Okay. So have you ever read some really good comics that poke fun at history? If your answer is no, then you’re likely not reading Kate Beaton’s comic Hark! A Vagrant. The Nova Scotia born artist covers all sorts of historical figures and moments, from the crazy antics of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne to the grooming of the Kennedy’s to reach higher political office. The humor is all there, and the historical accuracy is… well, I’d prefer to read these comics than to read an actual history book. This makes history extraordinary.
Beaton’s artistic style is one I can really appreciate, as she mainly just uses pencil, then inks over said pencil drawings. That’s the kind of work I tend to do. The only difference is that Beaton has a pretty good grasp of posture and proportions, an aspect in which I am sorely lacking. The black and white of her comics seems incredibly appropriate for her commentary on history’s greats, making me think that her own construction of a history text book would inspire me to actually take the initiative and learn something. Hell, if you pay enough attention you can still manage to learn a bit from the strips. It’s an educational kind of craziness.
For anyone who has been interested in learning about how exactly women got the vote, or how some of our greatest British literature was written… you’ll practically learn those things reading Hark! A Vagrant. But beyond that, if you’re just looking for a good laugh at some Mystery Solving Teens or Wonder Woman being a very angry individual, this is the comic to read. An insightful, interesting, and hilarious look at the past and the present that’s certainly worth your time.
You can visit the site here.
