SIZE MATTERS: The Mini-Comics Blog

John Porcellino's King Cat #64




I’ve written and raved about John Porcellino’s wonderful mini-comic many times before, but don't worry, that won’t stop me from doing it again today. The latest issue of King Cat is special in that it’s even more heartfelt than previous ones. Actually this one’s a heartbreaker. John’s father passed away this year and this issue of King Cat is devoted to him.

I don’t know John personally (although as a longtime reader I feel like I do), but as I read the stories in this issue, his loss affects me. I can feel the longing for his lost father in his words. And I don’t mean, “Wow, that’s really moving.” I had tears in my eyes as I read the memories of his dad and it made me think of my own father and how I would feel if I suddenly lost him. As you read this issue, there’s this sharing of grief, but also a celebration of the man that meant the world to John and the strength that it takes to deal with such a loss.

From a text composition in this issue:

"I'm standing in my Dad's bedroom - that's where he lay, that's where he stood, that's where he fell - he called out in the night. I can see the paramedic's feet, my Dad, my family, this world. The endless bright world, the darkness. The coming and going, again and again and again."

Think about it; the endless coming and going. People important to us, parents, friends, lovers, all coming and going. They come into our lives and they leave and we have no control. John's words remind us to appreciate the people that mean so much to us.



This issue is split almost evenly between pages drawn in John’s economical style and text stories and memories of his father. If you’ve never read an issue of King Cat, you might look at it and dismiss it outright because of John’s very spare line and compositions, but if you take the time to read an issue, or better yet a few issues in a row, you’ll pick up the poetic rhythm of his words and stories. John celebrates the tiny joys in life like no one else, and you walk away from his comics noticing the little details in your own life.

Visit John Porcellino's website to check out everything King Cat.