Comic book legend Denis Kitchen’s storied career is celebrated in the new documentary Oddly Compelling by Soren Christiansen and Ted Intorcio, with a new Kickstarter launching in collaboration with Tinto Press and Denis Kitchen Archives.
Kitchen is an American cartoonist known for his ground-breaking work in the underground scene, founding Kitchen Sink Press, and being the founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The doc follows Kitchen’s career from his beginnings in self-publishing to his work helping protect his fellow creators. The Beat has an exclusive clip from Oddly Compelling.
Filmmakers Soren Christiansen and Ted Intorcio have captured hours of in-depth, candid conversations with Denis Kitchen, as well as fellow cartoonists and colleagues including Alison Bechdel, Warren Bernard, Eddie Campbell, Paul Gravett, Karen Green, Justin Hall, Gary Hallgren, Tom Heintjes, Mari Naomi, Peter Poplaski, Carol Tyler, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Interim Director Jeff Trexler. The film also features rare archival footage of comic book legends Robert Crumb, Will Eisner, and Harvey Kurtzman, along with new animation of Kitchen’s iconic cartooning. The film charts Kitchen’s career — as an indie cartoonist, a provocateur and publisher, and founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
“Who would’ve thought that in the 21st century the world would watch Americans ban books, challenge free speech, and threaten its own democratic principles,” said Soren Christiansen. “We’ve had threats to our democracy before, and every time these threats occurred, it took people, like Denis, to stand up and fight for those inalienable rights. He may be the least appreciated of the underground legends, in part because he devoted a disproportionate amount of his career to publishing the work of others. He was there at the very beginning of the Underground Comix movement, and his contributions, starting with Mom’s Homemade Comics, Krupp, Distribution, and Kitchen Sink Press are responsible for bringing ground-breaking and much-loved content to a much wider audience.”
“Let’s face it, Denis Kitchen is needed now more than ever,” said Ted Intorcio. “We want people to know about Denis Kitchen to benefit or learn from his struggles in confronting their own challenges. Denis has been (and continues to fight be) an advocate for artists, free speech, and underrepresented voices. The work he published under Kitchen Sink Press and his formation of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund have provided untold assistance to comics retailers busted for product that offends local authorities and creators feeling the pressure of censorship and cancellation.”
Check out the documentary’s trailer and the Kickstarter now!
