Short Tribute to B. Kliban

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

many of you probably know B. Kliban as the guy who drew funny cat pictures that you find in greeting cards and calendars:



But you have to actually know the man's work to note that he was a prolific cartoonist. Many of his works definitely fall under a "theater of the absurd" style, taking our expectations and twisting them hard. But he was also a social critic.



What does an Ayatollah actually do?




How do generals pass their time?




The state of our entertainment culture




We can help you conform




This would actually be a useful warning




We need a hero




Seriously, who wouldn't like to see something like this every now and again?

Comments

[savagemind.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I've never heard of this guy. Thanks for sharing.

[darkblood777.livejournal.com]

I remember this person. My mother had his book called "Cat".

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of a mix of Gary Larson and the Sidewalk Bubblegum guy.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Pre-dates Gary Larson, though.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Kliban was probably one of Larson's influences. I think Kliban had already left this world by the time Larson got in the newspapers.

[retrofire.livejournal.com]

I love these. Thank you.

[atreides74.livejournal.com]

Is that the guy who wrote 101 Uses For a Dead Cat?

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

er, no.

[cursethedark.livejournal.com]

We had that book!

[xforge.livejournal.com]

*That* book was a *response* to Kliban's Cats book.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Charming!

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

My father used to have a Kliban t-shirt with two cats sitting on a fence under the moonlight, and one is saying to the other; "If I had two dead rats I'd give you one."

I always liked that shirt.

[desidono.livejournal.com]

The Generals one hurts me because of the base truth of it.

[inibo.livejournal.com]

My favorite Kliban cat. Very Zen.