Larry Marder
Encyclopedia
Larry Marder is an American
cartoonist
and writer
, best known as the creator of comic book Tales of the Beanworld
, which began as an "essentially self-published title" in 1984
.
in Connecticut in the early 1970s, earning a BFA
degree in 1973. He earned "his living as an art director in the high-pressure world of advertising" in Chicago from 1976, balancing his time in that profession with "a remarkable interior landscape of the imagination that coalesced into the vivid ecology of Beanworld."
He cites as his major influences Jack Kirby
, Rudolph Zallinger, Henry Darger
and Marcel Duchamp
.
in Comic Book Rebels as "an essentially self-published comic (through distributed through Eclipse Comics
)," launched in 1984
. In a short period of time, the comic "evolved into what Marder terms 'a weird fantasy dimension that operates under its own rules and laws.'" Wiater and Bissette also term it
The initial idea hit Marder when he was in art school, and "swept up in the conceptual art
movement['s mantra]... 'Down with the object. Down with form. Idea is everything,'" which led him to "create comics where idea was everything." Removing the human figure, he "came up with something that would work in comics: the Bean figures," and began "goofing around with these figures." Revising and refining his characters through "political cartoons on Watergate and so on, that were published in my college newspapers using these Bean characters," although he came up with the characters in 1972, "the storyline didn't really come together until 1982."
In the first collected volume, Marder explains that his work is "about the affinity of life," wherein the characters "understand that ultimately they depend on each other for survival." Wiater and Bissette see in this relationship as a wider metaphor for the interdependancy of the comics industry. Indeed, addressing the potential underlying complexity, Marder suggests that "it's harder to describe it than it is to read it." He also calls it "an ecological romance... a self-contained fairy tale about a group of beings who live in the center of their perfect world [and are] obsessed with maintaining its food chain," a self-described "really low concept!" Equally, he says, "the reader has to invest a certain amount of mental energy to follow the book," which includes "maps and a rather long glossary." Despite these potentially conflicting comments, Wiater and Bissette reiterate that "there is no simpler or more iconographic comic book in existence."
Marder ultimately suggests that
In April, 2008, at the Stumptown Comics Fest, Marder announced that he would resurrect Beanworld with Dark Horse Comics
"sometime early next year [2009]." Diana Schutz
is set to edit the resurrected series, which will also be collected by Dark Horse.
Continuing his drive to solve the potential problems of the direct market, he was appointed Executive Director of Image Comics
in 1993, when he was made president of Image-co-founder Todd McFarlane
's action figure arm, McFarlane Toys
, staying in the role until 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, best known as the creator of comic book Tales of the Beanworld
Tales of the Beanworld
Tales of the Beanworld is an independently published comic book, created by Larry Marder. Beanworld features stories about the life and times of the Beans, minimalistic characters which Marder has been drawing since childhood...
, which began as an "essentially self-published title" in 1984
1984 in comics
-Year overall:* The independent publishing boom continues, as Antarctic Press, Continuity Comics, Deluxe Comics, Matrix Graphic Series, and Renegade Press all enter the arena...
.
Early life
Marder was educated at the Hartford Art SchoolUniversity of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
in Connecticut in the early 1970s, earning a BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
degree in 1973. He earned "his living as an art director in the high-pressure world of advertising" in Chicago from 1976, balancing his time in that profession with "a remarkable interior landscape of the imagination that coalesced into the vivid ecology of Beanworld."
He cites as his major influences Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, Rudolph Zallinger, Henry Darger
Henry Darger
Henry Joseph Darger, Jr. was a reclusive American writer and artist who worked as a custodian in Chicago, Illinois...
and Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. Considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Duchamp's output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art...
.
Beanworld
Marder's Tales of the Beanworld began as a "collection of character sketches and concepts" that is described by Stanley Wiater and Stephen R. BissetteStephen R. Bissette
Stephen R. Bissette is an American comics artist, editor, and publisher with a focus on the horror genre. He is best known for working with writer Alan Moore and inker John Totleben on the DC comic Swamp Thing in the 1980s....
in Comic Book Rebels as "an essentially self-published comic (through distributed through Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
)," launched in 1984
1984 in comics
-Year overall:* The independent publishing boom continues, as Antarctic Press, Continuity Comics, Deluxe Comics, Matrix Graphic Series, and Renegade Press all enter the arena...
. In a short period of time, the comic "evolved into what Marder terms 'a weird fantasy dimension that operates under its own rules and laws.'" Wiater and Bissette also term it
The initial idea hit Marder when he was in art school, and "swept up in the conceptual art
Conceptual art
Conceptual art is art in which the concept or idea involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns. Many of the works, sometimes called installations, of the artist Sol LeWitt may be constructed by anyone simply by following a set of written instructions...
movement['s mantra]... 'Down with the object. Down with form. Idea is everything,'" which led him to "create comics where idea was everything." Removing the human figure, he "came up with something that would work in comics: the Bean figures," and began "goofing around with these figures." Revising and refining his characters through "political cartoons on Watergate and so on, that were published in my college newspapers using these Bean characters," although he came up with the characters in 1972, "the storyline didn't really come together until 1982."
In the first collected volume, Marder explains that his work is "about the affinity of life," wherein the characters "understand that ultimately they depend on each other for survival." Wiater and Bissette see in this relationship as a wider metaphor for the interdependancy of the comics industry. Indeed, addressing the potential underlying complexity, Marder suggests that "it's harder to describe it than it is to read it." He also calls it "an ecological romance... a self-contained fairy tale about a group of beings who live in the center of their perfect world [and are] obsessed with maintaining its food chain," a self-described "really low concept!" Equally, he says, "the reader has to invest a certain amount of mental energy to follow the book," which includes "maps and a rather long glossary." Despite these potentially conflicting comments, Wiater and Bissette reiterate that "there is no simpler or more iconographic comic book in existence."
Marder ultimately suggests that
In April, 2008, at the Stumptown Comics Fest, Marder announced that he would resurrect Beanworld with Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
"sometime early next year [2009]." Diana Schutz
Diana Schutz
Diana Schutz is a comic book editor, most notable as editor in chief of Comico during its peak years and for her continuing tenure at Dark Horse Comics, for whom she has worked since 1990...
is set to edit the resurrected series, which will also be collected by Dark Horse.
Other work
Marder was involved with "the DLG - Direct Line Group - which [was] a coalition of fifteen retailers that was put together by Gary Colabuono of Moondog's... [as] an opportunity for the large chain retailers to have a forum to discuss their problems and pool their resources to figure out how they can best help themselves in [comics'] new marketplace." Marder, speaking in 1992/3 suggested that "distributors are... not focused much on helping the established comic book stores expand," and hoped that the DLG would aid in "promot[ing] environments that are going to help alternative comics grow." Working with Moondog's, Marder described the paradoxical situation of "a situation where retailers want the books, and the publishers have the books, but somehow they can't get them to more readers."Continuing his drive to solve the potential problems of the direct market, he was appointed Executive Director of Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
in 1993, when he was made president of Image-co-founder Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn....
's action figure arm, McFarlane Toys
McFarlane Toys
McFarlane Toys, a subsidiary of Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc., is a company started by Todd McFarlane that makes highly detailed models of characters from movies, comics, musicians, video games, and sport figures...
, staying in the role until 2007.
Partial bibliography
The following feature work by Larry Marder.- Tales Of The Beanworld #1-#21 (Eclipse ComicsEclipse ComicsEclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
)- Larry Marder's Beanworld Book 1 (Collects #1-4)
- Larry Marder's Beanworld Book 2 (Collects #5-7)
- Larry Marder's Beanworld Book 3 (Collects #8-11)
- Larry Marder's Beanworld Book 4 (Collects #12-16)
- Amazing HeroesAmazing HeroesAmazing Heroes was a magazine about the comic book medium published by Fantagraphics Books from 1981 to 1992. Unlike its companion title, The Comics Journal, Amazing Heroes was a hobbyist magazine rather than an analytical journal....
#100, #136 - The Art Of Jack Kirby
- Asylum #1-2
- Feature v2#1, #5; v3#2, #4 (fanzine by Charles Brownstein)
- Freak Force #?
- Gen13 #13B
- Gen13 #13A B and C Collected Edition
- Giant-size Mini Comics #1 (Marder also edited #2-4)
- Goofy Service Doodle Book (ashcan)
- GrimjackGrimJackGrimjack is the main character of a comic book originally published by First Comics. John Ostrander and Timothy Truman are credited as co-creators of the character, although Ostrander had been developing Grimjack with artist Lenin Delsol before Truman's arrival on the project...
#42 - "Introduction" to Hepcats: Snowblind
- Hungry? (ashcan)
- Images Of Omaha #2
- Lady Arcane #2
- "Letter of comment" in Mars #8
- "Introduction" to Megaton ManMegaton ManMegaton Man is a satirical superhero created by cartoonist "Dandy Don" Simpson. A parody of the superhero genre, Megaton Man is a gigantically-muscled but dim-witted oaf who starred in Simpson's cheerfully absurd stories...
: The Apocalypse Affiliation - normalmanNormalmannormalman is a limited series of American comic books created by Jim Valentino. It began in November 1983 as a four-page story in Cerebus #56 and #57 before being launched as a full-color 12-issue series which was published by Aardvark-Vanaheim before moving to Renegade Press. There was also a...
#6 - normalman/Megaton Man #1
- 'Essay on Jack Kirby' in Phantom Force #2
- Rip Off Comix #17 (script only)
- Scout #17
- ShadowhawkShadowhawkShadowHawk is a fictional comic book vigilante anti-hero created by Jim Valentino.He was first introduced in the Malibu Sun free promotional magazine in May of 1992...
#17 - Shadowhawk Gallery #1
- "Introduction" to ShiShiShi may refer to:* Shi , the Chinese term for poetry * Shi , a ceremonial "corpse" in Chinese ancestral sacrifices* Shi , a kana in Japanese syllabaries...
/CybladeCybladeCyblade is the name of a fictional character from Top Cow Productions. She is a member of Cyberforce.-Publication history:After her initial appearances in other comics, Cyblade was one of two properties to win the first Pilot Season in 2007, meaning Cyblade would appear in her own eponymous...
#1 - Total Eclipse #3-#5
- Zot!Zot!Zot! is a comic book created by Scott McCloud in 1984 and published by Eclipse Comics until 1990 as a lighthearted alternative to the darker and more violent comics that predominated the industry during that period. There were a total of 36 issues, with the first ten in color and the remainder in...
#4
Interviews/reviews
- Amazing Heroes #200
- Bissette, Wiater (eds) Comic Book Rebels (1993)
- Comics Interview #142/#143
- Comics Scene #31
- The Comics JournalThe Comics JournalThe Comics Journal, often abbreviated TCJ, is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels...
#201 (and others) - Hero IllustratedHero IllustratedHero Illustrated was a comic book-themed magazine published in the early to mid 1990s in the United States. Columnists included Andy Mangels, and Frank Kurtz was at one time a managing editor. The journal won the 1995 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication.- History :Hero...
#11 - Image Illustrated
- WizardWizard (magazine)Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
#22 - Online interview by Jeremy York