Michael Barrier facts for kids

Michael J. Barrier (born June 15, 1940) is an American expert on animation history. He has written many books and articles about cartoons and comic books. He is known for his deep research into how classic animated movies were made.

Michael Barrier's Journey into Animation History

Michael Barrier started a magazine called Funnyworld in 1966. It was the first magazine just for comics and animation fans. It began as a small publication for a group of hobbyists. Later, it grew into a popular magazine that sold thousands of copies. It stopped being published in the early 1980s.

Barrier also really admired the work of comic book artist Carl Barks. Carl Barks created many famous talking animal comics, including characters like Scrooge McDuck. At the time, most comic book fans liked superheroes more. Barrier wrote about Barks's work in Funnyworld. He also wrote a book in 1982 called Carl Barks and the Art of the Comic Book.

In 1973, Barrier began working on a big book about Hollywood animation. This project took him 24 years! With help from animator Milt Gray, he interviewed many important people. These were the people who helped create classic American cartoons. He studied cartoons from Disney (like Silly Symphonies and Mickey Mouse). He also looked at cartoons from Warner Bros. (like Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). Other studios he researched included MGM (like Tom and Jerry) and Fleischer/Famous studios. All this research led to his 700-page book, Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age. It was first published in 1999.

Michael Barrier also worked with writer Martin Williams. Together, they edited a book called A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics in 1982.

More of Michael Barrier's Work

From 2003 to 2007, Barrier provided audio commentaries for Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD sets. These commentaries explain details about the cartoons. He has also appeared in documentaries about animation.

In 2007, Barrier wrote a biography about Walt Disney called The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney. Some people liked the book because it shared new information. Others found it to be more critical of Disney's work.

Barrier's next book was Funnybooks: The Improbable Glories of the Best American Comic Books. This book, published in 2014, focused on different kinds of comic books. It paid less attention to superheroes. Instead, it highlighted creators like Carl Barks, Walt Kelly, and John Stanley. These artists were known for their work on comics from the Dell line. The book also covered important creators like Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman.