Choosing a book from one's own library is like selecting a bottle of wine from your own stock, with one exception: No one can drain a book.

Pogo Revisited (1970s) reprints three earlier collections: Instant Pogo, The Jack Acid Society Book and The Pogo Poop Book. They feature Walt Kelly's Pogo comic strips from the 1950s and '60s, and original material created for these editions.

This original work includes stories with the pacing of comic books, Kelly's nonsense verse and "TV jinkles" (advertising jingles), illustrated prose stories, essays and Kelly's brilliant understanding of human nature -- if talking possum, turtles, owls, alligators, pigs and dogs are "human beans" in your book.

This collection is Kelly at the long-sustained height of his creative genius as an artist and writer. As an artist, his style is similar to that of another comics genius, Will Eisner. Both were flawless visual storytellers. Both had mastered beautiful, smooth line-work and had perfect control over the technical aspects of cartooning.

As a writer, Kelly loved to play with words (you nump-skull!) and body language. Pogo and pals seem to dance verbally and visually across the page even as they pun and mangle the English language.

Oog! Nothing is better than vintage Kelly, and this and any Pogo collection receives the highest recommendation.

by Michael Vance
Rambles.NET
19 May 2007