Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse is a fascinating, intelligent documentary on both the cartoonist and censorship in general. Art is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning comic Maus, based on his parents' experiences during the Holocaust and their time in Auschwitz. It is a brilliant graphic novel, and one that has impacted Art's life tremendously. He has been a defender of free speech throughout his life, and the documentary tackles his experiences with life post-success and the censorship that followed.

Initially made for PBS in the States, a channel heavily subsidised by the US government, it is now getting a theatrical release in the UK. It's short, coming in at a breezy 98 minutes, but it packs a wallop. Art is funny, intelligent, and introspective, yet has the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. There is a moment in the film where Art describes his parents as being from an 18th or 19th-century shtetl while he was growing up listening to rock and roll. Along with his parents' experiences in the death camps, there was a deep disconnect between them, creating an almost impossible chasm to overcome. After his mother committed suicide, Art began to process his parents' life experiences and the impact they had on him via the comic book medium.

It is impossible to know how best to heal from that kind of trauma, but Art Spiegelman channelled all of that emotion into Maus. For those who haven't read it, the novel is incredibly forthcoming; it is bold, heartbreaking, and stays with you a long time after one finishes. For Art though, as happy as he is with its success, he also struggled with “the next thing”. Readers wanted more Maus, and it was a challenge for him to do other work that captured interest. It would not be until 9/11, another disaster, that he was able to create work based on a new subject that was palatable for the masses.

Another thing which happened was censorship. For a book about the Holocaust, it managed to be banned in several school districts in the US. Art, still admirably channelling the hippie mantra against big government, refuses to back down in the face of this. Several scenes showcase this battle, which continues to this day, even with this very documentary. A scene critical of President Trump was preemptively cut for PBS broadcast.

The film is informative for those with no background in comics. Art and his wife Francoise Mouly do an excellent job explaining the technicalities behind putting together a comic. From page sizes, to colour transfers, to the tools used in creating what you see on the page, it's all very fascinating. There is a lovely little scene discussing using etching for some panels. Francoise, the art editor of The New Yorker, is in her element with her incredible intellect shining through as she describes these processes. The two were lucky to have found one another, as both bring out the best in eachother.

Along with Art's family, the film also features conversations with Robert Crumb, Ken Jacobs, and J. Hoberman, all of which are wildly illuminating. The film skillfully weaves together archival footage with more recent film to paint a vivid story. One won't be disappointed with this documentary, even as it ends on a negative note.

Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse will be screening in the UK at The Light cinemas in select cities during June 2025.