Cat Rackham

May 10, 2009 12:28 AM

cat stole my heart.
posted by marlys (43 comments total)

Didn't really find this funny. Was it supposed to be? I feel like I'm missing something.
posted by Malice at 12:30 AM on May 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

From the description it may be that it was primarily intended to be cute. However I didn't find it particularly cute, either. But, y'know, first-time post and all.
posted by XMLicious at 12:36 AM on May 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

I love it! It finds a nice median between cute-cute and violent fake-cute.
posted by archagon at 12:40 AM on May 10, 2009

i thought it was charming...
posted by jrb223 at 12:41 AM on May 10, 2009

I liked it. Thanks for the link.
posted by spiderskull at 12:43 AM on May 10, 2009

Yay Cat Rackham! I'm glad that the maker of these fine comics is right now a good way through a longer story with Rackham.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 12:43 AM on May 10, 2009

I thought this was going to be about Thomas Hardy.
posted by pracowity at 12:45 AM on May 10, 2009

Thanks for that. Cat Rakham is Everycat!

Ignore the tedious snark.
posted by longsleeves at 12:55 AM on May 10, 2009

Love the depression one. But they're all good in different ways.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:06 AM on May 10, 2009

I'm a sucker for this sort of comic. Thank you.
posted by crataegus at 1:12 AM on May 10, 2009

Liked the style, but was bored by the stories and confused by the layout.
posted by moonbiter at 1:41 AM on May 10, 2009

It's kind of like a Chris Ware comic, except that it's really f'ing hard to figure out which panel's next.
posted by davejay at 1:43 AM on May 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

I liked the first one, the rest were a bit too forced.
posted by orthogonality at 1:45 AM on May 10, 2009

This one is my favorite.
posted by stresstwig at 1:57 AM on May 10, 2009 [2 favorites]

awful.
posted by Mayor Curley at 2:46 AM on May 10, 2009

It has come to my attention that some people may have interpreted my comment above as snarky or an attempt to be cutting or otherwise derogatory, but it wasn't meant to be. It's not to my taste; I wasn't trying to imply that the cartoon is sappy, just to literally and mildly say that I don't find it cute as in baby animals cute. Congrats to marlys on her first post.
posted by XMLicious at 2:54 AM on May 10, 2009

Cats + Livejournal. This needs something else in order to make a trifecta of awfulness.
posted by emelenjr at 3:16 AM on May 10, 2009

Cats + Livejournal. This needs something else in order to make a trifecta of awfulness.

Snarky comments?
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:47 AM on May 10, 2009 [3 favorites]

XMLicious, thanks for clarifying - I really appreciate it.

I'm actually quite smitten with this comic, and I posted to share the wealth. I'm not surprised that some don't like it (and given the mixed reviews, I can see that Cat Rackham is not common denominator cute - not cute like koalas).

I am surprised, however, how difficult it is to stomach snark when I'm the poster. I suddenly feel protective of the artist - and frankly, I'm a bit sad to have brought mefi negativity into the orbit of his comics. Artists are such easy targets - is it too much to ask that they be saved the indignity of one-phrase censure?

Aah, but I did post this on metafilter - I suppose it's my own fault. So Steve Wolfhard, wherever you may be, here's hoping you get at least one new fan for each new critic...
posted by marlys at 5:01 AM on May 10, 2009 [6 favorites]

That was amazing. Especially the depression one.
posted by fire&wings at 5:03 AM on May 10, 2009

I found them interesting and imaginative. I loved the Depression one, and really liked the set-up (with the tea on the fire and arrows to indicate what hardships that entailed) in “The Comforts of Life.” I also enjoyed how the artist peppered the overriding cuteness with irreverent details, for example the bugs having sex or the old lady’s white cat’s asshole. I expect Cat Rackham will be well loved by anyone who has ever wondered whether Sanrio's Little Twin Stars were anatomically correct.
posted by applemeat at 5:40 AM on May 10, 2009

lovely, thanks for posting.
posted by troubles at 5:43 AM on May 10, 2009

I liked it. I sent it to someone that likes cute things. If I were more of a comic scholar, I'm sure I'd have something more insightful (or snarky) to say.
posted by VulcanMike at 5:48 AM on May 10, 2009

I like that it has an old-fashioned look to it, and some of the story lines are reminiscent of older comics (cat goes camping! hits squirrel with thrown cup!), but the sensibility is modern (cat has insomnia, depression).

Thanks for posting!
posted by palliser at 6:19 AM on May 10, 2009

Great stuff - elliptical storytelling, fun with pacing, great color, just an all-around strange and interesting comic. Thanks!
posted by mediareport at 6:20 AM on May 10, 2009

p.s. If all you have to offer a thread is "awful" or "don't like" then sit on your goddamn hands. Either engage in a conversation about why you don't like it or shut the fuck up.
posted by mediareport at 6:25 AM on May 10, 2009 [8 favorites]

I loved it. It's cute and psychedelic. Thanks!
posted by elmono at 7:09 AM on May 10, 2009

Love the depression one. Already bookmarked for future moment of black-doggedness.
The comic does remind me a bit of Chris Ware, except I would never bookmark his work as a future pick-me-up.
posted by tingting at 7:09 AM on May 10, 2009

This is great. If you do not like it you are a poo-beard.
posted by fleetmouse at 7:59 AM on May 10, 2009

Cheers, marlys, from someone who thought your "first-time post" was a good one. I love the comic. Thanks for sharing it with us!
posted by lysistrata at 8:52 AM on May 10, 2009

Thanks; I enjoyed these. I especially liked the one with the duck. I wish I had a duck who would sit on my head to help me sleep.
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 9:00 AM on May 10, 2009

I liked the third one particularly, but the fourth one annoyed me terribly. CWEEEEAAM!!
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:01 AM on May 10, 2009

These vapid cartoons are a product of an affluent, coddled generation who can afford to exist in cutesy fantasy. If this is the successor to irony then we're in even bigger trouble than I thought.
posted by mert at 9:10 AM on May 10, 2009

There is something about this character that's immediately appealing. It's seriously a great design. And the colors are beautiful too. The artists needs a little work on sequential storytelling, and he'll be making world-class comeeeeks!
posted by gorgor_balabala at 9:31 AM on May 10, 2009

My cat sleeps on my head when I am sad. I liked your post, marlys!
posted by grippycat at 9:51 AM on May 10, 2009

a product of an affluent, coddled generation who can afford to exist in cutesy fantasy. If this is the successor to irony then we're in even bigger trouble than I thought.

Um, dude... just... dude. This is where you choose to draw your line in the sand?
posted by kaspen at 11:42 AM on May 10, 2009 [3 favorites]

So you've decided to hate Cat Rackham.

You may be:

• A Nazi
• A Frankenstein
• self diagnosed with asperger's

posted by boo_radley at 11:54 AM on May 10, 2009 [6 favorites]

It's ok marlys, Cat Rackham stole my heart too.
posted by Rora at 1:07 PM on May 10, 2009

This is awesome.
posted by Arturus at 4:56 PM on May 10, 2009

Awesome indeed. I certainly like it. Thank you for sharing!
posted by keptwench at 5:52 PM on May 10, 2009

here's hoping you get at least one new fan for each new critic...
posted by marlys at 8:01 AM

New fan over here!

The fat white cat's "MWAHH!?" busted me up.
posted by orme at 5:56 PM on May 10, 2009

Poking around the artist's journal I found this comic, which I thought was pretty funny, and I like the randomly generated endings thing. It seems that his cat doesn't like him very much. But it not without reason, as it turns out.
posted by kosher_jenny at 7:47 PM on May 10, 2009

Nthing how great the depression one was. The colouring of these comics is gorgeous.
posted by minifigs at 3:21 AM on May 11, 2009