I Go Pogo

by Walt Kelly

"A true natural genius of comic art." — Mort Walker, creator of Beetle BaileyStarting in 1948, Walt Kelly's newspaper-based comic strip Pogo lampooned sociopolitical issues from the Red Scare to the environmental movement. A gifted cartoonist who began his career at Walt Disney Studios, Kelly explored the virtues and follies of human nature with a lively cast of Okefenokee Swamp critters. Kind-hearted Pogo Possum headed the crew, which included intellectual Howland Owl; exuberant Albert Alligator; poetic mud turtle Churchy LaFemme; romantic hound dog Beauregard Bugleboy; and other impish personalities. Even readers too young to appreciate the strip's satirical elements were charmed by the eccentric creatures and their offbeat wordplay.This compilation features comics from the election year of 1952, during which Pogo's neighbors encouraged the reluctant possum to run for president. Their rallying cry, "I Go Pogo," parodied Dwight D. Eisenhower's "I Like Ike" slogan and provided real-life fans with a write-in candidate. Kelly's sly humor and flair for creative language—replete with malapropisms and nonsense verse — retain their imaginative verve for comics enthusiasts of the twenty-first century.

Genres: Humor, Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Strips, Cartoon, Graphic Novels Comics, Comedy

190 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

American animator and cartoonist best known for the classic funny animal comic strip, Pogo. He won the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award in 1951 for Cartoonist of the Year, and their Silver T-Square Award in 1972, given to persons having "demonstrated outstanding dedication or service to the Society or the profession."

Reviews

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a pre-teen way back when, I loved the denizens of Okefenokee Swamp in the long running comic strip by Walt Kelly (1948 to '75). However, as I got older, I realized that there was more here than just cute animals - it was biting satire and I loved it even more. I was too young to have read the early strips so I was excited to read I Go Pogo, a collection of many of the early strips, although I was worried that it would seem outdated. Happily, I worried needlessly - it was just as much fun and just as insightful as I remembered it and I loved every funny, witty minute of it. In fact, it could have been written now because it seems just as applicable to recent political events. So for those like me who loved this strip when they were kids or those who just like satirical comics with adorable animals, read it for the nostalgia or just a break, to step back from all the political insanity right now, and appreciate the genius of Walt Kelly and the antics of his creations.

Thanks to Edelweiss+ and Dover Publications for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure what short stories made The Best Short Stories of 1951 or 1952, the years from which the Pogo strips in I Go Pogo were printed, but I’m guessing with confidence that not more than a couple in either year were as good as “Don’t Write, Don’t Wire, See If You Can Reverse the Charges,” a wonderful allegoric satire that adroitly, wittily spoofs politics and human nature. At his best, Kelly was a cross between George Orwell and Jonathan Swift with a touch of Lewis Carroll mixed with early Walt Disney, and I Go Pogo is Kelly at his best.

A self-interested vigilante committee, founded by a buzzard (looking to add Churchy to their soup so it can be turtle soup in more than name only) seeks to enlist allies in the pursuit of Churchy, “Let me read you Members of the Vigilante Committee something he wrote: ‘The Keen and Quing were quirling at quoits In the meadow behind of the Mere Tho’ mainly the mere was middle with mow…An heretical hitherto here!’ There! Don’t that sound sneaky?” The prospective vigilante committee members, three bats, are unimpressed. “Well. We don’t understand it.” The recruiting buzzard rejoins, “Exactly! It’s these things we don’t understand that are dangerous!” The bats continue their drifting away from the buzzard. One says, “Glad you warned us…I don’t understand you either.” Another adds, “By the same token, I’m goin out an’ shoot my old geometry teacher.”

In another of the storylines a baby raccoon, a puppy, a mouse and a tiger are running away. The mouse asks if anyone packed food and when it’s realized that no one did the mouse urges them to attend to that task or they’ll risk starving. “When you starve with a tiger,” he observes, “the tiger starves last.” Kelly was masterful with plot, dialogue, puns, nonsense verse, expressive lettering that conveyed character, and magically dramatic panel drawings that are vibrant enough to appear animated. His peers are few: Schulz, Watterson, and Seuss. Maybe Trudeau. His betters? Ain’t been found.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 190 page book cost one dollar when published in 1952, this is the price of the book not the price of Albert who is priceless. This is the sequel to "Pogo" published about one year earlier. Walt Kelly takes us back to a simpler time, a less angry time, a funnier time.

Pogo Possum represented Everyman, though he was a classic comedic straight man among the denizens of Okefenokee Swamp, a community outside of Waycross, Georgia. Although he was harmless and mild mannered, he could not avoid continually being drawn into the hare-brained schemes of his cigar-smoking friend, Albert Alligator; the swamp’s self-proclaimed bespectacled intellectual, Dr. Howland Owl; and others. Perhaps most notably, on several occasions he was pressured by his friends to run for president of the United States.

How many characters are smoking cigars today in the comics ? Ahhh the good old days.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

So antiquated and of its time and place, it might as well be in a foreign language. Might have been great if you were the right audience in the right place and time, but I'm not.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 but only because I find myself falling asleep to certain parts. When I found out about Pogo via Saga of the Swamp Thing, I had to see what made it so good for myself. Turns out despite the decades that separate eras, the past always has something to say. Whether it's prejudice or being taken advantage of, there's always something that comes up. The segments even shows a satirical play on the general elections. With everyone in the swamp having a few screws loose, it was natural for the everyman to be nominated for some kind of office. But when the nature of politics displaying themselves, people question whether anyone sane should even be in office. If anything, it's more of a gamble unlike everything else. Looking back, when weird dilemmas like a manhunt for Churchy the turtle get solved by absurd circumstances when some of those manhunters turn on each other, who can really blame Pogo? I guess despite how art styles change, some messages remain constant.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walt Kelly brought us Pogo to provide nonsense and rhyme that entertains years later. I Go Pogo brings together the strips from 1952 when Eisenhower was running for President and "I like Ike" was all the rage. Folks in the Okefenokee Swamp decided their perfect candidate would be Pogo, despite the stuff with the cowbirds. However, they never got a buy-in from the candidate himself! Politics aside, a very strange poetry contest occurs between the covers of this book and Churchy LeFemme, the turtle, manages to get his head stuck in his shell which almost lands him in the circus! A fun reprint from Dover!

Thanks, Netgalley, for the opportunity to review this title!

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cartoons collected here simply don't hold up. I vaguely remember Pogo, my mother was a great fan, I even had a little plastic Pogo figurine when I was a child but I was expecting something more along the lines of Will Rogers - home spun witticism with pointed social commentary. Possibly because this collection focuses on a specific long-ago election season the references just fall flat.

Sorry to say I didn't enjoy this one at all.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many Pogo books that I just chose this one to stand for all. Growing up with Stevenson-supporting McCarthy-hating parents in an Ike time, I got my first view of politics from the Pogos on the early 1950s, but Pogo is far more than a political cartoon. Beyond the famous yogi-berra-isms ("We have met the enemy and he is us")and sound-alike mis-translations ("deck us all with Boston Charley") there is an always-delightful spirit. Page after randomly-flipped-to page charms you. The art work is exceptional, far better than that of Peanuts or Doonesbury whose creators were primarily humorists, not artists(Kelly broke in working for Walt Disney). Bill Watterson does better art work than those two also, but his characters are not as diverse a zoological garden as we find in Pogo.
Everyone too young to have grown up with Pogo and all the swamp-dwellers (that's most goodreaders I think) ought to pull out whatever the library has. The politics have changed but the art and the humor will never grow old.

[Valerie]

Though he was the quintessential unwilling candidate (he once actually said "If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve."), Pogo was a perennial write-in candidate for president through the 1950s and 60s. These strips detail at least one of the campaigns. They usually ended with Pogo left behind by his backers, because he was off somewhere fishing while they were building platforms, etc.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Walt Kelly. Not a statement, that, but an imperative.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is Pogo so great?! It's so good I get mad at myself for not being this clever. WALT KELLY!!!!!

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

They were there so I read them - maybe too young to though.

[Charles Rouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laugh all the way through every time I look at it. Sly humor, hip before it's time.

[Linda (Miss Greedybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old & wonderful! Yay Pogo!