Alias the Cat!
Encyclopedia
Alias the Cat is a graphic novel
by American
cartoonist
Kim Deitch
, published by Pantheon Books
in 2007. It originally appeared as a three-issue comic book in 2002 as The Stuff of Dreams from Fantagraphics Books
.
The metafictional
book stars Deitch himself and his best-known creation, Waldo the Cat. It's about a character named Alias the Cat who appeared in 1915 in a comic strip
and a serial film, as well as in real life as a freedom-fighting superhero
, but who mysteriously disappears. As Deitch researches the character, the story keeps getting more and more involved.
:The cartoonist metafictionally
appears himself as a character in the story. The opening portions of the book have the flavor of Harvey Pekar
's autobiographical
American Splendor
, as Deitch details aspects of his and his wife's lives in a seemingly autobiographical manner.
Pam Butler:Deitch's wife and obsessive collector of cartoon cats of the 1920s and 1930s.
Waldo:Deitch's best-known recurring character, a talking cartoon cat whom most people cannot see.
in 2002. It was collected by Pantheon Books
in hardcover form in 2007.
for Best Single Issue or One-Shot in 2003.
Greg McEllhatton called Alias the Cat! one of the stronger pieces of metafiction he'd seen in comics.
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
by American
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Kim Deitch
Kim Deitch
-Sources:* at Lambiek's Comiclopedia-External links:* Ford, Jeffrey. *Heller, Steven. **...
, published by Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books is an American imprint with editorial independence that is part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.The current editor-in-chief at Pantheon Books is Dan Frank.-Overview:...
in 2007. It originally appeared as a three-issue comic book in 2002 as The Stuff of Dreams from Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
.
The metafictional
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
book stars Deitch himself and his best-known creation, Waldo the Cat. It's about a character named Alias the Cat who appeared in 1915 in a comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
and a serial film, as well as in real life as a freedom-fighting superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, but who mysteriously disappears. As Deitch researches the character, the story keeps getting more and more involved.
Characters
Kim DeitchKim Deitch
-Sources:* at Lambiek's Comiclopedia-External links:* Ford, Jeffrey. *Heller, Steven. **...
:The cartoonist metafictionally
Metafiction
Metafiction, also known as Romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, is a type of fiction that self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction, exposing the fictional illusion...
appears himself as a character in the story. The opening portions of the book have the flavor of Harvey Pekar
Harvey Pekar
Harvey Lawrence Pekar was an American underground comic book writer, music critic and media personality, best known for his autobiographical American Splendor comic series. In 2003, the series inspired a critically acclaimed film adaptation of the same name.Pekar described American Splendor as "an...
's autobiographical
Autobiographical comics
Autobiographical comics are autobiography in the form of comic books or comic strips. The form first became popular in the underground comics movement and has since become more widespread...
American Splendor
American Splendor
American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books written by the late Harvey Pekar and drawn by a variety of artists. The first issue was published in 1976 and the most recent in September 2008, with publication occurring at irregular intervals...
, as Deitch details aspects of his and his wife's lives in a seemingly autobiographical manner.
Pam Butler:Deitch's wife and obsessive collector of cartoon cats of the 1920s and 1930s.
Waldo:Deitch's best-known recurring character, a talking cartoon cat whom most people cannot see.
Publishing history
Originally Alias was published as a three-issue series of comics, called The Stuff of Dreams, published by Fantagraphics BooksFantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
in 2002. It was collected by Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books
Pantheon Books is an American imprint with editorial independence that is part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.The current editor-in-chief at Pantheon Books is Dan Frank.-Overview:...
in hardcover form in 2007.
Reception
When serialized as The Stuff of Dreams, the story won the Eisner AwardEisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best Single Issue or One-Shot in 2003.
Greg McEllhatton called Alias the Cat! one of the stronger pieces of metafiction he'd seen in comics.
See also
- The Boulevard of Broken DreamsThe Boulevard of Broken Dreams (comics)The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, is a 2002 graphic novel by Kim Deitch. In 2005, Time chose it as one of the 100 best English language, graphic novels ever written.-Publication history:...
External links
- Product page at Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
's website