{"id":4246,"date":"2013-07-03T00:01:08","date_gmt":"2013-07-03T07:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/?p=4246"},"modified":"2013-07-10T17:20:53","modified_gmt":"2013-07-11T00:20:53","slug":"book-review-nudnik-revealed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/book-review-nudnik-revealed\/","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: “Nudnik Revealed!”"},"content":{"rendered":"\"nudnik_book550\"\n

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What’s Nudnik<\/em>? <\/p>\n

Nudnik<\/em> was animator Gene Deitch’s favorite creation, the star of a series of twelve Paramount theatrical cartoons in the 1960s – and a character pretty much forgotten today. Thanks to the fine folks (including the late great Kim Thompson) at Fantagraphics Books<\/a>, Deitch (the creator of Tom Terrific<\/em> among many others) has been re-discovered through a series of books reprinting his great print cartoons – including the jazzy record-collecting The Cat<\/em> and his short-lived 1950s comic strip Terrible Thompson<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Admittedly, the Nudnik cartoons are an acquired taste (and I<\/em> acquired it), but regardless of your take on these films, this book Nudnik Revealed!<\/em><\/a>, is a must-have for anyone interested in animation, cartooning or Gene Deitch. I especially recommend it to those currently doing storyboards. The bulk of this book is full storyboards, in color, to three of the Nudnik<\/em> shorts. Since the character was mute, and animated in pantomime, these storyboards can be read as masterful, hilarious comic strips drawn by Deitch himself. <\/p>\n\"Nudnik_flipbook550\"\n

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These boards are preceded by essays from Deitch explaining the origin of the character (based on himself, an outgrowth of Terrytoons’ Foofle<\/em>), illustrated with rare promotional art, early character designs, cel set-ups, model sheets… everything you ever wanted to know about Nudnik<\/em>, but were afraid to ask. Check out a preview of the book here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Leonard Maltin and I will be doing a live interview with Gene Deitch at the San Diego Comic Con<\/a><\/em> on Thursday, July 18th at 12:30 in Room 8. Deitch will be signing copies of the book there – and a brand new DVD<\/a> collecting all 12 Nudnik<\/em> cartoons will be released that day, and be on sale at the con. Be there – or buy this book. Nudnik<\/em> has arrived!<\/p>\n\"nudnik_modelsheet\"<\/a> \"nudnik_boards\"<\/a> \"nudnik1\"<\/a> \"nudnik2\"<\/a>\n