Wilson (comics)
| Wilson | |
|---|---|
 Cover to the first edition of Wilson (Drawn and Quarterly, 2010) | |
| Date | 2010 |
Page count | 80 pages |
| Publisher | Drawn and Quarterly |
| Creative team | |
| Creator | Daniel Clowes |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Ice Haven |
| Followed by | Mister Wonderful |
Wilson is a satirical graphic novel by American cartoonist Daniel Clowes, published in 2010 by Drawn and Quarterly. Starring the misanthropic Wilson, the book is structured as 70 one-page gag strips, with days or even years passing between the strips. Wilson is condescending and supercilious, and insists on communicating his alienating dissatisfactions with all those he meets, even with strangers, and most often unsolicited.[1] The middle-aged, divorced Wilson, who lives in Oakland, California, finds himself lonely, smug and obsessed with his past.[2]
The style of artwork changes from strip, sometimes in Clowes' familiar tight drawing style, sometimes more exaggeratedly cartoony.[3] The story is told in one-page segments that can be read individually, while creating a larger whole.[4] It was printed with extremely thick and heavy cover boards.[5] Wilson was the first book Clowes had published without first serializing it the way Ghost World and David Boring had first appeared in his comic book Eightball.[2]
Wilson was partly inspired by a combination of reading a biography of Charles Schulz while his father was in the hospital with a terminal condition. Clowes says his father and Schulz were alike in many ways, in physical and personality terms. Clowes brought his sketchbook with him to the hospital, and there came up with the concept of Wilson and sketches of some of the strips that would end up in the final book.[5]
The book has been optioned by director Alexander Payne. The deal will have Clowes writing the screenplay.[4]
References
Works cited
- CBR News staff (2011-04-13). "Clowes is "Mister Wonderful"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
- Hartlaub, Peter (2010-05-18). "Daniel Clowes' 'Wilson' draws from darker side". San Francisco Chronicle. p. E-1. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
- Lipsyte, Sam (2010-07-02). "Dyspeptic Living". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
- Weldon, Glen (2010-04-30). "The Life And Trials Of A Full-Tilt Cartoon Misanthrope". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
External links
- Preview at Drawn and Quarterly's website
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