This week GLAAD announced the nominees for the Media Awards. GLAAD celebrates the best representations of the LGBTQ community in entertainment. In honor of the awards, I’m looking back at Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, the GLAAD award winning title from last year. Mark Russell, known for his social commentary in comics like The Flintstones and God is Disappointed in You, and Mike Feehan, who makes his DC debut, do not hold back in this comic.
A Historical Fiction with Dark Themes
Russell recasts Snagglepuss as a stand in for Tennessee Williams. The comic also takes place during the height of the McCarthy Trials. This sets the stage for an engaging tale about a gay artist going against the government. It’s heartbreaking to see the government use Snagglepuss’s sexuality and career against him for their personal gain.
The comic uses the child friendly lion as the titular character, but the book delves into dark themes. This includes homophobia, censorship, and suicide. It is a rude awakening for those unaware of this moment of history or the anguishes of the LGBTQ community to see beloved, colorful characters like Snagglepuss and Huckleberry Hound endure these obstacles.
A Story About Expression, Love, and Hope
Despite the bleak subject matter, this is a hopeful story about the human spirit. It is a celebration of freedom of speech, expression, love, and art. While the McCarthy trials accused artists for being un-American, their courage to tell stories that challenge audiences is what America should celebrate. The world is cruel at times. People may silence you. People may demonize you. Art is both an escape from these daily trials and a mirror for the world. It’s a platform for the oppressed to speak up and be themselves. Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles captures why being an artists are vital for America and humanity.
If you are not a theatre fan, the pink lion’s fight for art still rings true. Censoring art starves society of culture. If people were compliant, great stories would be lost. The store wouldn’t have many of the comics we carry because they would be too violent, too political, or too sexual. Real life heroes fight for our right to self expression. These activists and artists are why we can still enjoy the books, movies, music, and shows nominated by GLAAD. It is why we can enjoy Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles.
The Unsung Artist Hero
Though our hero in this comic is a fictional lion, he still represents the artists who challenge society. He represents the queers who refuse to hide. He represents the allies who stand up for what is right. This is a surprising, poignant origin story for the beloved lion. It’s no surprise that it won the Media Award last year.
Congrats to the GLAAD Media Award winning Snagglepuss and to this year’s nominees, which include mainstream comics like Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, Runaways, and Star Wars: Doctor Aphra. It also includes ongoing series like Crowded, Lumberjanes, and The Wicked + The Divine. The Avant-Guards, Bloom, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, and Liebestrasse are also included.
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