Keith Knight's K Chronicles is not only one of the funnier comic strips that I read, it is probably one of the best political cartoons going right now. Knight is unapologetically liberal, more to the left than even I generally am, but even when we disagree, I find myself persuaded by his passion and his acidic sense of humor. Knight's perspective on race relations and the dot.com boom share space with "life's little victories" and his obvious love of sports, and the result is a compendium that is at times dark and thoughtful and at times whimsical and silly. The resulting blend works better than you'd imagine, and K Chronicles is one of those books that will not only leave you with a smile on your face, it ought to leave you with a few new thoughts in your head as well.
It's actually amazing how much Knight manages to cram into his work, and some may find his panel layouts and almost frantic use of text a bit overwhelming and crowded. There are some strips that are more or less illustrated rants, with the art serving mostly as highlights of the text, which actually makes the point for the most part. There are also moments that are conveyed almost entirely visually, however, including the strip about a woman's subway suicide that is one of the creepiest strips in the book, one that haunts you and will stay with you.
Knight obviously cares deeply about many things, and when he's pissed off about something, his work just gets better. Knight has a justifiable anger about racism, but rather than simply railing on about it and potentially alienating anyone in his audience who hasn't experienced it first hand, he conveys it in a humorous and sarcastic way that makes the injustice plainly visible to anyone. Likewise, his frustration with the way society is unable to cope with the foibles of youth makes for some thought-provoking and often hilariously funny strips.
In addition, Knight fills the story with lighter and more personal stories. His "Life's Little Victories" are an oddly uplifting tribute to how the small things can help you out when the larger things are too messed up to fix, and Knight puts a lot of himself into the strip. His attitudes toward comic-books, sports and (perhaps most humorously) Canada are all prevalent in his work. And alongside the strips about politics, Knight has plenty of room to talk about his trips to Africa or New York, his band gigs, his neighbor Gunther or helping his parents move.
If I had to describe the K Chronicles, I'd probably call it a one-man sitcom with a political agenda. This is the third collection of strips, but it's an easy read for new readers and current readers alike.
