Recently a close friend gave me a copy of a hardbound volume by editor Derya Ataker in a singular re-collection entitled
The Kat Who Walked in Beauty: The Panoramic Dailies of 1920 reprinting some of George Herriman's iconic comic strip formatively featured as a side strip called "The Dingbat Family" which eventually split-off to be run as the noted "Krazy Kat".
Herriman created "The Dingbat Family" in 1910, that was renamed "The Family Upstairs". This serial was to feature a 'sideshow' strip of two animals dubbed "Krazy Kat and Ignatz" that were to become a signature feature, eventually headed as "Krazy Kat", that is widely regarded as one of the best comic strips ever produced by many critics and graphic creators who hold it in utmost respect for its simplicity and shifting surreal aspects.
There is continual debate of how much underlying social commentary was made in Herriman’s play portrayed of black and white figures, as the creator is cited as being of a Creole upbringing born in New Orleans in 1880. Certainly some societal interplay is intentional on Herriman’s part, particularly on the changing shades within that morph of a rapid exchange. No doubt Herriman intended some communal comment through the anthropomorphic characters wherein the creator deftly cuts up in a further unique blend of language.
The first selected series reprint of “Krazy Kat” strips was offered in 1946 with a noted introduction by e.e. cummings. Thereafter it was forty years until a subsequent re-collection appeared
Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman edited by Patricia McDonnell, Karen O’Connell, and Georgia Riley de Havenon that remains in circulate reprint.
Of my initial exposure to "Krazy Kat"> was brought about by Art Spigelman and Francoise Mouly through their import in
RAW, volume 2, number 3, originally released in 1991.The graphic duo is also cited as leading the re-appreciation of Herriman’s work that as with creator Bud Fisher had diminished almost at that time to the point of obscurity. Of course Herriman’s iconic pair noted as "Ignatz and Krazy Kat" were reborn in Matt Groening’s riff of "Itchy and Scratchy" airing on the animated short in the
Bart Simpson Show in 1988, as well as being given wider view in
The Simpsons of "There’s No Disgrace Like Home" in 1990. While other cat and mice conflicts influenced "Itchy and Scratchy", such as "Tom and Jerry" and "Herman and Katnip" the basic loop can be reached back to Herriman’s peculiar take that was then projected of myriad cartoon mice, particularly Mickey Mouse.
It is no understatement to relate that Herriman's unique approach had a pervasive effect on subsequent cartoonists, especially the so-called underground 'comix' rebels who drew upon "Ignatz and Krazy Kat" in their turnabout revivals. Of particular mention is Robert Crumb's "Fritz the Cat" which ran from 1965 to 1972, along with Art Spiegelman who began a initial installment of "Maus" within
Funny Animals in 1972 that upon comparison with the later renditions in
RAW in the 1980's displays how the artist felt that more pared down graphics would convey as much or more through less, as Herriman so deftly handled.
Spiegelman and Mouly-who not incidentally gave print awareness to graphic creator Chris Ware, that later made his own revision of Herriman's rodent titled "Quimby the Mouse" as well as designing the covers for the future Fanatagraphic reprints (of which detail to follow)- were well aware of the importance of Herriman’s singular strip, and of its slighted recognition, were the "Krazy Kat" reprint in
RAW re-presented as "Tiger Tea" conveying 48 consecutive strips that are imparted of an introduction by Bob Callahan as
the cohesive narrative that Herriman created. The import of
RAW within North America is worth much additional praise, for it is by Spigelman’s and Mouly’s editorial efforts and enthusiasm that returned Herriman’s due strip to new readers, who might have otherwise overlooked the singular creator’s contribution.
Spiegleman was further recognizing Herriman’s subtle, yet stark dig, and overturn of the ‘cat and mouse game’, with Spiegleman noted as remarking of the racial undertones struck influencing his own anthropomorphic exploration attempting to relate his father’s experience in being imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp in World War II imparted as "Maus". Spiegelman’s comments upon the racial representation, stereotyping African Americans can be reviewed at http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/26/books/cats-mice-and-history-the-avant-carde-of-the-comic-strip.html.
Following
RAW, Kitchen Sink Press undertook to reprint
The Komplete Kolor Krazy Kat, edited by Rick Marshall, and composed of a consortium of comic publishers representing Eclipse Comics and Turtle Island Press, along with the aid of Bill Blackbeard, that was unfortunately cut short with the demise of Eclipse in 1992.
Bill Blackbeard resumed to include all of Herriman’s "Krazy Kat" Sunday strips in 2002 with the backing of Fantagraphics Books who have recently completed this daunting task of 13 volumes re-presenting the serial from April 23, 1916 unto June 25th, 1944 when Herriman died.
Someday it is hoped that my own select collections may be added to of this complete edition, although as editor Derya Ataker who was involved in the larger project with Fantagraphic Books reveals in the stand –alone collection
The Kat Who Walked in Beauty: The Panoramic Dailies of 1920 there is almost a infinite appreciation to be found in Herriman’s supplements that offer a near inestimable amount of enjoyment and absorbing study.
Recently a close friend gave me a copy of a hardbound volume by editor Derya Ataker in a singular re-collection entitled The Kat Who Walked in Beauty: The Panoramic Dailies of 1920 reprinting some of George Herriman's iconic comic strip formatively featured as a side strip called "The Dingbat Family" which eventually split-off to be run as the noted "Krazy Kat".
Herriman created "The Dingbat Family" in 1910, that was renamed "The Family Upstairs". This serial was to feature a 'sideshow' strip of two animals dubbed "Krazy Kat and Ignatz" that were to become a signature feature, eventually headed as "Krazy Kat", that is widely regarded as one of the best comic strips ever produced by many critics and graphic creators who hold it in utmost respect for its simplicity and shifting surreal aspects.
There is continual debate of how much underlying social commentary was made in Herriman’s play portrayed of black and white figures, as the creator is cited as being of a Creole upbringing born in New Orleans in 1880. Certainly some societal interplay is intentional on Herriman’s part, particularly on the changing shades within that morph of a rapid exchange. No doubt Herriman intended some communal comment through the anthropomorphic characters wherein the creator deftly cuts up in a further unique blend of language.
The first selected series reprint of “Krazy Kat” strips was offered in 1946 with a noted introduction by e.e. cummings. Thereafter it was forty years until a subsequent re-collection appeared Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman edited by Patricia McDonnell, Karen O’Connell, and Georgia Riley de Havenon that remains in circulate reprint.
Of my initial exposure to "Krazy Kat"> was brought about by Art Spigelman and Francoise Mouly through their import in RAW, volume 2, number 3, originally released in 1991.The graphic duo is also cited as leading the re-appreciation of Herriman’s work that as with creator Bud Fisher had diminished almost at that time to the point of obscurity. Of course Herriman’s iconic pair noted as "Ignatz and Krazy Kat" were reborn in Matt Groening’s riff of "Itchy and Scratchy" airing on the animated short in the Bart Simpson Show in 1988, as well as being given wider view in The Simpsons of "There’s No Disgrace Like Home" in 1990. While other cat and mice conflicts influenced "Itchy and Scratchy", such as "Tom and Jerry" and "Herman and Katnip" the basic loop can be reached back to Herriman’s peculiar take that was then projected of myriad cartoon mice, particularly Mickey Mouse.
It is no understatement to relate that Herriman's unique approach had a pervasive effect on subsequent cartoonists, especially the so-called underground 'comix' rebels who drew upon "Ignatz and Krazy Kat" in their turnabout revivals. Of particular mention is Robert Crumb's "Fritz the Cat" which ran from 1965 to 1972, along with Art Spiegelman who began a initial installment of "Maus" within Funny Animals in 1972 that upon comparison with the later renditions in RAW in the 1980's displays how the artist felt that more pared down graphics would convey as much or more through less, as Herriman so deftly handled.
Spiegelman and Mouly-who not incidentally gave print awareness to graphic creator Chris Ware, that later made his own revision of Herriman's rodent titled "Quimby the Mouse" as well as designing the covers for the future Fanatagraphic reprints (of which detail to follow)- were well aware of the importance of Herriman’s singular strip, and of its slighted recognition, were the "Krazy Kat" reprint in RAW re-presented as "Tiger Tea" conveying 48 consecutive strips that are imparted of an introduction by Bob Callahan as the cohesive narrative that Herriman created. The import of RAW within North America is worth much additional praise, for it is by Spigelman’s and Mouly’s editorial efforts and enthusiasm that returned Herriman’s due strip to new readers, who might have otherwise overlooked the singular creator’s contribution.
Spiegleman was further recognizing Herriman’s subtle, yet stark dig, and overturn of the ‘cat and mouse game’, with Spiegleman noted as remarking of the racial undertones struck influencing his own anthropomorphic exploration attempting to relate his father’s experience in being imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp in World War II imparted as "Maus". Spiegelman’s comments upon the racial representation, stereotyping African Americans can be reviewed at http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/26/books/cats-mice-and-history-the-avant-carde-of-the-comic-strip.html.
Following RAW, Kitchen Sink Press undertook to reprint The Komplete Kolor Krazy Kat, edited by Rick Marshall, and composed of a consortium of comic publishers representing Eclipse Comics and Turtle Island Press, along with the aid of Bill Blackbeard, that was unfortunately cut short with the demise of Eclipse in 1992.
Bill Blackbeard resumed to include all of Herriman’s "Krazy Kat" Sunday strips in 2002 with the backing of Fantagraphics Books who have recently completed this daunting task of 13 volumes re-presenting the serial from April 23, 1916 unto June 25th, 1944 when Herriman died.
Someday it is hoped that my own select collections may be added to of this complete edition, although as editor Derya Ataker who was involved in the larger project with Fantagraphic Books reveals in the stand –alone collection The Kat Who Walked in Beauty: The Panoramic Dailies of 1920 there is almost a infinite appreciation to be found in Herriman’s supplements that offer a near inestimable amount of enjoyment and absorbing study.
