BOOK REVIEW: The Essential Footrot Flats by Murray Ball

BOOK REVIEW: The Essential Footrot Flats by Murray Ball
Hatchette Australia
November 2014, rrp$35
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
10/10

Murray Ball produced over 5,000 Footrot Flats comic strips between 1976 and 1994, winning the world, and especially Australia and New Zealand, over with his heartwarming tales of the lovable Dog, his master Wal Footrot, and the various characters that made up life on their rural New Zealand farm.

None other than Peanuts cartoon strip author, and creator of the even-more-iconic Snoopy, Charles M. Schultz, once said of Murray. “I love the way Murray draws these animals. I love the relationship among all the characters and am especially fond of the absolutely original approach to the humour… the dog is one of my favourite characters of all time.”

The Essential Footrot Flats gathers 450 of Ball’s best strips, hand chosen by the Ball family, including 32 colour illustrations not seen since the ‘90s, and presents them in a beautifully bound hardcover volume which will surely grace many a Christmas stocking this year.

Wal’s girl Cheeky Hobson, his best mate Cooch, Aunt Dolly, Rangi, Pongo, the mean cat Horse, the dog’s lady love Jess, The Murphy brothers, Cecil the stud ram: they’re all here and many more besides, allowing a wonderful trip down memory lane for those of us who were devotees of Footrot Flats back in the day, and an excellent starting point for those too young to remember.

Category: Book Reviews