Kings of the Pages

Gr 9 Up—Reaching millions of people daily, early 20th-century newspapers were the predominant source of information, and they often competed for the same readers. Engaging in muckraking and yellow journalism, newspapers sought an edge over their competitors, and with the introduction of comics, these full-page and vibrantly colored inserts attracted devoted fans and became the face of individual papers. In his short documentary, director Robert Lemieux focuses on the meteoric rise of the funnies, spotlighting three strips that defined the era, influenced subsequent comics, and transcended their pages to become pop culture phenoms. The escapades of Blondie and millionaire playboy Dagwood Bumstead reflected the fun and freedom of the Jazz Age and eventually the daily triumphs and tribulations of the middle class. Meanwhile, the adventures of Buck Rogers, science fiction's introduction to the comics, transported readers into the future with a stalwart hero as he fought aliens on distant planets. The headlines of the 1920s and 1930s were dominated by news of organized crime, and Dick Tracy, with its unflinching inclusion of iconic villains and hard violence, mirrored the times while setting the standard for fictional detectives to come. The film's strength lies in its ability to tell three distinct stories in such a short amount of time. The inclusion of experts in art history and graphic art and the use of black-and-white film clips and music bring the golden age of comics to life.