Pogo: Welcome to the Beginning by Walt Kelly

Today, August 25, is the centennial of Walt Kelly, the creator of the celebrated Pogo comic strip. His book Pogo: Welcome to the Beginning was published in 1965 for the Neighborhood Youth Corps, a government program for urban youth that was a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society. Kelly's star character Pogo Possum appears in some of the cartoon illustrations. The book attempts to instill a work ethic and make it appear cool.

These scans are graciously provided by Mark Fuller Dillon.

Walt Kelly, Pogo:  Welcome to the Beginning, 1965, Front Cover

Walt Kelly, Pogo:  Welcome to the Beginning, 1965, Back Cover

Note:  As mentioned above, today is Walt Kelly's hundredth birthday! You can see more of his work up close and personal on this very blog here.

Mark Fuller Dillon, who made all these beautiful scans, has his own blog here and there's even a bit about his discovery of Pogo today. His scans of Pogo: Welcome to the Beginning are also included on Thomas Haller Buchanan's Whirled of Kelly blog here, where they appear condensed in an online "'zine" format. This is where I learned of them. You can see other wonders on the Whirled of Kelly blog here. Today's post is especially noteworthy as it has a link to Delineated Life: Celebrating Walt Kelly and his Work, a 138 page tribute to the creator of Pogo on the occasion of his centennial. It's truly a labor of love.

As a boy in 1966, Mr. Buchanan actually met Walt Kelly and obtained a souvenir drawing of Pogo. He first wrote about his half hour with Walt Kelly here but now it also appears in the Delineated Life tribute.

Okay, that should keep you busy for a while. When you're done with that, hey, get a job!

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Pogo: "How Does One Git Down Off'n this Planet?"

Walt Kelly's Pogo comic strip never fails to surprise. Just when you think the conversation is turning serious, an old joke rears its head. This original artwork is from 1967, but I'm fairly certain the joke was ancient even then.

Walt Kelly, Original Artwork for Pogo, January 16, 1967

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Pogo-Daily-by-Walt-Kelly-1-16-1967-Churchy-in-Pandemonia-/111147430595?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e0e732c3

August 26, 2013 Update:  Sold!

Note:  I have more original art from Pogo comic strips here.

Today is Walt Kelly's centennial. Check out the Whirled of Kelly blog here.

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Walt Kelly 1966 Press File Photo

Walt Kelly (1913-1973) is the creator of the Pogo comic strip. This Associated Press file photo of Kelly was taken in 1966 and run on the occasion of his death at the age of 60 in 1973. Today is one-hundred years since the date of his birth.

Walt Kelly 1966 file photo from the 1973 AP wire story announcing his death

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walt-Kelly-Cartoonist-6x8-original-wire-photo-F16415-/400496071055?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item5d3f6d118f&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 

Note:  More of my blog posts about Walt Kelly can be seen here.

Thomas Haller Buchanan's Whirled of Kelly blog can be found here.

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Walt Kelly's Pogo: Climbing the Wrong Mountain

In this original comic strip art for Walt Kelly's Pogo, Pogo Possum and Porky Pine are seen climbing a mountain, only it's the wrong one. It's a good thing they begin their descent right away.

Walt Kelly, Original Artwork for Pogo, July 10, 1970

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pogo-Daily-Original-by-Walt-Kelly-Published-7-10-70-/111106612871?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19de785e87&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  See more on Walt Kelly here.

Don't miss Thomas Haller Buchanan's Whirled of Kelly blog here.

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Walt Kelly's Pogo: "Boom is How it Goes"

Like many of Walt Kelly's Pogo comic strips, the subject matter of this 1956 Sunday strip seems directly related to the militarism of the Cold War. Pogo strips are always well-drawn but looking at this original artwork panel by panel reminds us just how well-inked this strip is as well. Brush pen is expertly applied over blue pencil by the great Walt Kelly.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pogo-Sunday-Original-by-Walt-Kelly-Boom-1956-/111095036514?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ddc7ba62&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  For more strips by Walt Kelly, click here.

Walt Kelly's centennial is Sunday, August 25, 2013. While you're celebrating, don't miss Thomas Haller Buchanan's Whirled of Kelly blog here.

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