It is almost embarrassing for a cartoonist to cite KRAZY KAT as a big influence these days, and ditto the oft-held opinion that it may in fact be the greatest comic strip of all time. One suspects that the many comics fans who know the strip by name only, wonder now and then if the praise George Herriman receives may in part come from cartoonists who merely say what's being expected from them. However, anyone who has bothered to actually read some of Krazy's "adventures" (and preferably more than just a casual sampling of strips) will know what the hype is all about. Herriman created a beautifully unpredictable world of fantasy; while the basic premise may seem repetitive at first sight (that is, Ignatz Mouse throwing bricks at Krazy's gentle scalp), this premise is depicted through twists and variations which make even the expected turn out unexpected in the end. Irresistible art and prose, and especially the Dickensian feel for characterization are some of the reasons, here put very cursory of course, why KRAZY KAT remains an all-time favorite comic strip of so many cartoonists.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not solely in more recent decades that KRAZY KAT has begun to earn wider recognition. Though it's true that few papers carried it towards the end of its run in the 1940s, as the strip became increasingly inaccessible to casual readers, Krazy and Ignatz were initially received with appreciation from the public. In its earliest years in the 1910s, the daily strip was so meticulously drawn that it caught the attention of readers accostumed to the more elaborate drawings of other comic strips of the day. Herriman's boss W. R. Hearst (yes, you know his name) was quick to capitalize on this aspiring popularity, and in early 1916 the strip made its silver screen debut, as an animation series. Apparently, Herriman had no control over these films and his involvement in them was extremely minor. It's easy to dismiss these quickies as an insensitive project, as little if anything of Herriman's uniqueness shines through in them; the roles of the characters could generally be exchanged with Mutt & Jeff and nobody would lift an eyebrow. However, it's important to remember that Herriman himself had still not quite found his formula at this point; when this film KRAZY AND IGNATZ DISCUSS THE LETTER "G" was released, apparently as the third chapter in the series, in February 1916, the by now so famous Krazy Kat Sunday pages had not even started their run. If anything, these films bring to mind a remark by PEANUTS-creator Charles Schulz, when he claimed that syndicates tend to do merchandise with their characters too early, before a creator has had a chance to find his style.
As it stands, KRAZY AND IGNATZ DISCUSS THE LETTER "G" is nothing more and nothing less than the average Krazy Kat Kartoon of the period. The setting has Krazy doing the serving and the cooking at a diner, flipping pan-cakes as Ignatz enters to ask for "goose giblets 'n gravy." This leads Krazy to show off some of his characteristic fascination with "woids;" while proceeding to fix the meal of his "dolink," he points out how many names that begin with the letter - oh yes you guessed it - "G." Starting off with George Washington, he rambles on until Ignatz, seemingly deprived of a brick at hand, tosses a pie at the philosopher in contempt. Just a few minutes long, the short remains amusing enough, and the current charm of the animation may not solely be attributed to its age and value as a curiosity. Still, it's definitely "one of the bunch," and interesting as an early example of animation rather than an alternative exploitation of Herriman's distinct artistic universe. Speaking of Herriman, I must confess that I felt slightly disappointed that Washington was included here to provide his first name rather than the strip's creator....though I do know George Herriman was known as a quiet and modest man, it's tempting to imagine that he somehow would have made a sort of inside-joke about this, had the story been presented by him in strip form.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not solely in more recent decades that KRAZY KAT has begun to earn wider recognition. Though it's true that few papers carried it towards the end of its run in the 1940s, as the strip became increasingly inaccessible to casual readers, Krazy and Ignatz were initially received with appreciation from the public. In its earliest years in the 1910s, the daily strip was so meticulously drawn that it caught the attention of readers accostumed to the more elaborate drawings of other comic strips of the day. Herriman's boss W. R. Hearst (yes, you know his name) was quick to capitalize on this aspiring popularity, and in early 1916 the strip made its silver screen debut, as an animation series. Apparently, Herriman had no control over these films and his involvement in them was extremely minor. It's easy to dismiss these quickies as an insensitive project, as little if anything of Herriman's uniqueness shines through in them; the roles of the characters could generally be exchanged with Mutt & Jeff and nobody would lift an eyebrow. However, it's important to remember that Herriman himself had still not quite found his formula at this point; when this film KRAZY AND IGNATZ DISCUSS THE LETTER "G" was released, apparently as the third chapter in the series, in February 1916, the by now so famous Krazy Kat Sunday pages had not even started their run. If anything, these films bring to mind a remark by PEANUTS-creator Charles Schulz, when he claimed that syndicates tend to do merchandise with their characters too early, before a creator has had a chance to find his style.
As it stands, KRAZY AND IGNATZ DISCUSS THE LETTER "G" is nothing more and nothing less than the average Krazy Kat Kartoon of the period. The setting has Krazy doing the serving and the cooking at a diner, flipping pan-cakes as Ignatz enters to ask for "goose giblets 'n gravy." This leads Krazy to show off some of his characteristic fascination with "woids;" while proceeding to fix the meal of his "dolink," he points out how many names that begin with the letter - oh yes you guessed it - "G." Starting off with George Washington, he rambles on until Ignatz, seemingly deprived of a brick at hand, tosses a pie at the philosopher in contempt. Just a few minutes long, the short remains amusing enough, and the current charm of the animation may not solely be attributed to its age and value as a curiosity. Still, it's definitely "one of the bunch," and interesting as an early example of animation rather than an alternative exploitation of Herriman's distinct artistic universe. Speaking of Herriman, I must confess that I felt slightly disappointed that Washington was included here to provide his first name rather than the strip's creator....though I do know George Herriman was known as a quiet and modest man, it's tempting to imagine that he somehow would have made a sort of inside-joke about this, had the story been presented by him in strip form.
