Krazy Kat

A study in the history of cartooning brings out the likes of Peanuts, Pogo, Dennis the Menace and the Laurel and Hardy like team of Krazy and Ignatz. The comic strip created by George Herriman appeared in U.S. newspapers between 1913 and 1944. The strip focuses on the curious "love" triangle between its title character, Krazy, a carefree and innocent cat of indeterminate gender (referred to as both male and female), her antagonist Ignatz Mouse, and the protective police dog, Officer Bull Pupp. Krazy nurses an unrequited love for the mouse, but Ignatz despises her and constantly schemes to throw a brick at her head; which Krazy takes as a sign of affection. Officer Pupp, as Coconino County's administrator of law and order, makes it his unwavering mission to interfere with Ignatz's brick-tossing plans and lock the mouse in the county jail.
It was the detailed characterization, combined with Herriman's visual and verbal creativity, that made Krazy Kat one of the first comics to be widely praised by intellectuals and treated as serious art. Gilbert Seldes, a noted art critic of the time, wrote in 1924, calling it "the most amusing and fantastic and satisfactory work of art produced in America today." Famed poet E. E. Cummings, as another Herriman admirer, wrote the introduction to the first collection of the strip in book form. In more recent years, many modern cartoonists have cited Krazy Kat as a major influence, including Calvin and Hobbes creator, Bill Watterson who deserves his own article.
Studying the history of graphic art and cartooning is important in order to learn the true history of story telling in its true form. So many talents throughout history deserve to be resurrected. Today's reader, for the most part, is ignorant of the treasures buried in the archives of old newspapers and books. Graphic novels are not a new art form and have their roots firmly planted in the Sunday newspapers.

Man Burns Books?!!!

A protest to those who don't read.
By M&C News May 29, 2007

Tom Wayne has collected thousands of books in a warehouse throughout the 10-year span of running his used book store- Prospero's Books. ...he found that libraries didn’t want them, and nor did thrift stores. All said they were full. So Wayne began burning his books in protest of what he sees as “society's diminishing support for the printed word.”

I understand why he feels the way he does. Reading is fast becoming a lost past time. The internet and television is monopolizing the time of the average brain. It is indeed a sad state of affairs. But burning unwanted books? Pleeeeze! Why not offer them for free to the public? Put up ads and signs in poor schools and libraries. I know I would be there! I'm sure he burned some antique books along with some great classics. Just because the charities did not want the books, surely there are those individual readers who would jump at the chance to enrich their library. According to the article, there was a turn out of people who paid to rescue some of the books. That in and of itself should have stopped him. For someone who seemingly loves books, it seems an odd way to protest the diminishing literary mind. I find it a ghastly way to make a scene for books.

Words from where?

This is a literary blog for new and old literature. We cover offbeat, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Philosophy, Poetry, comic and anything else that is noteworthy. Not every great work falls on the front page of Amazon or Time. Sometimes, there are wonderful literary masterpieces hiding in the aether. It is our job to expose these works for what they are. Interesting, entertaining or provocative reads. Not every book has to be picked up by a big publisher to be good. At the same time, there are great works within the big publishing industry. That is usually because they started out small and were noticed and later picked up by a bigger group. Or, an agent actually noticed or was lucky enough to discover the next great author. There are so many writers out there who deserve notice. For a myriad of reasons, they are over looked. There's big money in the publishing industry and books that appeal to the masses are sought out. There are as many readers as there are ideas. Not every reader can be pigeon-holed into a specific segment or market. This blog is for the rest of us. The discriminating reader who likes to escape now and then to another world. Then, sometimes, enjoys a short humorous piece to read during the ever lessening down time. From the bathroom reader to the library showcase, all readers and writers must connect...and connect they will. Here's to a bit of help now and then to those who deserve it!