Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles

Hanna-Barbera Beyond

by Mark Russell, Mike Feehan (Illustrator), Mark Morales (Illustrator)

Heavens to Murgatroyd! Hanna-Barbera's very own Snagglepuss is reimagined in a brand-new series, EXIT STAGE LEFT: THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES, by author Mark Russell (THE FLINTSTONES)!

 It's 1953. While the United States is locked in a nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union, the gay Southern playwright known as Snagglepuss is the toast of Broadway. But success has made him a target. As he plans for his next hit play, Snagglepuss becomes the focus of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. And when powerful forces align to purge show business of its most subversive voices, no one is safe!

 Written by Mark Russell, the critically acclaimed mastermind behind the award-winning PREZ VOL. 1 and THE FLINTSTONES, EXIT STAGE LEFT: THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES, enters the Hanna-Barbera reimagined universe!

 Collects EXIT STAGE LEFT: THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES #1-6

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Dc Comics

167 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2018

About the author

Mark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the rest of DC is writing about people fighting crime in their underwear, Mark Russell is over in his own corner reinventing our childhood cartoons as sociopolitical diatribes. Snagglepuss is our way into some real life drama, now a gay playwright based in 1950's NYC and loosely based on Tennessee Williams. McCarthyism is in full swing and those in entertainment circles are afraid of being outed and blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee. This was a truly dark time for America and the book doesn't pull any punches. Huckleberry Hound, Quickdraw McGraw and a few others also appear in this gloomy story. There's also a message here that still applies today, to stand up for what's right no matter what the cost or fascism will take over. I did like how Russell tied the end of the book into the original Hanna-Barbera creations. I also liked the commentary at the end talking about how the book tied into real life. I can't say you'll feel uplifted after finishing this but if you like well-written dramas, this is certainly worth a read.

Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Artemy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Russell, DC's secret best writer (after not-at-all-secret best Tom King, of course) is back with the vengeance. In Exit Stage Left, he tells a story of America of the 50's, a scary time of McCarthyism, the Cold War and the persecution and blacklisting of innocent people under false pretences. We follow Snagglepuss, a secretly gay playwright from the South, as well as his friends and colleagues, all trying to survive and not lose themselves in the world that has seemingly no place for their kind. It's a heartbreaking book, and Russell's most emotionally raw and touching work to date. Not only was it a scary time to live through by itself with the threat of the bomb and the rising tension between two of the most terrifying countries in the world, but both nations were destroying themselves from the inside, too, and Russell shows the sociopolitical atmosphere of the time in all its dirty and depressing glory.

Now, I have never seen a Snagglepuss cartoon in my life, and in fact only realised that this was based on a cartoon after reading Sam's review of the first issue. So if you are a huge fan of the cartoon characters, I can't say if and how seriously this comic will ruin your childhood. Luckily, I don't believe in things like that being able to ruin any past childhoods anyway, and I always try to judge things on their own merits. On its own, Exit Stage Left is a phenomenally told story that happens to be based on cartoon characters, and it actually ties into the real life cartoons in the end in a surprising and sweet way. It has sharp sociopolitical commentary on the world's situation in the 50's and the ways it mirrors our own world right now. It also has a good sense of humour at times, although quite rarely — of all things, Snagglepuss is Russell's closest comic book attempt at writing pure, straight-faced drama. If anything, this comic reminded me a lot of Netflix's brilliant BoJack Horseman series, using anthropomorphic cartoon animals in the real life setting to tell an absolutely miserable existential tale of a person who can't come to peace with himself in this world, only set in a different time period and told from a different perspective, obviously.

I've been reading this comic book in singles, so I'm not sure which content will be included in the trade paperback version. The singles featured a backup story about the Sasquatch Detective, written by Brandee Stilwell. On its own, it's a very silly strip about a huge lady sasquatch who works undercover for the Police and gets into various shenanigans, and it was at times quite amusing. It was probably meant to lighten the mood a bit after reading the main feature, but unfortunately after finishing each somber, hard-hitting issue of Snagglepuss, these silly stories mostly just felt out of place. If they are going to be collected in the same trade, I'd recommend at least taking a short breather before delving into those.

Overall, The Snagglepuss Chronicles is yet another win for Mark Russell. Dark and depressing, but also smart, touching and true to life, it's a phenomenal read, one of DC's best comics of the year. It once again proves how talented Mark Russell is in telling a powerful story using an obscure licensed property, where many creators can only dream of achieving the same level of success without being creatively limited in any way (just look at most of recent Image comics output). Just keep in mind that Exit Stage Left is not going to be a light, breezy read, this is a book that will likely ruin your good mood.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

The old Hanna-Barbera cartoons are making some excellent graphic novels. This is the 2nd one I have read and I loved this. It struck a chord with me.

Snagglepuss is a character I loved as a child. He had that strong accent and I never thought of it till now, but he was very refined, prissy and pink. I still go around the house and murmur 'heavens to Megatroid'. It's one of the reasons I chose this story to start with. It seemed like a great character.

There were a lot of characters in those cartoons like Huckleberry hound and the horse guy. In this story, those animals are real and they talk and act like humans. The world is mingled and there are all sorts of animals mixed into society. Snagglepuss is a world famous playright in the 50s during the McCarthy era. He is a gay man pretending to be married with a lover on the side. Huckleberry and the horse are also gay and hiding. They get entangled with the McCarthy witch hunt.

It's sort of a serious story. I would say, that is the thing. Snagglepuss was always snippy and fun and entertaining. This is some serious stuff. Snagglepuss does have some wit at the beginning, but the pure fun of it isn't really there. The ending is very meta. The cartoons are eventually being made with all the characters we know and love. You can hear him say, "Exit Stage Left".

I thought this had something to say. It needs to be up the fun a little, but I couldn't wait to pick this up and read the next issue each night and I'm sad that it's done. I want more. I am loving these and I can't wait to read more of the Hanna-Barbera universe. I'm ready for a comeback.

[Dan Schwent · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the Communists threatening to overrun America using the entertainment industry, the House Un-American Activities Committee calls Snagglepuss to testify. Snagglepuss, a gay playwright, has other ideas...

Mark Russell first caught my attention on The Wonder Twins and made me a lifelong fan after his run on The Flintstones. Does Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles meet this high standard? Yes. Yes, it does.

Set during the height of the communist Red Scare, Snagglepuss is a closeted playwright, living with a wife but keeping a lover. The House Un-American Activities Committee is leaning on Snagglepuss hard, wanting him to name names, when his friend, Huckleberry Hound, comes to New York on the run from a disgrace down south.

Of all the stories I've ever read featuring a gay lion playright during the Red Scare of the 1950s, this one is easily in the top 3. Joking aside, this is really fucking good. Who would have thought I'd ever get emotionally invested in a tale featuring Snagglepuss and Huckleberry Hound?

Mike Feehan is at the helm on art and does a great job making Snagglepuss and Huck not seem out of place or ridiculous in a world of humans. His style reminds me of Steve Pugh's on The Flintstones. He manages to take a concept that could be ludicrous and makes it seem perfectly natural.

Mark Russell is off to his old cheery tricks on this one. In Exit Stage Left, he takes on politics, nuclear proliferation, LGBT rights, capitalism, and the entertainment industry. I was never overly fond of Snagglepuss before but now I love him, that saucy bastard! The tragedy of Huckleberry Hound and the ultimate failure of Quickdraw McGraw were poignant moments. As usual, Russell peppers the text with wit and wisdom like he's burying landmines for readers to stumble over at their convenience.

"In life you do not fight battles because you expect to win. You fight them merely because they need to be fought." Five out of five stars.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles is a clever reinvention of an iconic 1960s cartoon character.

Snagglepuss was originally a pink swishy wannabe actor and actual mountain lion in the Yogi the Bear cartoons beginning in 1959. This comic, set in 1953, casts Snagglepuss as a successful playwright caught up in the McCarthy Congressional hearings looking for communist sympathizers within the show business community.

I wasn’t expecting such a serious comic based on such a silly character from my childhood. However, Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles won me over. Even though this is set during the 1950s, it brings with it the more accepting mindset of 2018. Snagglepuss is married to Lila Lion, who both has a beard and is a beard for Snagglepuss’ gay lifestyle with boyfriend Pablo. Pablo escaped from Baptiste’s Cuba after his friend is murdered by government thugs for being openly homosexual. Many famous icons from the 1950s appear: Dorothy Parker, Marilyn Monroe, Lillian Hellman, Joe Dimaggio, Clint Eastwood and Arthur Miller. Huckleberry Hound is also out of the closet and a novelist. Even the iconic Stonewall club is featured.

Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles is not a comic for everyone. It is a deep dive into mid-century politics from a modern viewpoint. I would recommend it to readers of historical fiction and fans of thoughtful movies like Hidden Figures and the Imitation Game. Since I embrace both of those categories, 5 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, DC Comics, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The style of this book felt like an hybrid of Bojack Horseman and Maus, a very mature semi-biographical drama featuring Hanna-Barbera characters instead of humans, set against the backdrop of the homosexual witch-hunt of the 50s. Apart from the main plot, I really liked the bits about acting and the behind-the-scenes moments of theatre.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm...I am really torn on what to rate this. This is probably more like a 4.5, but I couldn't go all the way to 5 stars. Since I read mostly TP, I have been waiting and anticipating this release for MONTHS - I absolutely loved Russell's Flintstone series and Snagglepuss sounded even better. While the Flintstones was a heavy-hitting read (a sentence I never thought I'd write), there were some moments of levity or fun easter eggs in the backgrounds to lighten the mood a bit. With Exit Stage Left, it was sadness after sadness after sadness. And I understand that that was the way of the time, but it was a little much for me.

The art was mostly gorgeous (who knew Snagglepuss was hot?) though other than SP some of the characters had really bizarre facial expressions which took me out of the moment a bit. I did find the ending interesting, and of course Snagglepuss' killer monologue is one of the best. Overall, I would definitely recommend reading this book, but don't expect it to be lighthearted or easy.

[Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, I like the historical elements. Not as good as The Flintstones, Vol. 1 and The Flintstones, Vol. 2: Bedrock Bedlam.

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was utterly brilliant. Snagglepuss as Tennessee Williams, fighting the red scare. The theatre person in me loved all the commentary on theatre vs film vs TV. I just can't say enough about the writing. The art matches, the palate fitting perfectly. A must read, especially for those who remember the Snagglepuss cartoons.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the House Un-American Committee breathing down his neck, Snagglepuss attempts to live his best life and help those around him as best he can, but in an age where subversion is seen everywhere and any deviation from the norm is enough to mark you for destruction, it's not going to be easy.

A biting commentary on the Red Scare and its effect on the arts, as told through the lens of gay playwright Snagglepuss. Only in comics, folks. It's a bizarre set-up that works amazingly well thanks to the nuanced and poetic writing of Mark Russell. Every carefully chosen word that Snagglepuss says has a hidden meaning, or acts as a viewpoint that you might not have anticipated before. Even as everything falls apart around him, Snagglepuss is trying his best to be as authentic as possible in a world that wants him to be anything but who he is. It's a tale of underdogs (and pusses), and while it may not have a massively happy ending, that's kind of the point.

There's also a glossary at the back which highlights a lot of the events and characters referenced if you're not familiar with them (or not American, like me), and I was pleased to see that I understood almost all of the references made. You'll still get a complete story if you don't, but it's worth recognising the social commentary since that's obviously the point that Russell's going for here (and with most other things he writes).

Mike Feehan's artwork reminds me of the late Steve Dillon, but without the creepy human faces. He manages to put a huge amount of emotion into anthropomorphic animals without them coming off as weird or too uncanny valley, and the blend of human and animal characters is pretty seamless. Feehan's world feels real, despite the strangeness of it all, and that helps hammer home the harder topics that the book goes into by making sure they don't become as cartoonish as the characters they're based on.

If you describe this book to anyone, they'll likely laugh you out of the building. But behind a truly ridiculous facade is a book with more heart and mind to it than most of the comics on the stands these days.

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never heard of Snagglepuss or Huckleberry Hound before going into this graphic novel, and that is a good thing, because this is no cuddle-cute-funny affair.We find Snugglepuss as a successful writer in the vein of Tenessee Williams (i.e. lots of suffering, despair and limited opportunities) in 1953, at the height of the Committee of Un-American Activities. Fear reigns in show business, as many are hauled in and if they do not cooperate, get blacklisted.

Snagglepuss weathers the first hearing in style, being dapper and quick-witted. However, he has a secret: he is gay. In 1953, this is just as bad as being a communist. Snagglepuss has things under control, until the committee decides to get to him via his secret.

The message is timely: we should stand up for what we believe in, and fight against fear-mongering even if it costs us dearly. We cannot become fear itself - neither in politics, nor in private life. The book also plays with the idea of masks - masks actors wear in theaters to become characters, and masks people wear in public to become who they are expected to be.

I had to look up the Snagglepuss as he signs up for TV at the end, giving the transition into his cartoon career. However this reimagining his turbulent past is of a very different character, of a serious artist, and admirable person.

The art is more along the serious 50s style cartoons, hard-edged faces and manly characters. I enjoyed the antropomorphic dogs, lions and horses blending seamlessly with the human characters; I felt the milieau authentic - everyone smokes, man wear suits and fedoras, and despite the bright colors, the entire book has a desperate, noir feeling. I did not like the art for female characters, though - they often looked like men in drag, and this took me out of the atmosphere.

Overall, very interesting and unusual, with a timely message.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another from the Best Comics of 2018 list, only this one is by Mark Russell of the Flintstones fame. Having loved those two remarkable comics, I couldn't rightly ignore his take on Snagglepuss. I loved Snagglepuss growing up, and having him set during the McCarthy era... this was something not to be missed and something that from the outset I was pretty much guaranteed to love.

Exit Stage Left centers around the question of whether or not culture should be controlled. Subversives and deviants - should they be renounced? Or are they the mirror being held up to society to show it itself, and the ways it might change? What happens when we deny who we are? Does the mask always crack? Do we always end up, eventually, being exposed or exposing ourselves? Would we be happier that way, or happier conforming?

Snagglepuss wrestles with these questions and more in a compelling way. The inclusion of so many real life characters and events made this comic more powerful, and more relevant today when controversy over so many things is the talk of the town. This is an important comic, and one I personally loved. I hope that maybe, somehow, we might get another few issues to read. Or that Mark Russell might turn his hand to something equally wonderful in the near future.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just really don't get these Hanna Barbera character revamps, and apparently neither does Hanna Barbera according to this rumor site. This one was slightly better than the same author's The Flintstones, Vol. 1 in that it wasn't totally unreadable.

It makes a kind of sense to take Snagglepuss, a queer coded character from the 1950s, and turn him into a closeted gay playwright. Turning him into a target for the House Un-American Activities Committee though is simply dreary, and Huckleberry Hound's arc is downright depressing.

I understand there is shock value in doing this sort of radical reboot with old cartoon characters, but I don't think this is really shocking or funny enough. If you're going to be irreverent then I think you need to aim more for a Tijuana bible or Mad parody than this droll, downbeat satire.

[Kayla (onthefritz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah... I'm just blown away at this adaptation of Snagglepuss

We see Snagglepuss and other Hanna Barbera characters living in NYC in the 1950s. This run takes on the Red Scare, the gay rights movement, and art as it was in the '50s, with many political and cultural icons of that scene. Many easter eggs did go over my head, but there is a briefing in the back of the comic that details the different figures and events talked about. The direction this comic went was hard hitting, and wraps up in a satisfying way that feels like it could have actually happened.

If you like historical fiction and Hanna Barbera cartoons, this is the comic for you.

[Diz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Russell's other works, particularly Prez and The Flintstones. Those works feature biting and funny social commentary that hit at the problems that we face in society today. However, this book doesn't quite succeed where those do. The book is set in a 1950s America, and the social issues it tackles are McCarthyism and the challenges of being a member of the LGBT community in that decade. It's pretty sad and dark, and it doesn't have any of the humor that Russell's previous works have had. I think the humor in Russell's books is necessary for readers to digest the serious topics he presents. Without that humor, this book is just depressing.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, rounded up.

"There are two things in life you can never know for sure - the truth in flattery and the sex of a snake." Snagglepuss

Not quite sure WTF I just read ... but it certainly was different ... and outrageously creative. To mash together the HUAC hearings, the Stonewall riots, the Monroe-Miller-DiMaggio scandal, the Algonquin Round Table, the Rosenberg executions, the Nixon-Khrushchev 'kitchen debate' and so much more ... and ALSO throw in some beloved Hanna-Barbera characters, can only be conceivable from someone with an intimate knowledge of Ayahuasca!

But two quibbles, one minor, one major. The major one is that the Snagglepuss character here is (per the afterward) based almost entirely on playwright Tennessee Williams (which was the main draw for me, as I did my Honors Thesis on him) - and could have easily been drawn as any OTHER cartoon character, since he has not a single one of the traits of his progenitor - he never even utters either the titular, NOR his other notable catchphrase ('Heavens to Murgatroyd!') anywhere within these pages. Major bummer/disappointment! :-(

Secondly, I know it is a bit nitpicky to point this out in a story in which Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw have s-e-x (and BTW - ewwwww), but throughout this tale set in the early to mid-50s, all of the women are addressed as 'Ms.' - which wasn't even a term till the 70s.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a dark look into a dark time period for creative types. it is beautifully done- I cried so much over issue 5 and 6.

Closet sexuality, communism, and a look into depression that I never expected. I will be buying this trade in a few months to read it again.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this collection. I liked it, but it was so bizarre. Having the cartoon character Snagglepuss be a stand in for Tennessee Williams is just such an odd idea. It works, in a weird way and there are some really great moments.

[The Library Ladies · Rating 5 out of 5]

(originally reviewed at thelibraryladies.com )

A special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

Though I feel like I watched a good amount of Hanna-Barbera cartoons as a child, one character that I don’t have specific memories of is Snagglepuss. I remember him existing, and I remember a few of his quirks (like his catch phrase ‘exit, stage left!!’ and his smooth personality), but I don’t think I ever saw a full cartoon with him as the star. But even with my passing familiarity of the character, I still knew that I ABSOLUTELY needed to read “Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles”. It’s not exactly an obvious premise: Snagglepuss is a closeted Southern playwright in 1950s New York during the McCarthy Witch Hunts and the Lavender Scare, and finds himself and his friends targeted for their lifestyles. Is this a story I thought I’d see Snagglepuss in? No. Is it one of the best, if not the very best, graphic novels I’ve read this year. Heavens to Murgatoyd, yes.

The thing about Snagglepuss as a character is that he was written at a time where gay characters were coded into entertainment, and they were usually portrayed as villains, buffoons, or, if people were feeling progressive, tragic victims who couldn’t survive the story if they wanted to be true to themselves. Snagglepuss is fussy, dapper, has a smarmy affectation, and acts ‘flamboyant’, so it’s probably safe to assume he was coded as gay, and meant to be laughed at. So to take this character and to give him this story is a very neat deconstruction of what the character was initially, especially since this story is set within the same general time frame that Snagglepuss first was introduced to the world (if not a little before). Mark Russell, the man responsible for other DC/Hanna-Barbera edginess like his take on “The Flintstones” and “Scooby-Doo”, has given Snagglepuss a similar, dark treatment where people thought darkness couldn’t possibly be found. But darkness there is, as Snagglepuss finds himself caught up in the fear of the House of Un-American Activities Committee, with it’s head Gigi Allen setting her sights on him specifically. Through this backdrop we get to explore and examine the hypocrisy, corruption, prejudice, and rampant fear that had the American Government and people in an uproar. Snagglepuss himself is reluctant to become a symbol of rebellion; on the the contrary he’s perfectly content living his life as a success on Broadway, meeting up with his lover at the Stonewall Inn and basking in his fame as an intellectual elite. What I liked the most about him as our main character is that he is thrust into this role of rebellion, and his complicated feelings about it make him a well rounded character who has his OWN privileges that he hides behind when others can’t. He is a compelling iteration of the original character, and someone who can’t accept how bad things have gotten until it’s too late.

Other familiar faces pop up in this story, from Hanna-Barbera stallwarts to actual players during the Red and Lavender Scares. We get cameos from the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Lillian Hellman, and the Rosenbergs, whose execution is one of the darker plot points within this book. At the end of the graphic novel Russell has put together a handy dandy set of notes on various people and moments he includes in the story, and I found that to be very helpful and thoughtful of him (I had never heard of the great Cornfield War between Khruschev and an American farmer. Look it up, it’s hilarious!). On the Hanna-Barbera end, Quick Draw McGraw and Squiddly Diddly play key roles and have their own forms of prejudice to contend with (Quick Draw being a closeted cop on the Stonewall beat and Squiddly being an immigrant), but the stand out is Huckleberry Hound. Huckleberry is Snagglepuss’s childhood best friend, and has become a well known Southern Gothic novelist whose marriage has fallen apart because of his sexuality. They are exact opposites, with Snagglepuss being flitty and carefree and Huckleberry being anxious and depressed. The way that their relationship grows and changes, and how they cope, or don’t cope, is one of the saddest aspects of this book, and the one that had me weeping openly of Hanna-Barbera characters. I never thought I’d see the day. But that just goes to show how excellent Russell is as a writer: he takes two dimensional cartoon characters and breathes life into them, redefining them and bringing relevant social concepts to life through them.

The artistic style that Mike Feehan brings to this story is also incredibly compelling. The characters look realistic, with Snagglepuss absolutely designed like a mountain lion in stature and gait, but not out of place within the real world they are mingling in. The animals are the right amount of anthropomorphized without feeling uncanny or eerie. “Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles” feels timely because the rise of paranoia and corruption within our current administration, and the constant Othering of various groups that don’t fit into the mold that they deem as ‘true Americans’. It feels like a warning, and it makes it all the more intense and powerful of a read. But it also feels like you’re reading about familiar friends, and are learning a great deal about them that you never knew, even though they were always like this. It’s ingenious and effective, and I loved every bit of it. And it’s stories like this that make me run back to DC Comics, because this is by and large one of, if not the, best graphic novels I have read in a very long time. I have my issues with DC, but I stand by the fact that I find some of the stories they tell to be incredibly ambitious and outside the box. And, heavens to Murgatroyd, I cannot recommend “Exit Stage Left” enough.

[Adam Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

After not enjoying DC and Mark Russell's The Flintstones, Vol. 1, I completely passed on this title in issue form, even though I thought the premise: Snagglepuss as a southern playwright during the age of McCarthyism, was an entertaining angle.

That was a mistake.

This book is pretty much a Cliff-notes fictionalization of Stonewall, McCarthyism and The Red Scare, Nixon, the Cuban Revolution, the origin of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, and the parallels between life and theater all wrapped into one pink, fuzzy bow. It shouldn't work. Throwing in Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio's relationship? Clearly a mistake. And, yet, it really works.

This is easily my favorite DC book since at least the end of Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman run. maybe even all the way back to the golden age of Geoff Johns. The only DC title that I've enjoyed nearly this much is Prez, Vol. 1: Corndog-in-Chief, which was also by Russell.

I highly recommend this to someone who likes their satire pink and biting.

[Michelle Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is this? A poignant, stirring, wise, touching, relevant story ... about Snagglepuss?

I was not expecting this level of story telling, for sure. In this we have Snagglepuss recast as a 1950s closeted film star, under investigation by the McCarthy inquisitions. But in framing this particular moment in time, we have a perfect allegory to the mess of today. I utterly loved it.

If Snagglepuss can evolve, surely so can we?

Thanks to Hoopla for letting me read this on a whim, 30 seconds after I knew it existed.

[Sean Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snagglepuss has always been a queer icon, so it makes sense to 'revamp' the character into an alternate universe of our own where he is a Tennessee Williams-esque playwright who finds his private life under the spotlight when he is targeted by the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee. What we have here is a stunningly rewritten queer history, and I only wish we were getting more volumes.

[John Ferrigno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exit Stage Left: the Snagglepuss Chronicles, is a series that takes a very serious look at a ridiculous character. In this story, Snagglepuss is reimagined as a gay Southern playwrite who takes Broadway by storm in the 1950s, only to be target by the House Un-American Activities Committee.

A dark look at a shameful time in our natiins' history, Exit Stage Left deals with this story with depth, subtlety, beauty and at times, heartbreaking looks at human nature.

Serving as a prequel of sorts to the Hannah Barbara cartoons, this story focuses not only on Snagglepuss, but Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Auggie Doggie and others.

This could have easily been a shallow farce, but instead, Snagglepuss is a work of greatness, treating it's bizarre concept with serioussness, and writing and art that show off just what the medium.of comics is capable of.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a serious accomplishment, what Russel has managed with his HB properties. Flintstones was an incredible examination of humanity as a whole, while Snagglepuss hones in on 1950's McCarthyism and the Committee of Un-American Activities. Exit Stage Left is a breathtaking character study and heartbreaking human drama, rooted in the subversion of 1940s theater. This book is loaded with moving moments, clever (and excruciatingly well researched) nods to American history, and careful throw-backs which solidify the Hana-Barbera backdrop as necessity.

Exit Stage Left is no small accomplishment, and the best mock docu-drama you'll see in theaters all year.

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, humanistic story with lots of satire and a generous heap of touching lines, the Snaglepuss Chronicles are a prime example of the theory that DC Comics still has the potential to make good stuff, even if it's done as part of yet another multi-universe deal taking advantage of old cartoons. Great art, good writing, a bittersweet journey, what more could you ask for?

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Subversive is the tone they were going for, and they nailed it, but since our media overlords have decreed that all portrayals of blackface are evil wrongthink, this volume must be condemned for its repeated displays of human actors made up as caricatures of other races.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books that I've read in a long time. A perfect mix of satire, tragedy, comedy, and truth. Highly recommended.

[Václav · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4,2 of 5 for a nice comics with a great story. This is proper LGBT awareness comic, not like that cheesy overagitated crap from Boom)
Exit Stage Left is great comics. And what is even better all that story has roots and parallels with real history and characters. And though I'm no fan of the art here - both bright saturated colouring and style of the drawing - the story full of wit, elegance and great dialogues captured me. There are a lot of messages, not only for the LGBT side but also how democracy in the sake of fighting communism (and other "threats") could have the same manners as it.
There is the only thing which irritated me: sudden jumping in time and space. I almost wondered if I have pages in the right order.
This is excellent comics.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's almost impossible to believe DC and Hanna-Barbera let Mark Russell get away with this. Where did the idea for this transformation of Snagglepuss come from?

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a light, quick read when I remembered that a friend loaned me “Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles.” I should have known better. I’ve read Mark Russell and I’ve read one other book in the Hanna-Barbera Universe (The Flintstones). This was anything but light and quick!

Snagglepuss, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Squiddly Diddly and other H-B characters are set into the world of Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller, Joe DiMaggio, Dr. Spock, Richard Nixon, Nakita Kruschev, and the Rosenbergs. Snagglepuss is a gay southern playwright in 1950s New York City. The House Un-American Activities Committee attempts to silence him by arresting him at Stone Wall.

I’m amazed at how Russell can take such silly children’s cartoon characters and make deep, meaningful stories with them. This story was charming, incredibly sad, and expertly executed.