Review of Instant Pogo

Walt Kelly, Instant Pogo, Simon and Schuster. The book begins with some strips that were banned from newspapers in Canada and Japan. These strips feature Mr. Pig and Mr. Goat, who somewhat resemble well-known political figures of the day. They intend to invade the USA, but by mistake they end up in the Okefenokee. Their plan is to distribute counterfeit puce trading stamps, which could then be redeemed, crashing the US economy. One thing happens, and then another, and the invaders, the Jack Acid Society, and Wiley Catt, the mi-nute man, all seem to be dealing from the bottom of the same deck. At the end of the banned strips, the Okefenokee Glee and Perloo Union picnic is ruined, medical science provides a cure for a blown nose, and most people live happily ever after. <br><br>

Singing commercials, acting lessons, and other nonsense, originally published in color on Sundays, carry on to the end of the book. Like many Pogo books, this one has two parts. The banned political strips are interesting because of their history, and the rest of the book is just plain funny. 

081126

we<br>

go<br>

off-trail<br>

secluded<br>

I hope to have you<br>

up against a tree so surprised<br>

by your hollow fangs pressing into my carotid

081026

trees have faces<br><br>

in this alien swamp<br><br>

their mouths have teeth

Review of Pogo volume 6

Walt Kelly, March 1997, Pogo volume 6, Fantagraphics. This book contains the daily comics originally published from April 30th to October 13th of 1951.<br><br>

RC Harvey begins his introduction with a review of the early history and prehistory of Pogo, by which I mean some of the things Kelly did before he started drawing the syndicated Pogo comics. He worked in the Mouse Factory for a few years and then got involved in drawing stories for quite a number of comic books. It was in one of these that the swamp characters first appeared.<br><br>

This book includes the famous poetry writing contest between a literary worm and Albert the alligator. May the best poem win, even though the judge, a turtle, somehow got his head stuck inside his shell and can't remember how to get it out. PT Bridgeport comes to the swamp looking for talent for his circus. The amazing turtle, no head but not dead, is just the ticket. PT Bridgeport is a large and self-important bear, clearly based on PT Barnum, who, like Kelly, was from Bridgeport Connecticut.<br><br>

The only act remaining in the circus, besides the rabbit who plays the drums (I believe this is Bun Rabbit, tho I could be wrong), is Tammanany tiger. He plays a lion. One of the most interesting things about the rabbit is that every single time PT speaks to him, he calls him by a different name. The rabbit never says anything about this. Later, the tiger and a small group of friends run away from home. Long about evening time, they realize they forgot to bring any food, and someone makes the observation that when you starve with a tiger, the tiger starves last.<br><br>

Review of Pogo Volume 7

Walt Kelly, June 1997, Pogo volume 7, Fantagraphics. The comics included in this volume were originally published between October 15th, 1951 and April 10th, 1952. This volume encompasses an important time in the history of the comic strip, because it includes much of the transition from Vaudeville to political satire. A good bit of the first part is the attempt by Wiley Catt, Seminole Sam, and Sarcophagus MacAbre to cook and eat Churchy Lafemme the turtle. This is a thinly veiled poke at the anti-communist witch hunts that were sweeping the country at that time. Of course the book features plenty of the silly kind of material that readers of the strip were used to. Bun Rabbit celebrating a year's worth of holidays as quickly as possible, several of the men vying for the attention of Ma'm'selle Hepzibah, and the legendary card games of the three bats. One of the most noteworthy things about these strips is the evidence of Kelly's successful struggle to wrench copyright out of the hands of the Post-Hall syndicate. For more than a month he refused to sign the strip, and instead used a series of nonsense names, a few of which are unfortunately illegible. Beginning in 1952 the strip includes a copyright statement with his name, and a separate statement indicating the strip is distributed by the syndicate. He was the first comic strip writer to ever succeed in regaining copyright.<br><br>

One of my favorite lines is here: "When you go to sleep an' wakes up, does you fergit ever'thing?" You might be surprised at how many occasions there are to quote this one.<br><br>

080726

the surf keeps coming

seaside cottages float up 

and ground against the hills

080626

pigs

broken out in rashers 

light my fire