Walt Kelly and Pogo: The Art of the Political Swamp

by James Eric Black

Overview

One of the most popular comic strips of the 1950s and the first to reference politics of the day, Walt Kelly's Pogo took on Joe McCarthy before the controversial senator was a blip on Edward R. Murrow's radar. The strip's satire was so biting, it was often relegated to newspaper editorial sections at a time when artists in other media were blacklisted for far less. Pogo was the vanguard of today's political comic strips, such as Doonesbury and Pearls Before Swine, and a precursor of the modern political parody of late night television.

This comprehensive biography of Kelly reveals the life of a conflicted man and unravels the symbolism and word-play of his art for modern readers.

There are 241 original Pogo comic strips illustrated and 13 other Kelly artworks (as well as illustrations by other cartoonists).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786479870
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	01/13/2016
Pages:	268
Sales rank:	871,345
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

James Eric Black is the Schumann Endowed Professor of Media Writing and assistant director of the Center for Collaborative Journalism at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He has written extensively on Joseph McCarthy and the repercussions of McCarthyism on pop culture. He lives in Macon.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Foreword Mark Burstein 1

Preface 4

Introduction 7

1 Getting Back There from Here 17

2 The Cartoon Journalist 40

3 Making Money and Having Fun 56

4 Everyone's Equal in the Swamp 77

5 The Evolution of Politics in Pogo 115

6 The Cold War Gets Hot 167

7 Simple J. Malarkey 196

Epilogue 218

Chapter Notes 229

Bibliography 243

Index 253

Editorial Reviews

This examination of Walt Kelly’s Pogo writings and humor provides a great little niche study for popular culture studies. Recommended”—Choice; “A fascinating read about how a simple, quiet man molded and shaped American’s opinions.”—Boyce McClain’s Collectors’ Corner; “Relates the story of the then-famous comic strip Pogo and its many satirical targets”—Communications Booknotes Quarterly.

From the Publisher