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(Book)
Paul Gilligan
Released: March, 2003 |
You've already heard mention of Pooch Café in the pages of the Jester. The June issue featured an excellent interview by Lawrence Goldsmith with it's creator, Paul Gilligan and I also featured the strip in my 'Comic Strips wot I like' talk at a club meeting a few months ago. So what's the strip actually like? Very good since you askedÖ
Despite a seeming overabundance of strips in the funny pages featuring 'cute animal and long suffering owner' Pooch Café stands out – the writing is smart and most importantly, really funny. The artwork is terrific too – Gilligan looks like he enjoys drawing these characters. I particularly liked the design of the main character, Poncho, with his angular ears, tail and nose and big black eye – a great look that reads well in a b/w strip.
Gilligan also has occasional fun with cartooning icons, referencing David Lynch's frankly bizarre strip 'The angriest dog in the world', and offering a sly nod to Snoopy's balancing skills; I don't know how the other guy did that for 50 years bemoans Poncho, as he slides off the top of a doghouse. Well I laughed anywayÖ
The blurb on this, the first collection of strips (dating back to 1993) describes Pooch Café as 'a place where dogs can go and hang out, sit on the furniture, brag about their masters, and compare notes on such weighty issues as toilet breath, projectile barking, cat infestation, and life among the humans'.
I'd describe it as one of the better modern strips available, and a worthy purchase. If you'd prefer not to indulge in a bit of 'walkies' to the nearest bookstore, Pooch Café: All Dogs Naturally Know How To Swim can be ordered from Amazon for around a fiver.
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