Dark Horse will publish The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen this June. The 200-page hardcover (priced at $34.99) will finish a two-decade wait for the book.
Kitchen is a publisher, founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, book author, and literary and art agent. But this book presents his work as a pioneering underground comix artist. It was first announced as a forthcoming title by Kitchen’s own Kitchen Sink Press more than 20 years ago, but never produced. The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen will be the first collection of his comix work. In addition to his comix, this book will feature “a wealth of unpublished material: paintings, covers for underground newspapers and comix, rare strips and illustrations and historic photos of Kitchen and many of his contemporaries.”
Neil Gaiman provides a funny and insightful introduction, and an essay by Charles Brownstein (Eisner/Miller) provides context and a career overview. The book is designed by John Lind, winner of a 2009 American Graphic Design Award for his work on Underground Classics.
Kitchen Sink Press was closed in 1999, but recently succeeded by Denis Kitchen Publishing.