The longlost comic strip masterpiece by legendary children’s book author Crockett Johnson, is finally collected and designed by acclaimed graphic novelist and Barnaby superfan Daniel Clowes (Ghost World). Volume Five collects the final twoplus years of the strip, including the rarelyifeverseen conclusion of the strip, as fiveyearold Barnaby Baxter says goodbye to his Fairy Godfather, Mr. O’Malley. Unlike most comic strips, Barnaby ended its tenyear run with an emotionally satisfying ending that broke the hearts of fans when first published in newspapers. The magic of Barnaby resides in its canny mix of fantasy and satire, amplified by the understated elegance of Crockett Johnson’s clean, spare art. Barnaby expanded our sense of what comics can do through its combination of Johnson’s sly wit and O’Malley’s amiable windbaggery, illustrating a child’s feeling of wonder and an adult’s wariness, highly literate jokes and a keen eye for the ridiculous. This volume also features essays by comics historian Susan Kirtley and Johnson biographer Philip Nel, as well as an introduction by filmmaker Ron Howard, whose acting career was launched in 1959 at the age of five, when he was cast as Barnaby in a 1959 adaptation for General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan. The bookincludes rarelyseen stills from the 1959 production — which also featured Wizard of Oz alum Bert Lahr as Mr. O’Malley!
