Father and Son

June 5, 2017
This gem of an unjustly forgotten book was originally published in the 1930s. German cartoonist Erich Ohser created this charming comic strip under the pen name E.O. Plauen after being barred by the Nazi government from drawing political cartoons. Sadly, he was later arrested and committed suicide while awaiting trial in 1944. None of the darkness in his life can be seen in this sunny pantomime strip about a gruff but indulgent father and his mischievous, tousle-haired son. There’s a warmth to the characters’ relationship unusual in old gag cartoons: Father may spank Son when he misbehaves, but he defends him from bullies and joins in his games, an overgrown boy himself. A perfect book for Father’s Day. (Note to parents: Although most of the strips are timeless, some reflect the prejudices of the times, including a strip set at one of the real-life “human zoos” that displayed people from other cultures for European visitors.)