Matt and the Cat: Difference between revisions
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(Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Matt and the Cat''}} ==History== In March 1979, after several phone calls, cartoonist Mychailo Kazybrid met up with Mike Priestley and John Hewitt of the Bradford Telegraph & Argus to pitch a daily comic strip. Though the pitch was rejected, Hewitt was taken by a drawing in Kazybrid's portfolio of his then-two-year-old son, Matthew. If Kazybrid could adapt the drawing into a daily strip, Hewitt would accept i...") |
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<noinclude>{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Matt and the Cat''}}
{{Comicinfo
|seriestitle=''Matt and the Cat''
|logo=Matt and the Cat logo.jpeg
|bgcol=#fffb00
|format=Half-page gag strip
|TFUKfirst=[[The Transformers issue 5|Issue 5]]
|TFUKfinal=[[The Transformers issue 73|Issue 73]]}}
'''Space-age problems for a kid and his feline friend!'''
__NOTOC__
==History==
In March 1979, after several phone calls, cartoonist [[Mike Kazybrid|Mychailo Kazybrid]] met up with Mike Priestley and John Hewitt of the [[w:Telegraph & Argus|Bradford Telegraph & Argus]] to pitch a daily comic strip. Though the pitch was rejected, Hewitt was taken by a drawing in Kazybrid's portfolio of his then-two-year-old son, Matthew. If Kazybrid could adapt the drawing into a daily strip, Hewitt would accept it. Kazybrid did so in short order, and the first strip of this new comic, titled ''Matt'', ran in the newspaper on 18th April, 1979. With the strip centred around the existential ponderings of [[Matt]] and his young pals, as well as the bizarre exploits of his quirky bipedal cat, [[Humph]], the influence from ''[[w:Peanuts|Peanuts]]'' was obvious – though just as often, strips would instead facilitate plays on words or absurd slapstick. ''Matt'' ran in the Telegraph & Argus, and later the [[w:Manchester Evening News|Manchester Evening News]], until 1985.<ref>[https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/04/blast-from-past-matt-cartoon-strips.html "Blast from the Past: Matt cartoon strips 1979/85" on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation]</ref><ref>[http://mychailokazybrid.blogspot.com/2007/01/early-days.html "The Early Days" on the Humph the Cat Blogspot]</ref>
In 1984, Marvel UK's {{TF|Sheila_Cranna|Sheila Cranna}} accepted Kazybrid's humour strip into ''[[The Transformers]]''. In concession to the book's theme, Kazybrid's characters went on more space adventures with robots than they would in the newspaper. With Humph stepping into a larger protagonist role, this new incarnation of the comic was named '''''Matt and the Cat'''''.<ref>[http://mychailokazybrid.blogspot.com/2007/01/its-november-1984.html "It's November 1984..." on the Humph the Cat Blogspot]</ref> It was first published in [[The Transformers issue 5|issue 5]], and ran until [[The Transformers issue 73|issue 73]] in 1986, with only a few interruptions – though its last
This was not the end of breakout character Humph, but the exact details of his further adventures are difficult to pin down due to print-only information and dying turn of the millennium websites. One thing we know is that, on 20th April 2000, Kazybrid attended the UK ''Transformers'' convention Transforce; his contributions to the con's exclusive magazine included a "Matt and the Cat/Megatron pin up" and what the Transforce website promoted as "a brand new Humph the cat story".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20001024231430/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/primus/exclusives2000.htm Transforce 2000: The exclusives of the millennium (archived)]</ref> The story acknowledged the resolution of ''Matt and the Cat'' and set Humph up in the home city of Do-Do Man, another Kazybrid creation. In 2011, Kazybrid made the strip available to read on his Blogspot under the title of "Humph the Cat in Shefferham";<ref>"Humph the Cat in Shefferham" [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/09/humph-cat-in-shefferham-page-1.html page 1], [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/09/humph-cat-in-shefferham-page-2.html page 2], [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/09/humph-cat-in-shefferham-page-2_06.html page 3], and [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/09/humph-cat-in-shefferham-page-4.html page 4] on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation</ref> in introducing the story, Kazybrid implies it to have been printed in the fourth issue of his ''Do-Do Man'' comic series.<ref> [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/09/humph-cat-in-shefferham.html "Humph the Cat in Shefferham" on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation]</ref> ''Do-Do Man'' began in January 1997,<ref name=sydney1>[https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/08/sidney-in-reservoir-sidney.html "Sidney in Reservoir Sidney." on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation]</ref> and apparently usually featured short back-up strips starring characters other than the eponymous superhero in a similar format to the aforementioned Humph strip.<ref name=sydney1/><ref>[https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/08/blind-date-sidney.html "Blind Date Sidney" on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation]</ref><ref>[https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/08/missing-links.html "Missing Links" on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation]</ref> At present, neither the contents nor even the publication date of ''Do-Do Man'' issue 4 are noted anywhere online.
There's a missing puzzle piece here that we'll shortly get back to. First, we'll look at Kazybrid's second Transforce appearance in 2001. That year's magazine, ''{{TF|Alignment|Alignment}}'' Book 1, included another strip focussed on Humph's adventures.<ref>[https://groups.google.com/g/alt.toys.transformers/c/RmjT-MyMAM8/m/UmsUcYH5pjwJ (Convention) Transforce 2001 Report already! - possible spoilers for the magazine on alt.toys.transformers]</ref> Much more in line with its form of publication, this story featured Humph actually ''at'' the Transforce convention – or did it? With Humph revealed to still be in the clutches of the [[Slave-Master]], readers were encouraged to go to the Humph the Cat website to find out more.<ref>[https://twitter.com/mellowshade/status/1797363763592437937 Humph the Cat's ''Alignment'' strip, courtesy of mellowshade on twitter]</ref>
Which brings us back to that missing piece. In August 2000, Transforce organiser Paul Cannon took to alt.toys.transformers to advertise his new "official" ''Humph the Cat'' website featuring a new story: "This is not the story featured in the Transforce magazine," – i.e., not "Humph the Cat in Shefferham".<ref name=goog>[https://groups.google.com/g/alt.toys.transformers/c/qy27g9PZCEQ/m/ARnAxgNJXm8J "(UK COMIC) Humph the Cat, a new strip" on alt.toys.transformers]</ref> A panel from the "Shefferham" strip ''was'' used to advertise the subsite on the revamped main page of the Transforce website in late 2000.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20000915080802/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk:80/primus/comics.htm Transforce: The home of UK Transformers and Beast Wars (archived, 2000)]</ref> The text on the ''Humph the Cat'' website references a four page appearance in ''Do-Do Man'' issue 4 before being "pleased to offer just a taste" of the Humph-centric storyline due to appear in ''Do-Do Man'' issue 5.<ref name=humphweb>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010708134320/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/primus/humph.htm Transforce's ''Humph the Cat'' website (archived)]</ref> ''Do-Do Man'' issue 5 does not appear to have actually been published,<ref>[https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-do-man-issue-4.html "Do-Do Man issue 4"], [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/04/do-do-man-cover-artwork-for-mobile.html "Do-Do Man cover artwork for mobile phone strips"], and [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/05/do-do-man-series-1.html "Do-Do Man the series #1"] on Mychailo Kazybrid's Character Creation. Note that the four published issues were preceded by [https://kazybridscharactercreation.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-do-man-limited-edition.html a stand-alone limited edition], explaining references made to "all five published issues".</ref> and archives of the ''Humph'' website have not retained any images,<ref name=humphweb/> so exactly what was published on it is entirely up to speculation.
==''Matt and the Cat'' strips in TFUK==
</noinclude>*[[The Transformers issue 5/Matt and the Cat|issue 5]]
*[[The Transformers issue 6/Matt and the Cat|issue 6]]
*[[The Transformers issue 7/Matt and the Cat|issue 7]]
*[[The Transformers issue 8/Matt and the Cat|issue 8]]
*[[The Transformers issue 9/Matt and the Cat|issue 9]]
<ul class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-collapsetext="Less" data-expandtext="More...">
<li>[[The Transformers issue 10/Matt and the Cat|issue 10]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 11/Matt and the Cat|issue 11]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 12/Matt and the Cat|issue 12]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 13/Matt and the Cat|issue 13]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 14/Matt and the Cat|issue 14]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 15/Matt and the Cat|issue 15]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 16/Matt and the Cat|issue 16]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 17/Matt and the Cat|issue 17]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 18/Matt and the Cat|issue 18]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 19/Matt and the Cat|issue 19]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 20/Matt and the Cat|issue 20]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 21/Matt and the Cat|issue 21]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 22/Matt and the Cat|issue 22]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 23/Matt and the Cat|issue 23]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 24/Matt and the Cat|issue 24]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 25/Matt and the Cat|issue 25]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 26/Matt and the Cat|issue 26]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 27/Matt and the Cat|issue 27]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 28/Matt and the Cat|issue 28]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 29/Matt and the Cat|issue 29]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 31/Matt and the Cat|issue 31]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 32/Matt and the Cat|issue 32]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 33/Matt and the Cat|issue 33]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 34/Matt and the Cat|issue 34]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 35/Matt and the Cat|issue 35]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 37/Matt and the Cat|issue 37]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 39/Matt and the Cat|issue 39]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 40/Matt and the Cat|issue 40]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 41/Matt and the Cat|issue 41]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 42/Matt and the Cat|issue 42]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 43/Matt and the Cat|issue 43]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 44/Matt and the Cat|issue 44]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 45/Matt and the Cat|issue 45]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 46/Matt and the Cat|issue 46]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 47/Matt and the Cat|issue 47]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 48/Matt and the Cat|issue 48]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 49/Matt and the Cat|issue 49]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 50/Matt and the Cat|issue 50]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 51/Matt and the Cat|issue 51]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 52/Matt and the Cat|issue 52]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 53/Matt and the Cat|issue 53]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 54/Matt and the Cat|issue 54]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 55/Matt and the Cat|issue 55]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 56/Matt and the Cat|issue 56]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 58/Matt and the Cat|issue 58]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 59/Matt and the Cat|issue 59]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 61/Matt and the Cat|issue 61]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 64/Matt and the Cat|issue 64]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 65/Matt and the Cat|issue 65]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 66/Matt and the Cat|issue 66]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 67/Matt and the Cat|issue 67]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 68/Matt and the Cat|issue 68]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 69/Matt and the Cat|issue 69]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 70/Matt and the Cat|issue 70]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 71/Matt and the Cat|issue 71]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 72/Matt and the Cat|issue 72]]
<li>[[The Transformers issue 73/Matt and the Cat|issue 73]]</ul>
<noinclude>
==Reception==
*In [[The Transformers issue 16|issue 16]]'s Openers, Jaime Ward of Winchester writes in to ask for more ''Matt and the Cat''. "Great!"
*[[The Transformers issue 20|Issue 20]]'s Openers includes fan art of Humph by Jamie Woodruff of Pecklington, York, in which the cat is holding up a sign greeting the artist's friend Robert Parsons. The "More Readers' Favourites" section includes Stephen Goldstein of Norwich, Norfolk, naming Humph as the best Fact File (alongside {{TF|Skywarp_(G1)|Skywarp}}).
*In [[The Transformers issue 21|issue 21]]'s Openers, Simon Keeling (aged 14) of Littleover, Derby, writes in with a list of bests and worsts: "Worst Things Ever Done in ''The Transformers'': 1. Putting the price up 2. ''Matt And The Cat'' 3. ''[[The Chromobots]]'' 4. ''[[Machine Man (comic)|Machine Man]]''". He also offers some constructive criticism: "Best Thing That Could Be Done In ''The Transformers'': More of ''[[Planet Terry (comic)|Planet Terry]]'' and ''The Transformers'' and no ''Matt And The Cat'', ''Chromobots'' and ''Machine Man''."
*In [[The Transformers issue 22|issue 22]]'s debut [[Soundwaves]], Richard Hunt of London NW2 calls ''Matt and the Cat'' "hilarious!"
*In [[The Transformers issue 25|issue 25]]'s Soundwaves, Jason Morris of Virginia, U.S.A. says he's "not too keen on ''Machine Man'', ''Matt and the Cat'', and ''Chromobots''".
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Comics]]
[[Category:Matt and the Cat| ]]
</noinclude>
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