Snagglepuss: The UNUSUAL DC, for unusual DC Readers:

[matt levin]

Are you reading this? Perhaps you can suggest an answer:

My question is, “Why Snagglepuss?” The world of Puss’s New York is the world of Joe McCarthy’s 1950s, in a slightly-Twilight-Zone dimension where actors in one of Puss’s highly successful theatrical productions wear ‘animal-snout masks’, and anthropomorphic characters mingle with ‘human’ ones on the sidewalks. No explanation given: this is simply the world of the story, catch up with it.

I like comics tackling politics and this clearly is going to be one: Snagglepuss is about to be set up for a career-crushing fall, pawn in a political ploy by those whose hopes lie with McCarthy. Here’s a comic with a character stating, “Every nation is a monster in the making,” and a story about to lead us through that truth.

I like intellectual comics; this one quotes Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, and takes us through moments before the Rosenbergs are electrocuted, with bitter wit. With hope, the parallels between the 50s and the 2010s are clearly, but not bombastically drawn, and so far that hope seems a viable one. Artwork by Feehan, Morales, & Mounts is professional and clean, if not especially individual or striking.

But why Snagglepuss--? Is that DC, or writer Mark Russell, felt a straight-forward drama with an all-normal-human cast would sell only a dozen copies (as if Snagglepuss will draw in dozens more?) or that a political drama would only succeed as “parable,” Aesop-style fable? Whatever the reason, I hope this series lives up to its first issue promise and garners a lot of attention.

[Confuzzled]

Why not Snagglepuss?

[Osiris-Rex]

Snagglepuss was one of the few obviously Gay cartoon characters back in the 1960s, so what better character to use for stories set in the homophobic 1950s where being a homosexual was treated as a crime?
(Not saying things are great now, just somewhat less bad)

[Bergman]

The first issue is pretty good. I got an American Century vibe from it.

[Powertool]

One should also take into account that it's not a given that Russell explicitly asked for a Snagglepuss title. After all, he was reportedly far from amazed when Dan DiDio (or whoever the bigwig who summoned him to his office was) assigned him to the Flintstones series. But since he's apparently very good at turning lemons thrown from life into lemonade, he managed to find a great angle for a series on the modern Stone Age family and it became the jewel it is. Perhaps he's trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice...

Snagglepuss.jpg

... and looking at panels like this one, he could very well manage to do it.

[CaptCleghorn]

One should also take into account that it's not a given that Russell explicitly asked for a Snagglepuss title. After all, he was reportedly far from amazed when Dan DiDio (or whoever the bigwig who summoned him to his office was) assigned him to the Flintstones series. But since he's apparently very good at turning lemons thrown from life into lemonade, he managed to find a great angle for a series on the modern Stone Age family and it became the jewel it is. Perhaps he's trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice...

... and looking at panels like this one, he could very well manage to do it.

The original intention of the Flintstones was what Russell did. A look at modern societal aspects with a cartoonish slant. The Flintstones were the Simpsons of the early sixties. Snagglepuss is easily the most flamboyant of the Hanna Barbera characters. The idea of Snagglepuss being used to tell this story seems almost obvious. All of DC's HB concepts take them to adult (in a good sense, not a **** and f-bombs sense) levels.

This story might have had some legs if it had been about humans only, but honestly, the use of Snagglepuss throws a spotlight onto it and screams for attention. The fact that Snagglepuss fits so well into the story leads me to believe that the character and story were worked on together. But that's pure speculation on my part.

[matt levin]

Captain, you echo my thinking, and took it further: I think you're right--"This story might have had some legs if it had been about humans only, but honestly, the use of Snagglepuss throws a spotlight onto it and screams for attention." And he does suit the narrative well!

[CaptCleghorn]

Captain, you echo my thinking, and took it further: I think you're right--"This story might have had some legs if it had been about humans only, but honestly, the use of Snagglepuss throws a spotlight onto it and screams for attention." And he does suit the narrative well!

To be fair, I saw this mentioned elsewhere and repeated it. It's not my original idea but it is very valid to me.

I strongly suspect your thread in the Indie section stuck with me as well. I apologize for not remembering to give you the credit you deserve for that.

[ed2962]

Did anyone here pick up on the GiGi Allen/G.G. Allan gag?

[Powertool]

The original intention of the Flintstones was what Russell did. A look at modern societal aspects with a cartoonish slant. The Flintstones were the Simpsons of the early sixties.

Well, yes and no. The truth was that, being a cartoon from 50 years ago, they were looking at a thoroughly sanitized conception of then-modern societal aspects and the whole thing ended up being Honeymooners with a feet-powered car. It was revolutionary from some verses (Wilma and Fred being the first cartoon couple being shown sharing a bed) but deeply conservative from others.

Did anyone here pick up on the GiGi Allen/G.G. Allan gag?

I also did, but I couldn't quite believe it to be actually that and I thought that it was my imagination being hyperactive.

[CaptCleghorn]

Well, yes and no. The truth was that, being a cartoon from 50 years ago, they were looking at a thoroughly sanitized conception of then-modern societal aspects and the whole thing ended up being Honeymooners with a feet-powered car. It was revolutionary from some verses (Wilma and Fred being the first cartoon couple being shown sharing a bed) but deeply conservative from others.

It was the early sixties. and the episodes need to be compared with what was out at the time. For the Kennedy administration timeframe, these shows were cutting progressive stuff. The characters being repackaged as Saturday morning kiddie stuff was far from the original intention.

[CaptCleghorn]

I just read issue 5. OMFG! Why is this book not getting noticed and press?

[Assam]

I just read issue 5. OMFG! Why is this book not getting noticed and press?

Seriously! This whole series has been brilliant from the start, but #5 was easily one of the best single issues to come out this year and I don't see much being able to top it.

[BatmanJones]

Seriously! This whole series has been brilliant from the start, but #5 was easily one of the best single issues to come out this year and I don't see much being able to top it.

I love it when we agree.

This might be the best book on the stands lately. I'm so bummed it's a limited series and not an ongoing. I don't want it to end. Huckleberry Hound has become one of my favorite characters during this series and Snagglepuss has too. More Mark Russell, please! Seriously, nobody could do what he's done with Snagglepuss and Flintstones. Give him every book he wants to write, DC. And double his compensation.

Most people here know how I feel about Tom King. He's my favorite comic book writer by far lately. But I have another way of listing favorites too that isn't as exclusionary. WRT music I can say "nobody is better than Bob Dylan" but I can also say "nobody is better than Queen" or "nobody is better than Prince."

To me, nobody is better than Tom King. But it's also so that nobody is better than Mark Russell. They're doing different kinds of things but both are brilliant (IMO only, obviously, since I'm the one that wrote it).

And it seems like King never misses a deadline. I don't know about Russell since I picked up Flintstones after the fact and have only read his Snagglepuss as it hits the stands but every issue has been on time. If he can handle a heavier workload I hope DC will sign him to an exclusive and let him spread his magic far and wide.

[Raijin]

I love it when we agree.

This might be the best book on the stands lately. I'm so bummed it's a limited series and not an ongoing. I don't want it to end. Huckleberry Hound has become one of my favorite characters during this series and Snagglepuss has too. More Mark Russell, please! Seriously, nobody could do what he's done with Snagglepuss and Flintstones. Give him every book he wants to write, DC. And double his compensation.

Most people here know how I feel about Tom King. He's my favorite comic book writer by far lately. But I have another way of listing favorites too that isn't as exclusionary. WRT music I can say "nobody is better than Bob Dylan" but I can also say "nobody is better than Queen" or "nobody is better than Prince."

To me, nobody is better than Tom King. But it's also so that nobody is better than Mark Russell. They're doing different kinds of things but both are brilliant (IMO only, obviously, since I'm the one that wrote it).

And it seems like King never misses a deadline. I don't know about Russell since I picked up Flintstones after the fact and have only read his Snagglepuss as it hits the stands but every issue has been on time. If he can handle a heavier workload I hope DC will sign him to an exclusive and let him spread his magic far and wide.

I knew Russell was something special when he did Prez for DCYOU. Fans sadly overlooked it.