One of Walt Kelly’s strokes of genius was to give certain characters in Pogo not only distinctive speech patterns, but distinctive text patterns as well. It’s a technique that’s become increasingly common in these days of computer lettering, but Kelly was one of the pioneers.

Most widely known is Deacon Mushrat, a small-minded bigot who believes he knows what is best for others and is frequently revealed to be a hypocrite. What better lettering for a pious phoney than an extravagant Gothic.

P.T. Bridgeport is probably the most detailed of the special lettering cases. He’s an extroverted showman, so what better way to illustrate his speech than with old circus poster styles?

Sarcophagus MacAbre is one of the few outright villains to appear in the strip. He mostly surfaces in storylines in which one character attempts to eat another. He dresses like an undertaker and speaks like a condolences card.

Even characters who “speak” normally occasionally get in on the act, like the time Beauregard Bugleboy and Albert played detective in one of the many storylines in which Pup Dog goes missing.

Early 1950s Wiley Catt

Slightly later 50s Simple J. Malarkey, Wiley Catt’s cousin and Kelly caricature of Joe McCarthy

Early 1960s Pig, Kelly caricature of Nikita Kruschev

Final 60s Wiley Catt, combining elements of Simple J. and Pig designs in a visually subtle political point

_{from The Jack Acid Society Black Book}

I don’t know whether it’s impressive that Walt Kelly was so prescient that he was able to nearly duplicate the tone and logic of talk-show hosts on “fair and balanced” television networks, or depressing that the attitudes he was satirizing decades ago are still recognizably with us today.

ABOUT DAMN TIME!

Fantagraphics Books is pleased to announce that it has acquired the rights to publish a comprehensive series comprising Walt Kelly’s classic POGO comic strip. The first volume of Fantagraphics’ POGO will appear in October, 2007, and the series will run approximately 12 volumes.

Twelve volumes, reprinting all of Walt Kelly’s Pogo strips from 1949 to 1973, with each volume designed by Jeff Smith. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Now, my only question is: will the “bunny strips” Kelly created as replacements for editors too skittsh about political themes be included?
Okay, two questions: does this mean there’s a chance of non-strip reprint Pogo books like The Jack Acid Society Black Book coming out?

UPDATE: Have a cover image: