Hark! A Vagrant – Kate BeatonHark! A Vagrant is an uproarious romp through history and literature seen through the sharp, contemporary lens of New Yorker cartoonist and comics-sensation Kate Beaton. No era or tome emerges unscathed as Beaton rightly skewers the Western world’s revolutionaries, leaders, sycophants, and suffragists while equally honing her wit on the hapless heroes, heroines, and villains of the best-loved fiction.

If you have not yet been exposed to harkavagrant.com then I can only surmise that all the time you’ve spent on the Internet to date has been a waste. Go check it out, immediately!

Beaton’s book Hark! A Vagrant, is a compilation of comics from the site with some book-exclusive comics tossed in to the mix. I love that Beaton is a Canadian and uses several references of Canadian history, and jokes throughout her comics. It is refreshing to see Canadian culture explored, even comically!

Beaton is one of the best new comics, her art and storylines are witty smart, and true to her style a bit vulgar. This collection is hilarious, and is the sort of book you can turn to when you a need a pick-me-up. Beaton’s craziness will have you laughing in hysterics. Part of her appeal is combining modern day slang, with bold literary references such as the Bronte’s and Nancy Drew.

Hark! An excellent book.