ComicList Critiques by Charles LePage

GrowinGold with B.C.
Johnny Hart, with friends and family
Checker Book Publishing Group

There’s no shortage of books compiling comic strips to buy and/or read. When I was much younger, I devoured Doonsebury books whenever I had the chance, amazed to discover what usually required waiting every day to read could be found in large volumes. I have recently read, however, one very special book regarding a very special cartoonist and his cartoon: GrowinGold with B.C. A 50 Year Celebration of Johnny Hart. I highly recommend it.

(One item to note: most of the time people refer to the title as “Growing Old With B.C.” The cover spells it “GrowinGold,” which, from what I’ve seen from Checker Publishing, is the correct title.)

Unlike some Herculean efforts to put together gargantuan books containing every cartoon in a strip’s history, this book is very direct and personal. The author himself compiled it, shortly before he passed away. It contains selections of his favorite strips from each decade the strip has been in existence, right up to the present. Think of it as a combination Best Of and Director’s Cut.

The first section of the book features comments from the friends upon whom the characters were based. What’s amazing to me is, not only does it appear Johnny Hart kept in touch with most or all these friends from the 1950s, they wrote jokes and gags for the series throughout its entire history. Clearly Hart was a man with a rich sense of humor who surrounded himself with similarly blessed people.

Part of the magic of B.C. was it was funny to look at, not just to read. Even my five-year-old son has enjoyed this book, especially the cover, which depicts B.C. as he was drawn from the beginning of the strip to now, ranging from short and stout to tall and less stout. He takes great pleasure in describing how “the man is growing” from picture to picture.

GrowinGold with B.C. would make an excellent gift for yourself or anyone you know. It’s very reasonably priced and bring pleasure to friends and family this Christmas season. I give it 5 out of 5 Eds.

Growingold With BC: A Celebration Of Johnny Hart by Johnny Hart