Kate Beaton has a new fan, for what it's worth. I read through Hark! a Vagrant in about an hour, and not once during the entire span of the book did I stop laughing for more than ten seconds. And I don't mean a chuckle here or a hiccup there, I mean full on, maniacal cackling the likes of which is only usually found watching an episode of Community or Flight of the Conchords. That's how funny the comic strips of Kate Beaton are. I have sore abs today because...well because I'm out of shape, and because I haven't laughed so hard for such an extended period of time in as far back as I can even remember.

What makes her strips so great is the way that they're drawn and in their content (obviously). They also require a decided knowledge of literature, history, and Canadian history that do narrow their appeal, but in the narrowing make those of us who get it feel smug and elitist in a cozy way. While I'll admit, I did suffer from an apparent lack of Canadian lore, even that didn't stop me from enjoying some of the Canadian themed strips simply due to the clever way that Beaton manages to illustrate characters. It's simple, and yet she conveys exactly what message she needs to get across with her method. Whether it be a monarch taking his jester way too seriously (as seen on the back cover), or marveling at Benjamin Franklin's love of prostitutes, Beaton manages to bring the laughs. I can't recommend this book enough to anyone who looks at the back cover and doesn't giggle like a simpleton.