The Library of American Comics. Essentials #12

Plot

328 pp

This book concludes a three-volume LOAC Essentials sub-series by presenting the final year of Baron Bean, one of Herriman's richest and funniest creations, second only to Krazy Kat, whose citizens would occasionally grace these panels.

Herriman found few themes as fascinating as the power of titles and the ways in which worth in society is determined based on a hat, a name, or the color of one's skin. Each day he gives reason to question not only the superiority of would-be "Barons" over their vassals and retainers, but equally the superiority of so-called "humans" over the animals they call "pets."