Hark! A Vagrant [Hardcover]

Kate Beaton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2011

A NEW COLLECTION BY THE WEB SENSATION AND NEW YORKER CARTOONIST

Hark! A Vagrant takes readers on a romp through history and literature—with dignity for few and cookies for all—with comic strips about famous authors, their characters, and political and historical figures, all drawn in Kate Beaton’s pared-down, excitable style. This collection features favorite stories as well as new, previously unpublished content. Whether she’s writing about Nikola Tesla, Napoleon, or Nancy Drew, Beaton brings a refined sense of the absurd to every situation.

In just four years, Beaton has taken the comics world by storm with her non sequiturs, cheeky comebacks, and irreverent punch lines. With 1.2 million monthly hits on her site—500,000 of them unique—and comics appearing in Harper’s Magazine, the National Post, and The New Yorker, her caricatures of historical and fictional figures filtered through a contemporary lens display a sharp, quick wit that knows no bounds.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Exclusive: A Bonus Comic from Kate Beaton, Author of Hark! A Vagrant!

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Review

Praise for Kate Beaton:

"[Beaton’s comics] are witty reinventions of literary and historical figures navigating modern times . . . A high-minded version of The Far Side that is at once of-the-moment and timeless." —DEBORAH VANKIN, Los Angeles Times

"Simply put, this is the most well-drawn, funniest comic that I’ve read in a while." —ADRIENNE SO, Wired

"[Beaton’s] neat linework and terrific grasp of simple caricature and facial expression sells a lot of the best strips, including Sasaki Kojiro meeting an undignified end, Jane Austen and Nikola Tesla being pestered by their fans, and Lord Byron muttering "Bitches, man" to a grieving Percy Bysshe Shelley. A-" —The Onion, The A.V. Club

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly (September 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1770460608
• ISBN-13: 978-1770460607
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Drawn and Quarterly
  • #71 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History is Fun(ny)!, September 27, 2011

By 

Soronia - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hark! A Vagrant (Hardcover)

This is a laugh-out-loud collection of comic strips about characters and events from famous (and not-so-famous) events in history and literature. No, this is not ordinarily a combination you would think could produce side-splitting laughs, but Kate Beaton isn't your ordinary comic artist. Her caricatures are amusing all on their own (a refreshing change from the usual flat images in political cartoons), but where she really shines is in her writing. Some of the subjects may be obscure, but the writing is colloquial and witty.

Armed with her talents, Beaton offers some truly keen insights into past and present culture. Her light touch ensure that nothing comes off as pedantic; I often found myself laughing for several minutes before wondering why no one had used some of her arguments in academic work. She is also masterful in her ability to take lesser-known historical or literary events and make them funny without requiring any lengthy, unfunny explanations. The comics stand entirely on their own, but if you know the historical context, they're that much better.

Lest anyone feel deceived, many (but not all) of these strips are also available on the author's website of the same name. However, this book is well worth the price of supporting a brilliantly incisive comic and being able to take her sassy characters with you wherever you go. Or, you could just leave this book on your coffee table. Your guests will thank you for the history lessons when they finish laughing.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my favorite webcomics, now in print!, September 27, 2011

By 

datura2002 "datura2002" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hark! A Vagrant (Hardcover)

Hark! A Vagrant is my favorite webcomic, and it deserves a much wider audience than it has. Now a selection of the best strips (with commentary!) have been collected in this handsome volume.

Kate Beaton's comics are hilarious and erudite, and her drawing style is fluid and expressive. There are comics about Jane Austen, Watson and Holmes, Richard III, Tesla, etc. This is a great comic for lovers of history and literature, or who also just love her sense of humor.

Favorites of mine:
"Dude-Watching With the Brontes," p. 7, "The Famous Fitzgeralds," p. 150, "Joe Kennedy trains the President," p. 31, and any of the comics that feature Fat Pony.

For long-time fans, there is new material, and the aforementioned commentary. Besides, it's just nice to have it as a lovely hardcover book.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Comic plus History to boot, September 30, 2011

By 

Fathas (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hark! A Vagrant (Hardcover)

Hark! A Vagrant is by far one of my favorite webcomic series. It is engrossing and very entertaining, the characters always seem to reflect who you'd expect them to be except they don't take themselves too seriously. Another plus is you don't even need to know the historical figures, in fact I enjoy it more when I don't! Much like XKCD, a strip from Hark! A Vagrant frequently sends me to wikipedia to read the full bio of historical figures. I feel I've learned more about history from this webcomic than my 7+ years of history classes in school.

I sincerely hope many people buy Kate Beaton's book in support of her comic.