Pogo at last!
Just a quick post about Fantagraphics announcement that they are going to publish The Complete Pogo. I am working with Fantagraphics and Carolyn Kelly to design a series that is worthy of Walt Kelly. You can read the full press release at The Beat.
I used to collect Pogo books when i was a kid, and I had dreams about going into old dusty bookshops and finding this exact thing: complete collections of the daily and Sunday comic strips. I'm pretty jazzed about this project. The image above is not the final cover, but one I had to pull together quickly once the contracts were signed and a press release was going out.
Hey, thanks in advance for your work in getting this project together! I’ve been a lifelong fan of Walt Kelly in general, and POGO in particular (thanks to my Dad, a man of fine tastes), and I’m sure it will be as high in quality and the PEANUTS and POPEYE volumes.
Also, a thousand thanks for your Captain Marvel project; I only hope you save some room on your dance card for a follow-up, even if its only scripting.
Comment by John Berry — February 20, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
I’ve never read pogo before,but if you(Jeff)are designing it I will definitely get it. Keep up the good work!
Comment by Joshua — February 20, 2007 @ 9:53 pm
I remember fondly reading Pogo in the Sunday paper when I was a kid. The daily strips appeared in the evening paper, which my Dad didn’t subscribe to, so the only time I got to read a Pogo daily was when we got the holiday edition, which combined the morning and evening papers. I’m really, REALLY looking forward to this one. Thanks for being a part of this, Jeff. There’s no one I’d rather have on this project.
Comment by Tom Blevins — February 21, 2007 @ 11:31 am
Hi Jeff,
I had a dream that I was at a newsstand in the early 40′s and the racks were filled with comics and magazines. My dream-mind created covers and comics that never existed…but could have. After pawing through a stack of books I realized that I did not have any 1940′s currency in my pockets because I lived in 2007. I began to sob and woke myself up, crushed.
-Paul
Comment by Paul Karasik — February 21, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
IF I COULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO MEET YOU I BET I WOULD FAINT.
I HAVE READ BOOKS 1-9 ( 12 TIMES! ).
I HAVE ALL THE CARDS ( E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G ).
ALL THE STATUES.
ALL THE ACTION FIGURES.
ALL THE COMICS 1-55.
AND ALL THE HARDCOVERS.
I BET I COULD GO ON FOR HOURS BUT ALL I REALLY WANTED TO SAY WAS…..
YOU ROCK! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
LOVE,
YOUR 1# FAN ! ! ! ! !
ANTHONY
Comment by ANTHONY — February 21, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
Lo, about a week after I was wondering when Fantagraphics would publish the complete Pogo… I read this. I’m REALLY looking forward to this.
Comment by Sam — February 21, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
Wonderful. First Seth’s packaging on the Complete Peanuts and now you’re doing Pogo. Fantagraphics has really found the right people to present this amazing material!
Comment by Todd — February 21, 2007 @ 10:57 pm
The Complete Pogo, for real this time, maybe….
I’ve been peeved at Fantagraphics for abandoning their project to reprint the complete Pogo for years. So it’s with a bit of skepticism that I read a press release announcing that:
Fantagraphics Books is pleased to announce that it has acqu…
Trackback by Communications From Elsewhere — February 25, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
Funny thing, I’d never heard of Pogo until today when I was reading my copy of Bone, and my mom looks over my shoulder and says ‘Hey, is that Pogo?’ So now after finding out that Mr Smith is a big fan of said comic, I’m excited to know that I’ll get to check it out in the near future!
Comment by Megan — February 26, 2007 @ 11:31 pm
I read about the publishing of The Complete Pogo back in February and have seen nothing since then. Any more news? Thanks.
Comment by Doug Graham — May 1, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Wow! I have fond memories of whole days spend curled up in dusty corners of my Grandma’s house reading Pogo. When I first found bone (recently) it reminded me of Pogo. It’s great to learn that the resemblance isn’t coincidental, AND that there’s a complete Pogo in the works, all in 15 minutes!
Comment by Izzie Bell — March 3, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
we had a bunch of pogo paperback books lying around when i was little. i also read pogo on the newspaper funnies page.
i have been amazed that i have seen no pogo reprints or second run. even if the drawings and characters weren’t exquisitely drawn (and they are) the story and dialogue is relevant today no less than a half-century back. not unlike will shakespeare, or mark twain.
long live pogo and all swamp dwellers!
Comment by steven dornbusch — May 31, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
Oh my god! I was a little girl about age 5 to 6 years old! I really love to see pictures “Pogo” comic strips late 1960′s or early 1970′s with on newspaper.
I loved to read some animals pictures on comic strips. One my favourite Pogo picture because he was a cute face. I felt never forget my favourite Pogo comic. Sadly, Pogo comic was gone forever.
Comment by anna Romao — August 13, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
So yah, we have been waiting patiently. I pre-ordered your book from Amazon and have been waiting since June 2009 after reading about it in June 2008. The latest delay is September 2010! So, really??? Very disappointing, but I will not abandon hope yet. I will cancel my pre-order most likly though because of the sheer foolishness of a pre-order on something that will be out in a year. I am sorry for you too, as I assume there is a problem with the project. I hope I am wrong. Thanks
Comment by Denise — November 30, 2009 @ 12:33 pm
No, you’re not wrong. Sadly, the Complete Pogo was plagued with a series of delays and set-backs. I continued to keep a space for it in my schedule for a year and a half or something, while the Kelly family and Fantagraphics tried to work things out, but other commitments finally forced me to move on. I left the project back in 2008 (right around the time you first read about it!).
I keep hearing rumors that it is still in the works, though. I hope so. If it ever comes out, I’ll be first in line to buy a copy!
Comment by Jeff — December 1, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
GO JEFF SMITH AND POGO
Comment by Christine — February 20, 2011 @ 2:08 pm