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4th out of 182 books
—
96 voters
Hark! A Vagrant
by
Kate Beaton
Hark! A Vagrant is an uproarious romp through history and literature seen through the sharp, contemporary lens of New Yorker cartoonist and comics-sensation Kate Beaton. No era or tome emerges unscathed as Beaton rightly skewers the Western world's revolutionaries, leaders, sycophants, and suffragists while equally honing her wit on the hapless heroes, heroines, and villai...more
Hardcover, 168 pages
Published
September 27th 2011
by Drawn and Quarterly
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Delightful content, but nothing new for fans of the eponymous web comic. A very beautiful physical object, of course, as one would expect from Drawn & Quarterly, considerably nicer than the previous self-published Never Learn Anything From History. Sadly the book is lacking the autobiographical doodles Beaton posts on Twitter, which, aside from being some of the funniest things she produces, are also some of the most heartfelt and touching. For me, many of her most amusing historical comics...more
I CAN'T WAIT OMFG
Edited: Everything I had hoped for
Edited: Everything I had hoped for
If you have not yet been exposed to harkavagrant.com then I can only surmise that all the time you've spent on the internet to date has been wasted. Go rectify the situation immediately and while you're at it, go buy Kate Beaton's first book Hark! A Vagrant, a compilation of comics from the site with some book-exclusive comics tossed in to the mix.
I first came to know Kate Beaton's work after discovering her "Dude Watchin' with the Brontes" strip, where Emily and Charlotte ogle assholes and when...more
I first came to know Kate Beaton's work after discovering her "Dude Watchin' with the Brontes" strip, where Emily and Charlotte ogle assholes and when...more
I don't remember the last time I laughed this hard or this frequently reading a comics collection. Beaton's hilarious. I'm sure part of her appeal for me is the historical and literary bents of a lot of her work (her comic takes on the Brontes are especially funny, but she covers a lot of literary and historical ground--and Nancy Drew!), and admittedly she has some go-to gimmicks that might pall after a while (e.g. straight-laced nineteenth-century characters speaking in modern slang), but the o...more
Not a huge amount of new material in this but I am more than happy to give Kate Beaton my money. I love her comics! Here is a prime example of her amazing work -- smart and a little vulgar : )
Kepler and Tycho Brahe
Kepler and Tycho Brahe
This is a hard book to review, and one hard to review entirely fairly.
Beaton is, undoubtedly, a master of what she does. She condenses historical stories, novels and so on into strip comics, with a hefty dose of her rather compelling Canadian sense of humour. Topics range from Mediaeval Romance to Sexy Batman, from American Politics to The Great Gatsby.
Those who have read her website will undoubtedly have seen a fair number - if not all - of the comics contained within this, and hereby lies part...more
Beaton is, undoubtedly, a master of what she does. She condenses historical stories, novels and so on into strip comics, with a hefty dose of her rather compelling Canadian sense of humour. Topics range from Mediaeval Romance to Sexy Batman, from American Politics to The Great Gatsby.
Those who have read her website will undoubtedly have seen a fair number - if not all - of the comics contained within this, and hereby lies part...more
Hark! A Vagrant is another one of those webcomics everyone should read. It's basically a gag-a-day comic (there are a few recurring characters, but no overarching storyline) that deals with a variety of subjects, including history, literature, film, popular culture, teen apathy, and totally random nonsense.
History and literature being two of my favorite subjects, the comics dealing with historical and literary figures and events were my favorites. Aside from being well-written and sardonically w...more
History and literature being two of my favorite subjects, the comics dealing with historical and literary figures and events were my favorites. Aside from being well-written and sardonically w...more
Kate Beaton has a new fan, for what it's worth. I read through Hark! a Vagrant in about an hour, and not once during the entire span of the book did I stop laughing for more than ten seconds. And I don't mean a chuckle here or a hiccup there, I mean full on, maniacal cackling the likes of which is only usually found watching an episode of Community or Flight of the Conchords. That's how funny the comic strips of Kate Beaton are. I have sore abs today because...well because I'm out of shape, and...more
It takes a steady hand to string together an intricately woven, deeply nuanced plot. The number of authors who can take a handful of seemingly contrived elements and produce an elegantly composed narrative admixture are few and rare. Plot-heavy literature, when it succeeds, is a wonder to behold; but in its failure, we find little to surprise us. So when I describe Kate Beaton's Hark A Vagrant! as paean to complex plot structures and hail it as deviously devised, I hope you'll pay attention. The...more
Hark! a Vagrant started as a webcomic by Kate Beaton, updated on her website. Although there are many strips about history, literature, and fat ponies, is a wide variety of topics she draws about. Plus, if you don't understand stuff about history, many of the jokes are still entertaining!
I first heard of Kate Beaton by running across her webcomic by accident, and I'm glad I did! They are quality comics, being funny, don't waste too much time in webcomic format, have an interesting art style, etc...more
I first heard of Kate Beaton by running across her webcomic by accident, and I'm glad I did! They are quality comics, being funny, don't waste too much time in webcomic format, have an interesting art style, etc...more
Hark! A Vagrant is an online comic of short strips written and drawn by Canadian artist Kate Beaton, centred mostly upon her interests in literature and history. Oh and they're incredibly funny! If, like me, you remember the "Horrible Histories" series by Terry Deary and loved the cartoons in the books, it's like that minus the text, and similar to Nicolas Gurewitch's "Perry Bible Fellowship" in terms of length of strip and humour.
Beaton riffs on staples of literature by inserting 21st century...more
Beaton riffs on staples of literature by inserting 21st century...more
I started writing an essay about how print collections of webcomics invariably create a meditation on the formal concerns of both mediums, but it was going nowhere.
The points I was orbiting were
1) Reviews of webcomics collections are inherently stymied by the fact that the comics are all online for free. What can I say about Hark a Vagrant that would do a better job of telling someone what to expect from the book than "Go to the website?" For those who have been to the website, this has the com...more
The points I was orbiting were
1) Reviews of webcomics collections are inherently stymied by the fact that the comics are all online for free. What can I say about Hark a Vagrant that would do a better job of telling someone what to expect from the book than "Go to the website?" For those who have been to the website, this has the com...more
Oh my God, guys, Kate Beaton. I don't know when, I don't know how, but some day she and I are going to be besties, getting drunk in a bar somewhere whilst laughing uproariously about Jules Verne and the Bronte sisters. It just has to happen.
But while I wait for that blissful day of happiness, I will console myself by pimping out this book, which you should own. It is magical in absolutely every way, and features all of my favorite characters, including Fat Pony, Equally Fat Napoleon, Dashing Wa...more
But while I wait for that blissful day of happiness, I will console myself by pimping out this book, which you should own. It is magical in absolutely every way, and features all of my favorite characters, including Fat Pony, Equally Fat Napoleon, Dashing Wa...more
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If you aren't familiar with Kate Beaton's interesting and humorous web comic (I feel "quirky" is overused as a defining term these days), Hark! a vagrant, go look it up. Now. I'll wait.
Beaton mixes history and classic literature (mostly Shakespearean though a lot on Austen and the Brontes as well) in hilarious ways, never taking things too seriously. The best thing about this collection is probably that things are grouped together more thematically. By that I mean all the Richard Gorey comics (w...more
Beaton mixes history and classic literature (mostly Shakespearean though a lot on Austen and the Brontes as well) in hilarious ways, never taking things too seriously. The best thing about this collection is probably that things are grouped together more thematically. By that I mean all the Richard Gorey comics (w...more
Kate Beaton's comic started years ago as a little webcomic, poking fun at historical figures and events. Then it grew. And grew. And eventually grew enough to have a book containing some of the best of her comics.
The question many people I'm sure will be asking is, "Why go out and buy a book when you can read the comics for free on the website?" And really, that's a good question. Ultimately, it comes down to support for a Canadian artist doing what she loves to do. Also, you're not just getting...more
The question many people I'm sure will be asking is, "Why go out and buy a book when you can read the comics for free on the website?" And really, that's a good question. Ultimately, it comes down to support for a Canadian artist doing what she loves to do. Also, you're not just getting...more
Comics. Beaton mixes history, butts, and pop culture like no one else. When she has Anne Bronte call someone a dickbag, you believe it, and whether she's drawing sexy Batman or Jules Verne, her characters are so expressive you can practically see them rolling their eyes.
This has all my favorites: Fat Pony, the Gorey covers (KIERKEGAARD), Canadian Stereotype Comics, Holmes and the Watsons. And it's not just the 6-8 panel pieces, or the 3 panel sets; it also has some of her quicker, 3 panel one-of...more
This has all my favorites: Fat Pony, the Gorey covers (KIERKEGAARD), Canadian Stereotype Comics, Holmes and the Watsons. And it's not just the 6-8 panel pieces, or the 3 panel sets; it also has some of her quicker, 3 panel one-of...more
First Impression
I have been a fan of Kate Beaton’s Hark! A Vagrant online comics for a few years (http://harkavagrant.com/). Her quirky comics take a funny, satirical jab at famous authors, books, and historical characters. No one is safe from mockery.
Her book, Hark! A Vagrant, is a collection of her best comics and it does not disappoint. She makes literature and history fun for her readers.
Quick Plot Overview
There is no over-arching plot in Hark! A Vagrant as it is just a collection of comic s...more
I have been a fan of Kate Beaton’s Hark! A Vagrant online comics for a few years (http://harkavagrant.com/). Her quirky comics take a funny, satirical jab at famous authors, books, and historical characters. No one is safe from mockery.
Her book, Hark! A Vagrant, is a collection of her best comics and it does not disappoint. She makes literature and history fun for her readers.
Quick Plot Overview
There is no over-arching plot in Hark! A Vagrant as it is just a collection of comic s...more
For people who think webcomics are automatically low quality, here's something to prove them wrong.
(If Girl Genius and Gunnerkrigg Court haven't convinced them of that yet, anyway.)
Hark! A Vagrant doesn't have a story; it's a collection of strips that deal mainly with history and literature in an incredibly humorous way. Fans and curious parties can, of course, read it online at harkavagrant.com.
One of the things I loved most about the print collection is how Kate Beaton was able to leave in her...more
(If Girl Genius and Gunnerkrigg Court haven't convinced them of that yet, anyway.)
Hark! A Vagrant doesn't have a story; it's a collection of strips that deal mainly with history and literature in an incredibly humorous way. Fans and curious parties can, of course, read it online at harkavagrant.com.
One of the things I loved most about the print collection is how Kate Beaton was able to leave in her...more
I dig Beaton because she's (hilarious and witty, yes, and) not afraid to punch everyone in the face with her mad comic skillz. Literature, history, dead rascist presidents, Dracula, pirates, manatees: no topic (or marine-dwelling mammal) is off-limits.
[Four stars for making me (laugh, easily and often, yes, and) happy I never read Jane Eyre, and for the best two-sentence review of The Great Gatsby I've ever read, which goes a little something like this: "Everyone has to read The Great Gatsby in...more
[Four stars for making me (laugh, easily and often, yes, and) happy I never read Jane Eyre, and for the best two-sentence review of The Great Gatsby I've ever read, which goes a little something like this: "Everyone has to read The Great Gatsby in...more
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I kind of want to give this book 4 (or even 5!??) stars, because I really like Kate Beaton. Her comics are awesome; she's smart and funny and has a great eye for caricature. But I can see all that from her web-comics--no need for a book. (disclaimer: I got this book from the library so I promise, I'm not bitter that I bought it and was disappointed or something)
The actual book itself is a super-nice hardcover with spot gloss on the cover and everything. Pretty fancy. On the inside you'll find Be...more
The actual book itself is a super-nice hardcover with spot gloss on the cover and everything. Pretty fancy. On the inside you'll find Be...more
I will confess, I'm a big history wonk. I love wit and humor about history, but I'm hardnosed enough to want it to be accurate.
Which is why I love Kate Beaton's collection of wickedly intelligent cartoons. She flows through history, and some literature, bemusedly underscoring its absurdity. From the joyous calisthenics of Matthew Henson, a black man who was the first to reach the North Pole (Robert E. Peary had badly frostbitten feet, and in her hilarious cartoon isn't even unpacked from the sle...more
Which is why I love Kate Beaton's collection of wickedly intelligent cartoons. She flows through history, and some literature, bemusedly underscoring its absurdity. From the joyous calisthenics of Matthew Henson, a black man who was the first to reach the North Pole (Robert E. Peary had badly frostbitten feet, and in her hilarious cartoon isn't even unpacked from the sle...more
This collection of comic strips by Kate Beaton was hilarious. I love the way this cartoonist exposes the absurdities of history, literature, and popular culture. I do not know many other creative individuals who could poke such delicious fun on such a wide variety of topics. Also, Beaton has some serious problems with the Bronte sisters. My favorites strips are the slash fiction scene between Javert and Jean Valjean (the two male characters of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo), the cartoon featurin...more
I've been a long time fan of Kate Beaton's "Hark! A Vagrant", the infamous web comic that has produced viral hits such as "Canadian Stereotypes" and "Brown Recluse Spiderman". Even if you haven't heard of Beaton, the chances are if you surf the internet, you would have come across one or two of her comics. Beaton's brand of comic is definitely unique. She critiques and mocks a wide range of historical figures, social phenomenon, pop culture and media. Her witty remarks and offbeat quips are at t...more
An excellent collection of Beaton's web comics. No historical or literary figure is safe. Beaton's combination of elegant, sometimes goofy line art and sharp wit will make you laugh more than once. The additional comments below many of the strips add context and sometimes new jokes.
I only wish more care had been taken in the production of the book. Many of the strips seem hurriedly scanned, with original pencils showing through so often that it becomes distracting. And I'm not sure if it was jus...more
I only wish more care had been taken in the production of the book. Many of the strips seem hurriedly scanned, with original pencils showing through so often that it becomes distracting. And I'm not sure if it was jus...more
I had come upon this book after doing a short research on Amazon.com on something light, funny and yet subtle enough to engage the historian, the humorist and the realist in you...most importantly, I was looking for something that had a LOT OF DRAWINGS. So instead of downloading an illegal PDF copy online, I decided to order this (*yes, with my hard earned money indeed).
Kate Beaton's highly acclaimed (The Newyorker, that is chic enough for most people) webcomic turned paper publication had a dis...more
Kate Beaton's highly acclaimed (The Newyorker, that is chic enough for most people) webcomic turned paper publication had a dis...more
Finally, a book of intelligent comics for eggheads! I mean really, when was the last time you read a good cartoon about regicide?
Here be funnies about Macbeth, the Brontes, St. Francis, and Jane Austin.
Chortle pleasantly as Jules Verne writes a squealy, mushy "let's-be-friends" letter to Edgar Allan Poe.
Snort aloud at the 15th Century Peasant Romance Comics.
Convulse with merriment as John Adams, after not being invited to any Founding Father Parties, decides to "lighten up", and ultimately sco...more
Here be funnies about Macbeth, the Brontes, St. Francis, and Jane Austin.
Chortle pleasantly as Jules Verne writes a squealy, mushy "let's-be-friends" letter to Edgar Allan Poe.
Snort aloud at the 15th Century Peasant Romance Comics.
Convulse with merriment as John Adams, after not being invited to any Founding Father Parties, decides to "lighten up", and ultimately sco...more
12 likes · like · see review
http://owltellyouaboutit.com/posts/hark-a-vagrant/
One of the best purchases I’ve made in quite a while. Why don’t I spend more time in the graphic novels section? I’ve been giggling at comic strips for days. I think this was all I really needed
So there’s not really a plot to this. It’s mostly a bunch of small strips making fun of historical figures and literature. It’s hilarious. Seriously, all those Bronte and Jane Eyre jokes slayed me. I’ll admit that I didn’t get some of it, mainly due to my...more
One of the best purchases I’ve made in quite a while. Why don’t I spend more time in the graphic novels section? I’ve been giggling at comic strips for days. I think this was all I really needed
So there’s not really a plot to this. It’s mostly a bunch of small strips making fun of historical figures and literature. It’s hilarious. Seriously, all those Bronte and Jane Eyre jokes slayed me. I’ll admit that I didn’t get some of it, mainly due to my...more
I love this book. I'd read most of the comics online before I bought the book, but my blind love for Beaton's comics somehow overrode this and the fact that I was traveling for the next 3 months with only a Ryan Air size carry-on suitcase. Still, it was worth the 1 shirt and 4 underwears I had to get rid of in order to fit it in my bag. The comments under the comics are snazzy and new, and I swear some of those comics aren't online (but don't hold me to that). It's a great coffee table book (now...more
This is a comic book with a wide appeal... to Canadians well-versed in history and literature. Just kidding, though, in all honesty, you'd have to be Canadian or know your Canadian history to "get" some of the comics.
It does have some very funny material.
Some highlights (to me):
- Anne of Green Gables pining over her lack of puffed sleeves
- the other Bronte sisters telling Anne her books won't sell well because she doesn't have a proper appreciation for dark, brooding men
- what if the Hardy Bo...more
It does have some very funny material.
Some highlights (to me):
- Anne of Green Gables pining over her lack of puffed sleeves
- the other Bronte sisters telling Anne her books won't sell well because she doesn't have a proper appreciation for dark, brooding men
- what if the Hardy Bo...more
A fun read for people who like their comics on the more intellectual side, as the comics are littered with historical and literary references- you even lean the odd nugget of Canadian history!
The art is a simple caricature kind of style - it'll never win awards and is more of a backdrop than the main attraction. If you're picky about your art, you may want to check the website and see if you like it first.
My only real gripe is that some of the themes (like the Nancy Drew covers) wear our their...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hark! A Vagrant Review | 1 | 8 | Apr 29, 2013 06:13am | |
| Webcomic Wonderland: Featured Webcomic: April - Hark! A Vagrant | 5 | 10 | Apr 20, 2013 08:31am | |
| Webcomic Wonderland: Hark! a Vagrant | 9 | 19 | Aug 29, 2012 03:11pm |
Kate Beaton was born in Nova Scotia, took a history degree in New Brunswick, paid it off in Alberta, worked in a museum in British Columbia, then came to Ontario for a while to draw pictures, then Halifax, and then New York, and then back to Toronto.
More about Kate Beaton...
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