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Avatar: Marc Voline

Re: Welcome to the blog

Hello ! First, thanx for your wonderful website, which has been of great help, and a constant pleasure ! I wanted to bring some clarification (and set a few historical dates in the Kat's Kreation) after reading this phrase in “The Mouse natural habitat" section : "From 1913 to 1916, Krazy Kat was only a daily strip. It's very hard to gather informations on this specified time of the strip since I've seen so few reprints of this period. The graphics evolved a lot and I see no trace of Ofissa Pupp." Pupp (not yet "Offissa") makes his first appearance in the 5th Krazy Kat daily strip, on November 4, 1913, presented as "Mr. B. Pupp", and the enemy of Krazy, whom he is chasing on four legs — as the un-anthropomorphized dog he still is. January 12, 1914, brings together for the the first time Kat, Mouse, Brick and Pupp, of which the first three, at the crucial moment, are invisible, the dog masking with a discreet veil what will become the strip's classic scene. On March 28, 1914, an upright Pupp dons for the first time the [ Keystone ] kop's uniform, komplete with helmet, klub, jacket, badge, belt and buttons — and the agressive stance. But it will be some time before he carries it permanently. We will still see him occasionally in the nude (and even on four legs again !), but it won't prevent him to assume his function. It is in this simple apparatus that, on June 13, 1914, he expels Ignatz from a beauty contest (in which Krazy takes part) telling him : "Y'can't throw no bricks in this joint". — "But, officer", protests the Mouse. Forbidding Ignaz to throw bricks is not yet linked to the will of protecting Krazy, with whom he is still on "cat and dog" terms. Thus, on July 1st, 1914, if he wants to take the Kat's picture, it's to put it in his "Rogues' Gallery", and on July 8, he brags about "the licking [he] gave him this A.M.". October 8, 1914, marks the first time Pupp, in a minimalist apparel (buttons and collar) tells Ignatz "Drop that brick !" (in spite of the fact that the attempt occurs outdoors). But again, Pupp is'nt yet protective of Krazy, whom, on July 24, 1915, he will ruthlessly club for having utter some outrageous piece of nonsense (the usual trigger, then, of Ignatz' brick throwing). The first case of Pupp-related Ignatz's seclusion occurs on April 22, 1916, the day before Krazy Kat inaugural Sunday. But it is for Ignatz's own protection. As you see, Pupp has already quite an history when the Sunday pages begin. With a bit of patience, rewarded with great excitement, one can glean a substantial amount of early strips (till early 1922) on the sheer treasure trove that is chroniclingamerica.loc.gov, the digitized newspaper section of the Library of Congress site. The first strip quoted (first Pupp appearance) will be found on page 9 of the November 13, 1913, San Franciso Call (which carried Krazy Kat strips with a little time lapse).

Re: Welcome to the blog


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