animation, comics, exhibits, events, etc!

Every Monday, Matt. Murray reviews, revisits and rambles about comics, cartoons and their interactions in and with related media.

by Matt. Murray

Original art by Matt. Murray

On this Second of March, one should take the time,
To thank a giant…A TITAN of rhyme!

It was on this day in 1904, that a “Doctor” named Geisel,
In Springfield was born.

Over sixty books, this genius would write,
And unlike this tribute, he never was trite.

Few creators there are, who were more influential,
On the medium now known as the Arts Sequential.

Though not a single comic book did he do,
He was a cartoonist, in Dubya Dubya Two.

It was in the army, with Chuck the Animator,
That he’d forge a relationship that would pay off later.

Together the two would adapt the Grinch,
A work of such brilliance it still makes me flinch.

(While released in ’66, there was a ’51 herald,
When Seuss and UPA Mc-Boing-Boing-ed with Gerald.

And let’s not forget back in ol’ ’42,
When Horton hatched an egg, before hearing a Who.)

Yet the Grinch was so awesome, so perfect, so pure,
That it made fans of animation yell out for more.

Soon followed more Horton, the Cat and Hoober Bloob,
The Lorax, Pontoffel and even Grinch Two.

A choice adaptation, was Ralph’s Butter Battle.
(A shock, that that foul-mouth was your rhyming chattel.)

But for my money, the best’s still the Grinch,
And nothing can tarnish it, though Carrey’s tried since.

That Grinch was a stinker. Raked in cash, but P-U!
The Cat in the Hat, was a piece of trash, too.

Perhaps t’was because grown, expanded
Were pitch-perfect scripts, with plot points ham-handed.

Despite those two “efforts,” Seuss’s own work still stands
As a reason to rise, stomp my feet, clap my hands.

Though it’s been eighteen years, since he’s left the green Earth,
I wish him a most happy day of his birth!

Matt. Murray earned his BFA in film, television and radio production from NYU. He has curated exhibits focusing on the art and commerce of Saturday Morning cartoons and the adaptation of illustrated media into live actions films and animation. Murray is the country’s leading (if not only) Smurfologist. His personal blog, It’s Time for Some Action, can be found at http://actnmatt.blogspot.com/

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