Indie artist Denis Kitchen has a long and storied career in the comic book industry that goes well beyond the page, and into the annals of legal history. Kitchen was a creator and provocateur of underground comix alongside names like Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman, constantly pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. In fact, his Kitchen Sink Press was responsible for publishing Gay Comix, which is widely regarded on one of the first anthology comic collections to feature openly queer creators.
In 1990, Kitchen went on to found the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Initially created to help defend a comic store owner who was arrested on charges of "distributing obscenity" (read: comic books), the CBLDF has gone on to become a major champion for First Amendment rights in the publishing industry. And not like those currently en vogue self-proclaimed "Free Speech Defenders" who beat their chests on X Formerly Known As Twitter; over the years, the CBLDF has defended a wide range of artists from potentially devastating legal consequences.
Kitchen's life is now the subject of a new documentary titled Oddly Compelling, which you can see the trailer for above. Here's the official synopsis of the film:
Artist, publisher, author, historian and champion for uncensored artistic freedom, Denis exemplifies the 20th century DIY counterculture. As the 21st century confronts fresh issues of book bans, challenges to free speech of marginalized voices, and a very uncertain future for democracy, his story is more relevant than ever. Kitchen's journey reflects the genesis of creator-owned comics from its humble beginnings to a profound effect on pop culture and artistic freedoms taken for granted today. His astonishing array of unusual collectibles and eccentric art projects offer unique eye candy. At times quirky, idealistic, humane, heart-breaking and often hilarious, this is a life that can empower viewers and successive generations.
Filmmakers Soren Christian and Ted Intorcio captured hundreds of hours of candid, in-depth interviews with Kitchen's friends and colleagues; the documentary even includes some rare archival footage exploring Kitchen's relationships with other comic legends like Robert Crumb, Will Eisner, and Harvey Kurtzman. The filmmakers are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to finish the last bits of production on the documentary, and prepare it for distribution on the festival circuit.
Oddly Compelling: The Denis Kitchen Story — A documentary film about counterculture, freedom of speech, and a comic book maverick [Tinto Press / Kickstarter]
