventional pacing in THRILLER and how ahead of its time this comic is with the "delayed cumulative impact" of its story rhythms.
23:20 — Novel panel compositions ("an obscene amount of panels!"), storytelling innovations, and psychedelic properties of THRILLER… "An incredible sense of discovery... TVE literally inventing new storytelling mechanics on every page." "It's impossible for us to convey verbally how inventive this guy was."
39:27 - TVE’s atypical, kinetic, emotionally resonant approach to inking. "...no one was finishing their work with this roughness and gestural vitality... Von Eeden is all about the emotion..." With detours into the styles of Alex Toth, Neal Adams, and David Mazzuchelli.
44:23 - Drawing characters "acting" without masks in nonsuperhero comics.
50:09 - Innovation in art, from Michaelangelo to manga, from Frank Miller to Steven Spielberg to David Mazzuchelli’s small body of work that casts a huge shadow.
1:30:17 - Dick Giordano’s inking of TVE plus TVE being uniquely unrecognized for being such an absolute friggin' genius.
1:37:17 - Recognizing Robert Loren Fleming's work — ahead of its time in its decompressed storytelling as well as the bold originality of his ideas.
1:38:45 - Reading from Heidi MacDonald’s amazingly astute, contemporaneous review of THRILLER from The Comics Journal #93.
1:47:00 - Discussing the outrageous letter column (mis)behavior of THRILLER's editor, Alan Gold.
1:49:34 - Back to Heidi MacDonald's absurdly prescient review, praising the overarching ambition, skill, and style of TVE.
2:08:39 - Dick Giordano, TVE, and polished inks vs holding onto the "magic" of original pencils.
2:11:15 - The transcendent, beautifully progressive coloring of THRILLER; take a bow, Tom Ziuko!
2:16:04 - Discovering, in real time, how TVE’s page compositions really reward repeat study. Mind-blowing.
2:18:25 - "The Chair Incident" - in conversation with Michel Fiffe, TVE recounts the depressingly racist bullshit that contributed to his departure from mainstream comics.
2:26:00 - The fates of innovators in the arts: TVE, Alan Moore, Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins, and Orson Welles.
2:53:43 - We return for an epilogue to the episode, discussing Dick Giordano's shockingly candid interview with Heidi MacDonald from The Comics Journal #100, looking back on what went right and "wrong" with THRILLER. We bear witness to a lament from Giordano on what could have been, followed by admirably strong pushback by MacDonald, and a fascinating time capsule of the state of DC Comics circa 1984. As part of this, the guys discuss the timeless work of Jim Aparo and Giordano's memories of how Alan Moore in particular opened the floodgates for the "British Invasion" at DC, under the extraordinary leadership of Jenette Kahn.
Kinetic motion by Von Eeden
Von Eeden’s iconic double page spread from THRILLER #1
