Blaise Larmee

Blaise Larmee
Born 1985
Nationality American
Area(s) Cartoonist
Notable works
 Young Lions
http://blaiselarmee.com/

Blaise Larmee (born 1985) is an American cartoonist, critic, and publisher best known for his 2010 graphic novel Young Lions, his webcomic 2001, and a layered and discursive online presence.[1]

Personal life

Larmee was born in New York City to the artist Kevin Larmee and grew up in Chicago, Illinois.[2] He is a graduate of Colorado College and a former fellow at CCS.[3][4] His time at CCS resulted in a public apology.[5]

Reception

Larmee's work tends to polarize his viewers insofar as it is considered an extension of his critical writing and online performance. Sean T. Collins called Larmee's comics "beautiful, thoughtful, and unique enough to get by on their own" but lamented Larmee's "deeply unfortunate internet persona."[1][6] In a review of Young Lions, Dan Nadel wrote,

It is also, most obviously, the work of a young man (born in 1985) trying to understand the mythologies he’s constructed for himself. That is the second, and for me, most intriguing narrative here, and one inseparable from Larmee’s writing on art and comics."[7]

Writing for The Comics Journal, Rob Clough noted, "It is difficult to separate Larmee’s theories from his actual work," and called Larmee "an artist obsessed with the underpinnings of art and a hyperacute awareness of an artist’s relationship with both one’s peers and the culture at large."[8]

Work

Young Lions

Cover of the Kindle edition of Young Lions by Blaise Larmee

In 2009 Larmee was included alongside fellow cartoonist Jason Overby in Abstract Comics: The Anthology (Fantagraphics). Leading up to the book's release, the two founded the blog Comets Comets, which became known for polemic essays and an embrace of troll culture.[1][8] Larmee's writing for this blog established the atmosphere in which Young Lions was received.[1]

In April 2010 Larmee's first book, Young Lions, was published. The book garnered a Xeric grant and an Ignatz nomination for Promising New Talent.[9][10] In the book's sole blurb, David Heatley wrote, "Blaise Larmee is making thoughtful, refreshing, beautiful comics that you can drink with your eyes."[11][12] While reviews of the book tended to be positive, the subject of the author himself was polarizing. Larmee repeatedly described his creative process as "sarcastic" and agreed that "public discourse is inseparable from the book itself."[13][14]

In 2011 The Canada Border Services Agency seized copies of Young Lions in Buffalo, NY on suspicion of obscenity. After reviewing the book, the agency declared Young Lions to be legally obscene and banned its importation into Canada.[15][16][17]

2001

Larmee began serializing the webcomic 2001 on his personal website in 2011.[1] In 2013 new versions of the characters began to appear in gifs and circulated web imagery.[18][19]

Comets Comets

2dcloud published the comic Comets Comets as a zine in 2014. It was reprinted in The Best American Comics 2015.

3 Books

2dcloud appointed Larmee as marketing director in 2015 and published 3 Books as part of their Spring Collection.[20] The omnibus comprises Nudes (2012), Amateurs (2014), and Ice Cream Kisses (2015).

Gaze Books

Within months of releasing Young Lions, Larmee founded the publishing company Gaze Books and announced The Whale by Aidan Koch as its first publication.[21] The book remains the sole publication of the publisher.

Bibliography

Novels
Omnibuses
As editor
Stories
Zines (Selected)

Selected Work Available Online

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Collins, Sean (2011-03-10). "Blaise Larmee!". The Comics Journal. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  2. ↑ James Sheehan, “Larmee: in from the street,” East Informer, October 1985.
  3. ↑ http://www.cartoonstudies.org/index.php/2011/10/05/ccs-fellow-blaise-larmee/#more-4574
  4. ↑ "Blogging Comics Into Zines". KRCC. 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  5. ↑ http://davidhockney.tumblr.com/post/50260894035/public-apology
  6. ↑ Collins, Sean (2010-04-21). "Comics Time: Young Lions". Attention Deficit Disorderly. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  7. ↑ Nadel, Dan (2010-07-23). "Youth". Comics Comics. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  8. 1 2 Rob, Clough (2010-05-05). "Erasure and Sampling: Young Lions". The Comics Journal. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  9. ↑ http://www.spxpo.com/ignatz-awards
  10. ↑ Heidi MacDonald (2010-01-26). "Fall/Winter Xeric Awards announced". The Beat. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  11. ↑ Woods, John (2010-12-30). "Pretty Little Lions". Montevidayo. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  12. ↑ http://www.atomicbooks.com/index.php/young-lions-blaise-larmee.html
  13. ↑ Sturm, James (2012-05-29). "CCS Exit Interview: Blaise Larmee". Schulz Library Blog. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
  14. ↑ Molina, Lauren (2011-09-18). "Interview IV". LCAD. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  15. ↑ Marc Weisblott (2011-05-10). "Comic books confiscated at Canadian border on suspicion of obscenity". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
  16. ↑ http://www.freedomtoread.ca/challenged-works/young-lions/
  17. ↑ Tom Spurgeon (2011-05-10). "Missed It: Young Lions Also Seized On Road To TCAF". The Comics Reporter. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  18. ↑ Dierks, Stephen (2013-05-15). "Tweens Exist In This Uncanny Valley: An Interview With Blaise Larmee". Thought Catalog. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  19. ↑ "Blaise Larmee". We Find Wildness. 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  20. ↑ Heidi MacDonald (2014-04-23). "2D Cloud announces ambitious 2015 slate, adds to staff". The Beat. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  21. ↑ Darwin, Liza (2010-09-23). "Book Club: The Whale". Nylon Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved 2014-06-18.

External links

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