Are you familiar with the work of the inestimable Kate Beaton? If not, the above is but the merest sample of her whimsical linework and delightfully daffy humor. (She was also one of the many cartoonist contributors to Machine of Death.) And today marks the release of a new collection of her “Hark! A Vagrant” comics in hardcover!
Advance copies of Kate’s book were made available both at Comic-Con in July and at SPX earlier this month, and in both cases they vanished very quickly. Kate’s posted some reviews and tour info on her site (below the Wuthering Heights comic) if you want to know more — or just take it from me. It’s super, duper-great, and doubly so if you have an interest in history or literature. But if you do, I bet you’re already reading Kate’s work — and if you’re somehow not, you better get with it!
TopatoCo is also offering a special double-pack with Kate’s earlier book, Never Learn Anything From History, a collection of specifically history-themed comics. The new hardcover is available pretty much anywhere — like Amazon if you want — but Never Learn is exclusive to TopatoCo and/or selected comic shops such as Toronto’s The Beguiling. Grab em both! You’ll like the smiles they put on your face, I guarantee it.
She was on NPR this morning!
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/09/22/140658742/cartoonist-beatons-hark-a-vagrant-finds-drollery-in-drawing-rooms
I have the book on my coffeetable! It is DELIGHTFUL.
My wife, who doesn’t really read webcomics and has heard of Kate Beaton only in passing by me, is already a third of the way through.
I too love Kate Beaton! I sometimes have never heard of the historical figures in her comics but they’re still hilarious. I know less history than your average Wal-Mart assistant manager. This is the greatest one: http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=2