Hark! A Vagrant
| Hark! A Vagrant | |
|---|---|
 Cover for the 2011 print collection | |
| Author(s) | Kate Beaton |
| Website | Hark, a Vagrant |
| Current status/schedule | Updated occasionally.[1] |
| Launch date | 2007 |
| Genre(s) | Comic strip |
Hark! A Vagrant is a webcomic by Canadian artist Kate Beaton.
Recurring themes
Many Hark! A Vagrant strips are based on historical figures and events; Beaton studied History and Anthropology at Mount Allison University[1] and worked at the Maritime Museum of BC before launching her webcomic.[2] Historical personages that have made appearances in the comic include Napoléon Bonaparte,[3] Ada Lovelace,[4] Marie Antoinette,[5] and the Founding Fathers of the United States.[6] Literary figures feature prominently, such as the Brontë sisters,[7] and several strips parody classic literary works such as Robinson Crusoe and Sherlock Holmes.
Hark! A Vagrant has been noted for its feminist themes,[8] and Beaton has described herself as "naturally drawn to women’s history".[9] She is particularly well-known for her series of "Strong Female Characters" strips, which satirise sexist depictions of female characters in comics and movies.[10]
Style
Hark! A Vagrant is drawn in black and white with pens, watercolours, brush pens, and a Wacom tablet in later comics.[1] Beaton's distinctive drawing style is loose and light, and has been compared to the illustrations of Quentin Blake.[8]
Reception
The 2011 print collection of Hark! A Vagrant was named one of the top ten fiction books of the year by Time magazine,[11] and Rolling Stone magazine placed the same collection on its list of 'The 50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels'.[12] Maria Popova, in The Atlantic, called the book "a witty and wonderful collection of comics about historical and literary figures and events", and praised Beaton's "truly special gift for simple, subtle, incredibly expressive caricature".[13] Alex Manley, writing for Maisonneuve, wrote that "the collection reveals Beaton's flair for marrying dry historical facts of varying arcanity with cheap, childish gags in a way that never seems to get old."[14]
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Doug Wright Award | Hark! A Vagrant | Best Emerging Talent | Won[15] |
| 2010 | Harvey Award | Hark! A Vagrant | Best online comics work | Nominated[16] |
| 2011 | Harvey Award | Hark! A Vagrant | Best online comics work | Won[17] |
| 2011 | Eagle Award | Hark! A Vagrant | Favourite Web-Based Comic | Nominated[18] |
| 2011 | Ignatz Award | Hark! A Vagrant | Outstanding Online Comic | Won[19] |
| 2012 | Harvey Award | Hark! A Vagrant | Best online comics work | Won[20] |
Collections
- Never Learn Anything From History (2009)
- Hark! A Vagrant (Drawn and Quarterly, 2011)
- Step Aside, Pops (Drawn and Quarterly, 2015)
References
- ^ a b c "Hark, a Vagrant: About".
- ^ Medley, Mark. "Canadian cartoonist Kate Beaton cleverly combines history and humour". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ Beaton, Kate. "Hark, A Vagrant: 320".
- ^ "Hark, A Vagrant: 298".
- ^ "Hark, A Vagrant: 2".
- ^ "Hark, a Vagrant: 375".
- ^ "Hark, a Vagrant: 202".
- ^ a b Sneddon, Laura. "Kate Beaton on refusing to let women be forgotten and increasing audience diversity of a comic convention". Independent.
- ^ Drevitch, Gary. "Eccentric's Corner: Drawn to History". Psychology Today.
- ^ Robinson, Tasha. "Interview: Kate Beaton". AV Club.
- ^ Grossman, Lev. "7. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton". TIME.
- ^ "Drawn Out: The 50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Popova, Maria. "'Hark! A Vagrant': Witty Comics on Historical and Literary Figures". The Atlantic.
- ^ Manley, Alex. "Kate Beaton's Revisionist History". maisonneuve.org.
- ^ "Past Winners". Dought Wright Awards.
- ^ Polo, Susana. "The 2010 Harvey Award Winners". The Mary Sue.
- ^ Melrose, Kevin. "Winners announced for 2011 Harvey Awards". CBR.com.
- ^ Johnston, Rich. "Eagle Awards Nominations Announced". bleedingcool.com.
- ^ Parkin, John. "Winners announced for 2011 Ignatz Awards". CBR.com.
- ^ McMillan, Graeme. "'Daredevil,' 'Hark! A Vagrant' And More Win Big At The 2012 Harvey Awards". comicsalliance.com.