My website is named in honor of Grundoon, the "groun'chuck chile" in Walt Kelly's classic comic strip Pogo. (I think it's safe to assume Kelly derived the name from fellow Disney animator and comics artist Frank Grundeen.) Grundoon debuted in “Pogo” on August 10, 1952, specializing at the time more in biting than burbling.
Although Walt Kelly spent most of his time in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Pogo Possum lived in the Okefenokee Swamp, and the strip had a cast of literally hundreds of creatures. Moving easily from savage political satire to slapstick comedy to poignant insight, "Pogo" is certainly one of the greatest achievements in comic art, and Kelly's combination of sharp writing and beautiful draftsmanship may never be matched. Kelly started Pogo in comic books in 1942, began the newspaper strip in 1948, and drew it until his death in 1973. There were dozens of Pogo books published, and Kelly's work has been cited as an inspiration by Bill Watterson and Jim Henson.
Click here for subliminal evidence of Walt Kelly's career as a Disney animator.
Click here to read a story from The Pogo Peek-A-Book.
Pogo characters © Okefenokee Glee and Perloo, Inc.