Revisiting the Comic Strips of ‘Village Voice’ Cartoonist M. Wartella
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“Bowery Booms,” Photo: M. Wartella
Award-winning Village Voice cartoonist M. Wartella has just published a new coffee table book featuring his comic strips. Wartella’s Strip Show will be available in stores on January 14. His weekly “Runnin’ Scared” column for the paper sometimes focused on the gentrification of the Lower East Side, particularly the rampant change along the Bowery. (Love the above panel, especially the Whole Foods zombies peering down from the second floor cafe perch.)
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“Bowery Booms II,” Photo: M. Wartella
Jeremiah over at Vanishing NY interviewed Wartella yesterday about his life’s work. Regarding gentrification, the artist had the following to say…
Well, gentrification is a double-edged sword. We all love the gritty city we first fell in love with. But change is inevitable. It’s part of life. Some of the conveniences improve a neighborhood, but we definitely don’t need more 7-11s. That’s SO un-New York!!! Yeccch!
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Pianos CMJ, Photo: M. Wartella
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