"Well, you know ... cats have better representation in the comics than Black people." —Keith Knight.
 

Keith Knight...

was born and raised in the Boston area. Weaned on a steady diet of Star Wars, hip-hop, racism and Warner Bros. cartoons, Knight drew comics instead of paying attention in grade school. After graduating from college with a useless degree in graphic design, Knight drove out to San Francisco in the early '90s and began taking drugs. It was here in the Bay Area where Knight developed his trademark poorly rendered, barely thought-out, last-minute cartooning style that has amused dozens for over a decade.

His work has appeared in various publications, including Salon.com, The L.A. Weekly, The Funny Times, PULSE! magazine, and MH-18. Three of his strips were the basis of an award-winning live-action short in Germany. And his original comic strip art has appeared in museums and galleries worldwide. He has released three collections of his multi-panel strip, The K Chronicles, and is planning to release the first collection of his single panel strip, (th)ink. His semi-conscious hip-hop band, the Marginal Prophets, will kick your ass.

 

Red, White, Black, and Blue: A (Th)ink Anthology
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ISBN: 0916397882
Format: Paperback, 128pp
Pub. Date: January 2004
Publisher: Manic D Press

A cross between Gary Larson's The Far Side and Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks, (th)ink is the latest comic by award-winning cartoonist Keith Knight (The K Chronicles). These thought-provoking humorous single panel cartoons tackle political and social issues, often lampooning newsworthy current events which concern communities of color. Edgy, topical, and funny, Red, White, Black, and Blue contains some of the most colorful black and white comic strips ever.

The 'K' Chronicles: What a Long Strange Strip It's Been
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ISBN: 1891830309
Format: Paperback, 128pp
Pub. Date: September 2002
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions

THE K CHRONICLES is a semi-autobiographical comic strip bycartoonist/rapper Keith Knight that appears weekly on salon.com and inmany other fine publications (like the Pacific Sun, Las Vegas Mercury, Funny Times, and more).
The strip is an unabashedly provocative mix of political and social satire; tackling such touchy subjects as racism, violence, and sex with a self-deprecating humor, personal honesty and light-hearted goofiness rarely found in a newspaper comic. The result is accessible yet subversive, compassionate and political, without being preachy. Described as a combination of Calvin & Hobbes and underground comix, The K Chronicles has garnered a large fan base that includes SpikeLee, Matt Groening, Garry Trudeau, Dave Eggers and Maya Angelou. What A Long Strange Strip It"s Been will feature over one-hundred K Chronicles strips (including "Life"s Little Victories"), plus some multi-page stories and strips that have never before seen print. The author, Keith Knight, is also developing an animated series for Nickelodeon.

Fear of a Black Marker: The 2nd K Chronicles collection
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ISBN: 0916397637
Format: Paperback, 128pp
Pub. Date: March 2000
Publisher: Manic D Press

Keith Knight's comics are simultaneously lighthearted, wild, and clever, and his great strength is the deftness with which he blends political insight, whacked-out surrealism, neurotic humor, and personal honesty. His comic strip, K Chronicles, runs in the San Francisco Examiner, on Salon.com, and in dozens of alternative newsweeklies across the country. Reminiscent of Calvin and Hobbes, Knight's drawing style is fluid and dynamic.

Dances with Sheep: A-K Chronicles Compendium
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ISBN: 0916397505
Format: Paperback, 128pp
Pub. Date: September 1997
Publisher: Manic D Press

Whether depicting zany adventures about buying condoms and living with out-of-control roommates or confronting more serious issues like racism and urban squalor, Keith Knight's comics are simultaneously twisted and insightful.

Related Links

"The K Chronicles" / "(th)ink" website
http://www.kchronicles.com

Keith's Band's Web Site
http://www.marginalprophets.com/

Other African American Cartoonists on AALBC.com
http://authors.aalbc.com/comics.htm

 

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