Strip Search, Episode 28 — Hillary Chute

Comics scholar Hillary Chute stands in front of a stained-glass image of an Art Spiegelman drawing, in a photo taken by cartoonist Alison Bechdel. How's that for synergy?

So we're used to talking to people smarter than us here at Strip Search: The Comic Strip Podcast — but maybe not THIS MUCH smarter. Yes, "Strip Search" was truly honored to welcome Hillary Chute, a Distinguished Professor of English and Art & Design at Northeastern University who’s written numerous books on the comics art form — and edited one, due in November, called “Maus Now,” analyzing the far-reaching impacts of "Maus," Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize winning, seminal work about his father's experience in the Holocaust.

To say she was delightful is an understatement, but don't take our word for it — you can listen to or watch the podcast below. Her expertise about "Maus" in particular offered the perfect opportunity to delve into the recent controversy over its banning by a school board in Tennessee, but we also touched on the rise of comics in popular culture; the shift in "adult" comics from underground to the mainstream; graphic novels for beginners; and much more.

We're hoping this will mark the return of regular monthly episodes of "Strip Search," now hosted on Libsyn. (Are you a cartoonist, comic artist, illustrator, critic, gag writer, or just a generally cool individual who'd like to come on? Email us at petpeevescomic@gmail.com!) Want a heads up when a new episode drops? Subscribe to the Pet Peeves newsletter and you shall be in the know.

Meanwhile, you can also read about Hillary's take on the Maus controversy at Boston.com; and you should make note that that she'll be moderating an online discussion on “Time and Graphic Memoir” with cartoonist and graphic novelist Alison Bechdel, author of “Fun Home,” on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m.

Enjoy the podcast below, along with an example of Hillary's only personal comics credit — a series of strips about the philosopher Roland Barthes, which she wrote with Bechdel, for some reason (you'll have to listen to the podcast to hear why). [Caution: Naughty words.]

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