The Oddly Compelling art of Denis Kitchen (Dark Horse – HC 200 pgs+, $34.99)

If you were to randomly enter any comic book shop in America and bring up the name Denis Kitchen you would get a wide range of reactions.  This range would vary from passionate fans who would praise him for being an iconic visionary who is a stalwart voice of freedom and expression in the industry to historians who see Kitchen’s work and career as a catalyst for the modern independent press to those who claim that as the founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund he had protected scoundrel-types and others who don’t deserve it… to those who possibly would say “Denis Kitchen, who’s that?”

Regardless of which group you fall in, regardless of your personal take on censorship, regardless of your demographic (for some comic fans the 70′s is ancient history), regardless of your initial interest level in this book… if you start reading, you be intrigued.  Having never read any of Kitchen’s prose work before, I didn’t know what to expect.  Once I got past the amusing intro by Neil Gaiman, I was almost immediately taken in and beguiled by the charm and style of the narrative.  For me, this commentary-filled trip shined bright with talent, wit and genuineness.  Kitchen synthesizes historic trends, personal stories and political views while the reader following the man’s life, art and work – impacting and being impacted by the culture around him.  The book’s text is filled with Kitchen’s his own art, strips, letters, photos, documents, and notes – authenticating the project with his life’s DNA.  Oddly Compelling Art is both an enjoyable read and window into the independent comic scene of the ’70′s.  Whether you love or hate Kitchen, this book is a brilliant documentary in print.

I found this Interview that Riverwest Currents did with Kitchen back in 2003.

Official press release of the book – A well-known personality in the comics world, Denis Kitchen has worn many hats. While he is best known as a longtime publisher, founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, author, and literary and art agent, his career as a pioneering underground comix artist has been overdue for rediscovery.

First announced for publication from his own Kitchen Sink Press over twenty years ago, but never produced, The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen is the first collection of work by the underground cartoonist and acclaimed publishing pioneer. In addition to his comix, this book features a wealth of unpublished material: paintings, covers for underground newspapers and comix, rare strips and illustrations, and historic photos of Kitchen and many of his contemporaries.

Acclaimed writer Neil Gaiman provides a funny and insightful introduction, and an essay by Charles Brownstein (Eisner/Miller) provides context and a career overview.

The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen finally brings Kitchen the artist to the stage. This compendium includes approximately two hundred illustrations, most of which have remained unseen since their original publication in the late ’60s and ’70s, and is guaranteed to serve as an essential piece of history for modern comics fans.

“I think Oddly Compelling is a very good title for a book of Denis Kitchen’s work, and describes it very well,” said legendary artist R. Crumb. “I always thought it was rather a shame that Kitchen became a publisher and businessman to the neglect of his artistic talent . . . He was a gifted and exceptional artist . . . I think his downfall was women . . . The big sap!”

Designed by John Lind, winner of a 2009 American Graphic Design Award for his work on Underground Classics, The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen will appeal to underground comix fans and comics historians alike.

The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen is a full-color, 200-page, nine-by-twelve-inch hardcover priced at $34.99.

Currently offered in this month’s Previews catalog with a Diamond code of FEB100040, the book arrives on shelves on June 23, 2010.