1954, 1975 Simon and Schuster edition with Pogo: Prisoner of Love, under the joint title Pogo: Romances Recaptured
Written and illustrated by Walt Kelly
The Incompleat Pogo
Bought newish for $6.95
Very worn paperback
B
This collection of 1953 newspaper comics is full of topical references, some of which haven't aged well, but it's still fun to see a chicken under McCarthyite suspicion for being a Rhode Island Red. Although she's wooed by the deacon, there's not all that much romance here, and the "incompleat" title feels more fitting, since this was fairly early on in the collected editions (sixth, with Pogo [1951] as the first), with many more to come. Due to the daily nature of comic strips, the "story" is very episodic, with arcs coming along and either resolving (as when Pupdog turns out to have been packed in Albert's suitcase) or fizzling out. Kelly enjoys playing with words, not just puns but dialect, and even typography. His justly famous version of "Deck Us All (with Boston Charlie)" appears, if not for the first time, at least for one of the earliest times.
I prefer Kelly's later, lighter art style, with thinner lines and more impressive scenery. (Prehysterical Pogo [in Pandemonia] was my favorite as a child.) But I will say that there some priceless expressions on these very emotional animals' faces. I want to give the cowbirds, with their cute little berets and turtlenecks, a hug, even when they're stirring up trouble, like accusing the aforementioned chicken.
No comments:
Post a Comment