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.
| Alias the Cat! | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the hardcover first edition of Alias the Cat from Pantheon | |
| Date | 2007 |
| Page count | 136 pages |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
| Creative team | |
| Creator | Kim Deitch |
| Original publication | |
| Published in | The Stuff of Dreams |
| Issues | 3 |
| Date of publication | 2002 |
| ISBN | 978-0-375-42431-1 |
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.
Synopsis edit
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"Concerns my wife's big flea market passion, old stuffed cat toys"
Stuff of Dreams: Part 1 edit
So one day, Pam and Kim take a trip to the flea market, discovering of a precious collectable black cat toy. The owner, known as Keller, suggests going to the bar to discuss prices, though instead begins his story of how he came into possession of the toy. Shifting to Keller as the narrator, Keller introduces Frankie, a fellow seaman who was the original owner of the toy. The story shifts narrators again to Frankie's point of view, describing how he was shipwrecked on a paradisaical island until Waldo appears. The island inhabitants worship Waldo, making toys of his likeness, until inhabitants rebel against Waldo's cruelty and a volcano destroys the island. The story continues to shift perspectives until Keller is ultimately gifted a Waldo toy leading to Kim, Pam, and Keller sitting in the bar together in the present. Kim and Pam return home to discuss the validity of Keller's story. The story ends by Kim and Pam breaking the fourth wall and asking the audience if they have seen Waldo or a Waldo doll and if they'll deliver the toy to Pam.
Stuff of Dreams: Part 2 edit
Following Pam's expansive collection of black cat paraphernalia, Pam finds an ill-kept cat costume for sale with unknown origins. The rest of the book follows Kim and Pam researching Alias the Cat, the costume being from a 1915 feature film.
Stuff of Dreams: Part 3 No Midgets in Midgetville edit
Kim encounters Waldo the Cat.
Characters edit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2011) |
- Kim Deitch
- 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.[1]
- 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 edit
Originally Alias was published as a three-issue series of comics,[2] called The Stuff of Dreams, published by Fantagraphics Books in 2002, 2004, and 2005. It was collected by Pantheon Books in hardcover form in 2007.
Reception edit
When serialized as The Stuff of Dreams, the story won the Eisner Award for Best Single Issue or One-Shot in 2003.[3]
Greg McEllhatton called Alias the Cat! one of the stronger pieces of metafiction he'd seen in comics.[4]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Alias the Cat". [Grovel: Graphic Novel Review]. 2007-04-17. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ Hogan, John. "Alias the Cat!". [Graphic Novel Reporter]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ "2003 Eisner Awards For works published in 2002". San Diego Comic-Con International. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ McElhatton, Greg (2007-04-30). "Alias the Cat". [Read About Comics]. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
External links edit
- Product page at Random House's website