Who Published Maus ?

This chapter contends that RAW Books and Graphics (RBG)-Maus and Pantheon-Maus constitute meaningfully distinct constructions. It argues that the singular material and paratextual framings of RBG-Maus proffer a different—if not more complex—reading of Spiegelman's work than do the collected editions from Pantheon. The chapter emphasizes that the format of the Maus inserts and the large RAW pages against which they are set, guide readers' engagement with the text and its themes. It also notes that the insert booklets of RBG-Maus adopt a small physical format similar to that of a personal diary, which emphasizes the intimate nature of both Vladek Spiegelman's and Art Spiegelman's disclosures. Complementing this construction of Maus-as-diary, the chapter underlines that the small pages of the inserts encourage a “reading” rather than “viewing” approach to the text, a technique that Spiegelman has frequently theorized. The chapter analyzes how Spiegelman utilizes the large RAW companion pages to which the Maus inserts are attached as a space for metacommentary.