The new documentary STRIPPED follows an interesting discussion we’ve touched upon before on the Bigfanboy Livecast podcast, and even earlier in the old days of the PVP Livecast with Scott Kurtz. With the death of print as a medium, and everyone’s reliance on the web and handheld devices, the traditional comic strip has become a dying art form. Oh sure, there’s still web strips, which are online comic strips (Kurtz’s PVP was one of the first to hit extreme popularity), but the seasoned pros who we’ve read for years in newspapers seem to be looked at as dinosaurs now. It’s sort of heartbreaking, especially for someone like me who loved comic strips growing up, and continues to pull the funnies from the Sunday paper without fail every week. STRIPPED is co-directed by Dave Kellett and Frederick Schroeder, and features interviews with luminaries like Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics and Zot!), Bill Amend (Foxtrot), Jim Davis (Garfield), Cathy Guisewite (Cathy), Zach Weiner (SMBC), Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant) and Scott Kurtz (PVP), among many others.
But perhaps one of the coolest aspects of the production is the poster for the film, which is illustrated by Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson. Why is this a big deal? Well, considering Watterson ended the strip in 1995 and hasn’t published anything after, this is a rare treat for the eyes. Bill is also interviewed in the movie, though not shown on camera, only heard. People may not understand the full cultural importance of a production like this, but we’re rapidly approaching a day when people don’t even recall the concept of a printed comic strip anymore. I for one look forward to seeing what kind of reveals STRIPPED provides, and I imagine there will be some interesting facts revealed in the process. Check out the poster above and trailer below and tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Aside from supplying a few sentences to the documentary, I’m not involved with the film, so Dave’s request to draw the poster came completely out of the blue. It sounded like fun, and maybe something people wouldn’t expect, so I decided to give it a try. Dave sent me a rough cut of the film and I dusted the cobwebs off my ink bottle.
Given the movie’s title and the fact that there are few things funnier than human nudity, the idea popped into my head largely intact. The film is a big valentine to comics, so I tried to do something really cartoon-y. I had thought of having it colored with off-registered printing dots like newspaper comics, but Dave asked if I’d paint it instead, and I think he made the right call.
You can pre-order the film on iTunes, or look for more info at www.strippedfilm.com
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
