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Krazy and Ignatz
Krazy and Ignatz, 1929-1930: A Mice, a Brick, a Lovely Night
This volume is one in a long-term plan to chronologically reprint the entirety of the 28-year run of Krazy Kat's breathtaking Sunday page, most of which has not seen print since originally running in newspapers 75 years ago. Each volume is painstakingly edited by the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum's Bill Blackbeard, the world's foremost authority on early 20th Century American comic strips, and designed by Jimmy Corrigan author Chris Ware. In addition to the 104 full-page black-and-white Sunday strips from 1929 and 1930 (Herriman did not use color until 1935), the book includes an introduction by Blackbeard and reproductions of rare Herriman ephemera from Ware's own extensive collection, as well as annotations and other notes by Ware and Blackbeard.
Of special note to collectors, this is the period when Herriman was again liberated from the "grid" constraints of the mid-'20s and was able to compose his pages far more creatively, resulting in richer, more complex, more eye-pleasing compositions. Krazy Kat is a love story, focusing on the relationships of its three main characters. Krazy Kat adored Ignatz Mouse. Ignatz Mouse just tolerated Krazy Kat, except for recurrent onsets of targeting tumescence, which found expression in the fast delivery of bricks to Krazy's cranium. Offisa Pup loved Krazy and sought to protect "her" (Herriman always maintained that Krazy was gender-less) by throwing Ignatz in jail. Each of the characters was ignorant of the others' true motivations, and this simple structure allowed Herriman to build entire worlds of meaning into the actions, building thematic depth and sweeping his readers up by the looping verbal rhythms of Krazy & Co.'s unique dialogue.
120 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2003
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About the author
George Herriman
272 books46 followersGeorge Herriman was born August 2nd, 1880. He was an African-American cartoonist whose comic strip Krazy Kat has been said by many to be America’s greatest cartoon.
Herriman was born in New Orleans, but his Creole family soon moved to California. As a teenager, he contributed drawings to local newspapers. In his early 20s, he moved to New York City and freelanced until newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst hired him for the New York Evening Journal. During the first decade of the 20th century, Herriman’s first success was called The Family Upstairs. Krazy Kat gained independence on October 28, 1913 as a cartoon character of his own, and ran until George Herriman died in 1944.
Krazy Kat never achieved wide popularity among newspaper readers, though it attracted a highbrow following. Fans included Pablo Picasso, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frank Capra, H. L. Mencken, and Ernest Hemingway. Krazy Kat's lengthy tenure owed much to Hearst's personal love of the strip. Acceptance by the cultural mainstream grew after Herriman's death, as Krazy Kat appeared in an animated series by Paramount Studios and even in a novel.
Throughout the 20th century, cartoonists have considered Krazy Kat the founding father (or mother) of sophisticated comic strips.
Herriman was born in New Orleans, but his Creole family soon moved to California. As a teenager, he contributed drawings to local newspapers. In his early 20s, he moved to New York City and freelanced until newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst hired him for the New York Evening Journal. During the first decade of the 20th century, Herriman’s first success was called The Family Upstairs. Krazy Kat gained independence on October 28, 1913 as a cartoon character of his own, and ran until George Herriman died in 1944.
Krazy Kat never achieved wide popularity among newspaper readers, though it attracted a highbrow following. Fans included Pablo Picasso, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frank Capra, H. L. Mencken, and Ernest Hemingway. Krazy Kat's lengthy tenure owed much to Hearst's personal love of the strip. Acceptance by the cultural mainstream grew after Herriman's death, as Krazy Kat appeared in an animated series by Paramount Studios and even in a novel.
Throughout the 20th century, cartoonists have considered Krazy Kat the founding father (or mother) of sophisticated comic strips.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 5, 2023
A wonderful volume of full page Sunday strips published way back in 1929 and 1930.
If you've read one Krazy Kat strip in your life, you know what to expect. By the end of this book I did have a deeper connection for Ignatz, Krazy, and Officer Bull Pupp. I feel like poor Pupp needs to be in the title as well, he's just as prominent as Krazy and Ignatz here, often times more so.
It's an odd love triangle, where Pupp loves Krazy, Krazy loves being hit by Ignatz's rocks. Pupp needs to arrest Ignatz to keep him away from Krazy.
The art and scenery is lovely. The backgrounds can change each panel regardless of the characters actually moving. The word play in the dialogue and captions is excellent.
If you've read one Krazy Kat strip in your life, you know what to expect. By the end of this book I did have a deeper connection for Ignatz, Krazy, and Officer Bull Pupp. I feel like poor Pupp needs to be in the title as well, he's just as prominent as Krazy and Ignatz here, often times more so.
It's an odd love triangle, where Pupp loves Krazy, Krazy loves being hit by Ignatz's rocks. Pupp needs to arrest Ignatz to keep him away from Krazy.
The art and scenery is lovely. The backgrounds can change each panel regardless of the characters actually moving. The word play in the dialogue and captions is excellent.
May 10, 2008
Thus far, I've enjoyed the Krazy Kat collections that I've read. This one, however, rises above the first two Sunday collections and is a thing of comic genius. Herriman, while still keeping the standard "hit-with-a-brick" joke going through most of the issues, starts to branch out further from the idea and allow for variations that give the strip enough depth to go from being a good comic strip to a great comic strip.
It's hard to review such a visual work in text without copying the pictures, but to give you an idea, there's the first-ever use in the comics of a character breaking the third wall. "What's that? You've counted them?" says Ignantz to the reader in a late 1930 strip, as he sets up the reader for the punchline. Is it any wonder that Herriman was the baffling comic of the day that only saw print by the grace of Hurst?
And despite the protests of the intro text, I find Herriman's writing very topical (and have said so on every review of his work I've written). In this volume alone, there's comments on rehabilitation of prisoners (going about as well as you would expect) and America's ongoing hatred of foreigners (in a comic that, with a little cleaner artwork, could be mistaken for a modern comic out of today's papers!). Herriman may not have been as overt about it as something like Pogo years later, but social commentary is in there all the same. I actually feel sorry for the reader who doesn't see it.
Herriman also, kinda badly I think, tries to do an ongoing storyline about a love-life for Krazy. It's hard at best when Krazy's gender is ambiguous (Herriman apparently found the character asexual) and pulls the book just a bit too far from its moorings. However, it is fun to the Ignantz and the Kop team up to try and get their friend back.
Verbal wordplay is hard at work, especially in my favorite strip where various birds baffle poor Krazy with their names. I actually did an LOL in public while reading it. Fans of Pearls Before Swine will especially enjoy this series, I think.
All in all, this is probably the place to start if you want to see if you'd like George Herriman's work. He is not an easy artist to read--it takes time to get the jokes--and I would not recommend it for anyone looking for instant gratification. But fans of early twentieth century humour, those who like word play, history buffs, and followers of early comics really owe it to themselves to read this book. (Library, 05/08)
Trebby's Take: Recommended without reservation!
It's hard to review such a visual work in text without copying the pictures, but to give you an idea, there's the first-ever use in the comics of a character breaking the third wall. "What's that? You've counted them?" says Ignantz to the reader in a late 1930 strip, as he sets up the reader for the punchline. Is it any wonder that Herriman was the baffling comic of the day that only saw print by the grace of Hurst?
And despite the protests of the intro text, I find Herriman's writing very topical (and have said so on every review of his work I've written). In this volume alone, there's comments on rehabilitation of prisoners (going about as well as you would expect) and America's ongoing hatred of foreigners (in a comic that, with a little cleaner artwork, could be mistaken for a modern comic out of today's papers!). Herriman may not have been as overt about it as something like Pogo years later, but social commentary is in there all the same. I actually feel sorry for the reader who doesn't see it.
Herriman also, kinda badly I think, tries to do an ongoing storyline about a love-life for Krazy. It's hard at best when Krazy's gender is ambiguous (Herriman apparently found the character asexual) and pulls the book just a bit too far from its moorings. However, it is fun to the Ignantz and the Kop team up to try and get their friend back.
Verbal wordplay is hard at work, especially in my favorite strip where various birds baffle poor Krazy with their names. I actually did an LOL in public while reading it. Fans of Pearls Before Swine will especially enjoy this series, I think.
All in all, this is probably the place to start if you want to see if you'd like George Herriman's work. He is not an easy artist to read--it takes time to get the jokes--and I would not recommend it for anyone looking for instant gratification. But fans of early twentieth century humour, those who like word play, history buffs, and followers of early comics really owe it to themselves to read this book. (Library, 05/08)
Trebby's Take: Recommended without reservation!
October 17, 2021
"grainy" covers-> if sticker remover skip ex-library
Satisfied is the feeling I get from reading a month or so at a time. Enriched. I adore his constant use of "big" words and "lofty" alliteration the most.
If it's a continuum then I will stay through it but the main problem is the repetitive brick. So, I take it in paces for freshness.
One thing missing: "Krazy" at full "stride"- "running" completely horizontally. I cherish the four paws in the air but I didn't remember seeing it anywhere.
His whimsome art, and it's immense freedom, make it legendary illustration- his freestyle writing and the always changing setting make me so happy.
Satisfied is the feeling I get from reading a month or so at a time. Enriched. I adore his constant use of "big" words and "lofty" alliteration the most.
If it's a continuum then I will stay through it but the main problem is the repetitive brick. So, I take it in paces for freshness.
One thing missing: "Krazy" at full "stride"- "running" completely horizontally. I cherish the four paws in the air but I didn't remember seeing it anywhere.
His whimsome art, and it's immense freedom, make it legendary illustration- his freestyle writing and the always changing setting make me so happy.
January 17, 2019
I'm like Bum-Bill Bee with these books. I just mosey along.
July 11, 2018
The imaginative art and idiosyncratic verbiage of the characters and narrator alike along with a subtlety sad undertone elevate this collection of quirky characters and their decidedly one-note slapstick antics.
March 6, 2008
I haven't read this particular volume yet, but I give it (and all the other books in this series) five stars anyway, because I already know that Herriman deserves every bit of the "genius" label that is often applied to him.
There has never been a comic strip like this; it's as close to poetry as the medium has ever been pushed. Lyrical, surreal, playful, mysterious, transcendent: If I could give this (and all the other volumes in this series) six stars, I would do so.
There has never been a comic strip like this; it's as close to poetry as the medium has ever been pushed. Lyrical, surreal, playful, mysterious, transcendent: If I could give this (and all the other volumes in this series) six stars, I would do so.
November 17, 2008
Call me uncultured (but don't stretch it to say that I'm unappreciative of graphic novels), but I honestly can't comprehend or envision what the literary genius is behind the author and his comic strip.
September 20, 2010
I really like Krazy Kat, but I don't love Krazy Kat...that puts me into some sort of minority of people. However, I do LOVE the character Krazy Kat, feel indifferent about Ignatz and like Officer Pup.
May 3, 2012
The wordplay in the strip is so, so much fun. Also, the Chris Ware covers for all of these Krazy books are beautifully designed. There is sheet music at the back of this volume; someone wrote a "Krazy Kat Rag" back in the day :D
October 4, 2013
The history is interesting behind it----I'm not going to be a pretentious comic critic and say I understand EVERYTHING---but I did smile at some of the jokes. I liked some strips better than others---and I like some of the series years better than others...
September 14, 2007
Love, love, love this strip.
December 17, 2008
Only interesting from a history of comics perspective. Tough to read back to back, but a good book to leave in the bathroom.
October 10, 2011
The usually sublmie George Herriman is usually sublime in these KRAZY KAT strips from 1929-30.
February 11, 2016
These are really fun comics that I think formed the foundation for the Simpsons' Itchy and Scratchy.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews