I have been a big of Barron Storey for quite a while. Chatting with him about his work was a highlight for me on the show. He recently released a new edition of his long out of print Marat/Sade Journals. This new edition is a lush as one can hope. David Mack, an artist whom I am honestly not much of a fan of at all, offers a really thoughtful and personal introduction. Mack describes the work as “finely, delicately, and expertly orchestrated into the rhythm and meaning of the word-play”. The narrative of Storey’s work, weaves together a series of different writings that are able come together in a unified interplay of dialogue.
The art is equally complex and compelling, using the words as an integral part of the Barron’s visual work. Barron has an expectation with his comics, they aren’t easy and they aren’t simple. The artist has a job to push beyond the old word balloon and gutters and each page has several stories to tell on several different levels. I think it’s too bad that more of the alt comics sect don’t take the time to look at Barron’s work, there is a lot to be learned from with this master. Stylistically, Barron’s contemporaries range from Dave Mckean to Kent Williams, but I think there is something that links him to Gary Panter in the usage of a formalist style.
Your link of the day is Barron’s own blog of journal work. There is a never ending supply of influence to check out on.
