So Orwell, Tesla, and Atwood walk into a bar...
Kate Beaton's hilarious histories
Alex Redgrave
Genghis Khan, Murphy Brown, and Pope John Paul II might seem like improbable subjects for a webcomic, but in the hands of Kate Beaton they spout speech balloons like nobody's business. Since launching her self-titled website just over a year ago, the 25-year-old has attracted a sizable following, including an admiring nod from a New Yorker critic.
A hodgepodge of styles and subjects, the comics have broad appeal, while sneaking in some obscure Canadian cultural references (Heritage Minutes, anyone?). Beaton herself makes regular appearances, providing a double dose of deadpan delivery in "Conversations With a Younger Self" and giving advice to an emotional Stephen Harper in a soap opera spoof. Whether personal, political, or just plain "nonsense"-as some of the comics are categorized-each strip holds its own, featuring delightfully dysfunctional characters and colourful quips.
Crafting a good yarn is second nature to the Nova Scotia native, who has been steeped in the strong oral traditions of the Maritimes since she was a youngster. "You know about where your family has come from, what they were doing 100 years ago, and how they got to where they were," she says. True to her roots-and armed with a degree in anthropology and history-Beaton looks to the past for much of her material. Her popular "History Project" series assembled a who's-who of historical figures, using entertaining anecdotes to dust off the likes of "celibate scientist" Nikola Tesla.
As for the future, Beaton sees the website as "a thing evolving without a schedule or direction." With Marie Antoinette only a scroll away from a cussing fisherman, the possibilities are endless.
