Krazy Aphorisms by Martha Kuhlman (’23-24) – SEE SAW Comics, Webcomics from the Sequential Artists Workshop

Krazy Aphorisms by Martha Kuhlman (’23-24)

"Krazy Aphorisms Herriman-Kafka"

"The true way is along a rope / Not high in the air"

"But just skimming above the ground / It's more a tripwire than a tightrope"

"After a certain point / There is no turning back"

"This point must be reached"

"I've never been here before" [thinking] "I breathe differently"

"The sun is eclipsed by a star beside it"

"The fact that / the world / is contrived"

"Takes away / Hope / But gives certainty"

"From your true adversary"

"boundless courage flows into you"

Ignatz launches Krazy from a palm tree onto the crescent moon in the sky, where they dance together in tutus

"And then he went back to work as if nothing had ever happened" "This line sounds familiar, as if from a fairy tale, even though one can't find it anywhere"

Krazy and Ignatz wear tutus and dance ballet

"References 'Patrick McDonnell, Karen O'Connell Georgia Riley de Haven Krazy Kat: The Comic art of George Herriman, Abram's Books, 1986' Franz Kafka, The Zurau Aphorisms. Trans. Michael Hoffman. Introduction Robert Calasso, Schocken books, 2006.' 'â€”. The Aphorisms of Franz Kafka. Trans. Shelley Frisch. Introduction and notes Robert Stach Princeton, 2022.'"

"Krazy Aphorisms Herriman-Kafka"

"The true way is along a rope / Not high in the air" "But just skimming above the ground / It's more a tripwire than a tightrope"

"After a certain point / There is no turning back" "This point must be reached"

"I've never been here before" [thinking] "I breathe differently" "The sun is eclipsed by a star next to it"

"The fact that / the world / is contrived" "Takes away / Hope / But gives certainty"

"From your true adversary" "boundless courage flow into you"

Ignatz launches Krazy from a palm tree onto the crescent moon in the sky, where they dance together in tutus "And then he went back to work as if nothing had ever happened" "This line sounds familiar, as if from a fairy tale, even though one can't find it anywhere"

"Notes Franz Kafka died in 1924. George Herriman died in 1944. I considered translations of Kafka's work by Michael Hoffman and Shelley Frisch, but I took liberties with the prose to fit the images, and I've strayed from a 'faithful' translation. Nonetheless, my hope is that you will see echoes of Kafka in Herriman's beloved 'Krazy Kat.' Aphorisms: One, five, seventeen, twenty three, sixty two, one hundred and eight. Martha Kuhlman, 2024"

"References 'Patrick McDonnell, Karen O'Connell Georgia Riley de Haven Krazy Kat: The Comic art of George Herriman, Abram's Books, 1986' Franz Kafka, The Zurau Aphorisms. Trans. Michael Hoffman. Introduction Robert Calasso, Schocken books, 2006.' 'â€”. The Aphorisms of Franz Kafka. Trans. Shelley Frisch. Introduction and notes Robert Stach Princeton, 2022.'"

Published On: May 1, 2024

Two people enter a house that is partially flooded and in disarray. They look shocked.

Rachel looks at themself in the mirror. They have thick eyebrows, bangs, and wavy hair past their shoulders, rendered in soft blues. They are touching their cheeks with their hands as tears and makeup stream down their face. They look pained, brows furrowed, eyes wide, frowning.

“When I was in the 5th grade my best friend and I used to name the pigeons in the schoolyard.” A brightly colored screenshot of a Google Maps street view image of a city street, with a cartoon pigeon imposed on it to be part of the scene.

"Krazy Aphorisms Herriman-Kafka"

$Christa places her hands over her chest in mourning and cries quietly, tears streaming down her face, eyes closed and head tilted slightly. Two other versions of this image are refracted in the background along with a slight iridescent effect.$

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