''Hark! A Vagrant'' is a

webcomic Webcomics (also known as online comics or Internet comics) are comics published on the internet, such as on a website or a mobile app. While many webcomics are published exclusively online, others are also published in magazines, newspapers, or ...

published by Canadian artist

Kate Beaton Kathryn Moira Beaton (born 8 September 1983) is a Canadian comics artist best known as the creator of the comic strip ''Hark! A Vagrant'', which ran from 2007 to 2018. Her other major works include the children's books ''The Princess and the Pon ...

between 2007 and 2018. It discussed historical and literary topics in a comedic tone and was drawn in black and white.

Recurring themes

''Hark! A Vagrant'' is best known for its humorous treatment of historical figures and events. Beaton began drawing history-themed comics for her student newspaper while studying History and Anthropology at

Mount Allison University Mount Allison University (also Mount A or MtA) is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839. Mount Allison was the first university in the British Empire to award a baccal ...

. Historical personages that have made appearances in the comic include

Napoléon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, Ada Lovelace,

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

, and the Founding Fathers of the United States. Literary figures feature prominently, such as the Brontë sisters, and several strips parody classic literary works such as Robinson Crusoe and

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

. The humour in Beaton's historical and literary strips often derives from anachronisms, such as historical characters expressing modern colloquialisms and sensibilities. Other recurring subjects in the comic include

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

es, Nancy Drew stories, and autobiographical topics. ''Hark! A Vagrant'' has been noted for its feminist themes, and Beaton has described herself as "naturally drawn to women’s history". She is particularly well-known for her series of "Strong Female Characters" strips, which satirise sexist depictions of female characters in comics and movies.

Style

''Hark! A Vagrant'' is drawn in black and white with pens, watercolours, brush pens, and a Wacom tablet in later comics. Beaton's distinctive drawing style is loose and light, and has been compared to the illustrations of

Quentin Blake Sir Quentin Saxby Blake (born 16 December 1932) is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works. For his l ...

. Reviews have remarked on her mastery of facial expressions in particular. Most strips are short, about three to eight panels long. Beaton often eschews punctuation in her dialogue, and the tone of the comic has been described as "conversational".

Reception

The 2011 print collection of ''Hark! A Vagrant'' was named one of the top ten fiction books of the year by ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine, and ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' magazine placed the same collection on its list of 'The 50 Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels'. Maria Popova, in ''

The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...

'', 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". 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."

Awards

Collections

* ''Never Learn Anything From History'' (2009) * ''Hark! A Vagrant'' ( Drawn & Quarterly, 2011) * ''Step Aside, Pops'' (Drawn & Quarterly, 2015)

References

{{reflist 2000s webcomics 2010s webcomics 2007 webcomic debuts Canadian comedy webcomics Short form webcomics Historical webcomics Webcomics in print Feminist webcomics