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"Karlyn" was the stage name of J. F. Burrows, a "lightning sketch" artist and magician who was active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Pictures in sand Karlyn is rather brief in his discussion of sand pictures. [Extracted from the article]

The last book in this selection, I Hercat's Ventriloquist and Ventriloquial Dialogues i ([5]), begins with the remark that '[s]everal books have been written of the subject of ventriloquism, of which the one by my dear old friend, the late Frederic MacCabe, is by far the best' (5). Ventriloquism, although a phenomenon known in the ancient world, achieved increasing success as a form of entertainment in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. After an introduction on the history and nature of ventriloquism, MacCabe goes on to give instructions on how to develop the skill, and gives sample scripts that the would-be ventriloquist can practise (see Figure 2). [Extracted from the article]

In Manchester in 1890 a court case was heard in which the singer Peggy Pryde was accused of singing an obscene song at the Folly Theatre of Varieties. The case provides a detailed examination of the arguments about the nature of music hall performance. Local newspapers reported the case in detail and this provides unparalleled evidence about the attitude of the authorities to specific performances, the nature of censorship and definitions of obscenity at this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors undertook research in the British Newspaper Library into music hall performers in the early twentieth century magazine theRed Letter. The magazine uniquely gives details of various acts and the audiences' reaction to them. However, due to lax record-keeping on their part, it was necessary to return to the library, which accidentally led to the uncovering of much more information previously unknown, particularly in relation to the rise to prominence of Charlie Chaplin. The authors are now looking at producer Mike Craig's comedy archive, maintained at the University of Salford. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the work of cartoonist Joe Sacco, political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, and motion comics.

The article focuses on entertainment career of Will Morris, ventriloquist and British entertainer. It describes that Will started his career in year 1902 when he was 15 years of age and worked as magician in Northwest of England. It states that along with the job of magician he used to do case making, a type of wood work, which lead the skills of ventriloquist in him as he used to make his own dummies. It mentions that reason for his success as an entertainer was his wife range of acts.

This article addresses the dual topics of female comedians in early twentieth-century British music hall, and also the industry’s attempts to halt a decline brought about by the increasing popularity of cinema. In particular, it establishes that a great number of female performers were highly successful up to, and beyond, the First World War. The nature of the performance of three female comedians from this era – Marie Lloyd, Anna Dorothy and Millie Payne – is examined in detail, demonstrating that many female performers specialised in risqué material and the use of the ‘double entendre’. The trade journalThe Performeris also examined to explore how Variety performers viewed the threat of the ‘talkies’ and took action to try and curtail it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The history of British Music Hall was one of continual fights against censorship. A dramatic test case centred around ‘La Milo’, who performed ‘pose plastiques’, where she modelled as living statuary in the mode of classical statues. This was part of a tradition which up to this point had been seen as highly disreputable. ‘La Milo’ was an Australian performer, Pansy Montague, whose act was interspersed with lighting sketches by her partner, ‘Cruickshank’. Despite criticism, she was supported by the famous crusading journalist, W H Stead, and her act was hugely successful, particularly at the London Pavilion in 1907. Having helped to change the portrayal of women’s bodies at the start of the twentieth century La Milo and her many imitators were superseded by more exotic dance acts by 1914. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article examines the representation of class, gender and 'race' in contemporaneous reports in the Red Letter magazine of the content of music hall acts, and the audience reaction to that content. Although research is still ongoing it seems to indicate that, contrary to the popular trope of 'women not being funny', female comic performers were widespread, at least before the First World War. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the appearances as caricatures of William Frederick Cody nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" in the British short-lived satirical magazine "Moonshine" from April to November 1887. Several of the drawings used his image to satirize Gladstone or the G.O.M., the opposition Liberal Party leader or to embody the American influence being opposed. However, it is stated that the May 21 issue reflected the great impact that Cody and his Wild West persona had on Great Britain in 1887.

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, RICKI STERN AND ANNIE SUNDBERG (DIRS), (2010) USA: Dogwoof, DVD, £14.99 THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS COMEDY STATUE REVIEW NO. 4: GEORGE FORMBY (1904-1961) MUSIC HALL REVIEWS COMEDY IN COMPARATIVE LITERATURE. ESSAYS ON DANTE, HOFFMANN, NIETZSCHE, WHARTON, BORGES, AND CABRERA INFANTE, EDITED BY DAVID GALLAGHER (2010) Studies in Comparative Literature, 69, Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 203 pp., ISBN 978-0773414402, Hardback £74.95 BRIDESMAIDS, PAUL FIEG (DIR.) (2011) USA: Universal Pictures, Apatow Productions and Relativity Media [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the interdisciplinary research regarding comics in which the "Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics" seeks to consider. He says that since comics were thought to be trash culture in the Great Britain and the U.S., academic study on the field became slow in the twentieth century. However, the author states that academic interest on comic research was then boosted due to the reason that the subject's approach attracts scholars from Languages, Art History, and Humanities.

Britain produced a large number of largely neglected propoganda animations during the First World War. Although often crude in technique they combined lively satire with an illustrative tradition in the work of practicioners such as Lancelot Speed and Dudley Buxton. Many had more in common with the broad humorous milieu of the comic strip and postcard than the official propoganda of the time which attempted to demonise the ‘evil hun’. In their portrayal of the Kaiser, in particular, these animations demonstrated the power of ridicule in the propoganda war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the periodical is presented in which the editor discussed various topics within the issue including diverse methods of representing travel experiences, relationship between man and machine and Golden Age comics great artists.

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including the approaches of scholars to comics, the villain of the Batman franchise Joker, and the distortion and exaggeration of the female body in superhero comics.

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss several book reviews within the special issue including "Superheroes and Identities," by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, "The Dark Knight Returns," by Frank Miller and colleagues, and "Incorruptable," by Mark Waid and colleagues.

An introduction is presented in which editor discusses several articles within the issue on topics including nature of female comedians in British hall, spectatorship of films, and lightning cartoon acts in music halls of Britain.

An introduction is presented which discusses various articles within the issue on topics including U.S. myths and politics, empowerment, and the love of boys for manga.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editors discuss various reports within the issue including the depiction of good girl imagery in "Kabuki," maternal characters in superhero comics, and discussion on Batwoman as a lesbian character.