There are comics that seem like they wouldn’t translate well into other mediums. The Watchmen has been in production limbo for years while studios figure out how to squeeze so much story and visual nuances into a two hour film. Some directors choose to apply their own distinct vision to well-established characters, as in Ang Lee’s The Hulk, to questionable effect. Some would say certain comics weren’t worth bringing to the screen to begin with (though I admit to having a soft spot for Howard the Duck and Tank Girl). How does one approach animating a comic whose characters and universe are considered an extension of their creator’s own eccentric personality? That’s the question I always wondered when reading Jim Woodring’s surreal Frank, a visual and structural acid trip. Every carefully detailed curly-cue embellishment contributes as much to the mood and personality of the comic as its anthropomorphic protagonists. Most Frank stories are pretty oblique at first, only unraveling their silent, subtle “narratives” through repeated readings. I’ve always doubted that Woodring’s rich illustrations and whimsically cryptic plots could work in a motion medium. My mind was changed when I saw a digital animation by Fuyama Taruto online. It perfectly captures the magic and wonder of Frank’s world, as well as Woodring’s lush and inky designs. After a couple years of hoping that I’d find more Frank cartoons, a DVD has been released showcasing short films by a diverse group of Japanese artists (plus one by Jim Woodring himself). While Taruto’s piece sticks close to the printed style, most of the artists choose to interpret Woodring’s work in other mediums. Paper collage, stop motion animation, and parchment effects take the familiar stories in unexpected directions, even enhancing the quirky moods. Accompanying the DVD is an exquisite package and bonus mini-comic. It’s a fan’s dream come true.

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