Jim (comics)

Jim is a comic book series by Jim Woodring. It be4. (Oct. 1990)

gan in 1980 as a self-published zine and was picked
up by Fantagraphics Books in 1986 after cartoonist Gil
Kane introduced Woodring to Fantagraphics co-owner 2.2 Vol. II
Gary Groth. The publisher released four magazine-sized
black-and-white issues starting in September 1987. A
1. (Dec. 1993)
comic book-sized continuation, Jim Volume II, with some
color, began in 1993 and ran for six issues until 1996.
Manhog Beyond the Face (color)
Jim, which Woodring described as an autojournal, con Quarry Story
tained comics on a variety of subjects, many based on
dreams, as well as surreal drawings and free-form text
2. (April 1994)
which resembled Jimantha automatic writing. Besides
dreams, the work drew on Woodrings childhood experi untitled Frank story (color)
ences, hallucinations, past alcoholism, and Hindu beliefs.
It also included stories of recurring Woodring characters
untitled
such as Pulque (the embodiment of drunkenness), boy untitled Pulque story (color)
hood friends Chip and Monk, and, in Volume II, his signature creation Frank.
untitled Big Red story

3. (July 1994)

Content

untitled
Jim is made up of a variety of short comics, text pieces,
and artwork. Most of the works are short comics based
on Woodrings dreams. Some of the pieces are surreal
parodies of advertisements in the Mad tradition.[1]

Authorized Only (digital color)

The Reform of the Apple
4. (Dec. 1994, printed Nov. 1994)

Publication

Frank and the Toy without Pity

untitled Frank story (color)

The series began as a photocopied 12-page minicomic

that Woodring self-published in 1980. The contents were
drawn from Woodrings autojournala journal in which
he recorded his dreams in comics, prose, drawings, and
paintings.[2] Fantagraphics Books co-owner Gary Groth
began publishing the series;[1] the four issues of the rst
volume ran from 1987 to 1990.[3]

Frank in the Cave of his Ancestors

5. (May 1995)
Dive Deep
Peeker (color)

Most of the contents of the rst volume were reprinted

in the book collection The Book of Jim in 1993.[3] A collection of both volumes appeared in 2014 under the title
Jim, subtitled Jim Woodrings Notorious Autojournal.[1]

2.1

The Stairs
Frank and the Sugar of Vengeance
Echo (inside back cover)

Vol. I

6. (May 1996, printed April 1996)

1. (Sep. 1987)

Obviously Not

2. (Jan. 1988)

untitled Chip and Monk story

3. (Jan. 1989)

Boyfriend of the Weather

1

Reception

Comics critic Joe McCulloch stated, What Woodring

did better than anyone was promote the idea that the subconscious, the imaginary, and the dreamtime state were
perfectly valid terrains for autobiographical exploration
at a time when the confessional work of Justin Green and
the mundane stories of Harvey Pekar dened the range
of autobiographical comics.[3]
Jim ranked No. 71 on The Comics Journal 's list of the
hundred greatest English-language comics of the 20th
century.[3]

Notes

[1] Constant 2014.

[2] Van Winkle 2014.
[3] Spurgeon 2013.

References
Constant, Paul (September 3, 2014). A Stranger
Genius of Literature, Back When He Used Words.
The Stranger. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
Spurgeon, Tom (July 20, 2013). Fantagraphics Announces Re-Packaging Of Woodring Classic. The
Comics Reporter. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
Van Winkle, Nick (August 18, 2014), Northwest
Reads by the University Book Store:
'Jim:
Jim Woodrings Notorious Autojournal' by Jim
Woodring, retrieved January 18, 2015

External links
Jim at the Comic Book DB
Jim at the Grand Comics Database

EXTERNAL LINKS

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Jim (comics) Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim%20(comics)?oldid=643410698 Contributors: Mav, Emperor, JonMoore, Nufy8,

Lowellian, Sevenstones, Hadal, Hcheney, Hob, Chowbok, Grunt, Vsmith, Dysepsion, Quiddity, Hiding, Metropolitan90, Gwernol, YurikBot, SmackBot, John Reaves, Badbilltucker, Curly Turkey, Rklawton, Waggers, Anazgnos, Qwyrxian, Stoshmaster, AntiVandalBot, J
Greb, VoABot II, Just H, B. Wolterding, InnocuousPseudonym, Hairchrm, J.delanoy, L'Aquatique, SoCalSuperEagle, Indubitably, TheMindsEye, Mercurywoodrose, Kisow37, Scarian, Momo san, Shifty(clue), Kanonkas, ImageRemovalBot, ClueBot, Thingg, Gwandoya,
WikHead, Thatguyint, Hbis06r, Addbot, Slecki19, Ghty2, Bryanespinosa, 22ghty, CanadianLinuxUser, Glane23, Species8473, Lightbot,
Majigerjeb, Rwintle, AnomieBOT, Powerbook3, Melmann, Showermo, Jschnur, Piedude294, RenamedUser01302013, Steventhebongo,
Ifupurwiki, Troll294, ClueBot NG, MarceB, Mogism, Jayden1020, SFK2 and Anonymous: 35

7.2

Images

File:Comiclogo.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Comiclogo.svg License: Public domain Contributors:

? Original artist: ?
File:Jimv2no2woodring.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Jimv2no2woodring.jpg License: Fair use Contributors: Fantagraphics/Jim Woodring Original artist: ?
File:Speech_balloon.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Speech_balloon.svg License: Public domain
Contributors: Self-drawn using gedit and Inkscape Original artist: Marian Sigler {bla}

7.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0