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Frazz
Author(s)Jef Mallett
Websitehttp://www.comics.com/comics/frazz
Current status/scheduleRunning
Launch date2 April 2001
Syndicate(s)United Feature Syndicate
Publisher(s)Andrews McMeel Publishing

Frazz is a syndicated comic strip by Jef Mallett that, on the surface, is about school custodian Edwin "Frazz" Frazier and the school where he works, but which, according to Mallett, is really about discovery. [1] The strip debuted on 2 April 2001.[2]

Style and Theme

Mallett has explained that the strip is about discovery, and not merely learning. Frazz' job is just the surface. He reads everything from Milton to Hiaasen to bike racing magazines, he writes, he races, he’s an athlete, and he’s a songwriter, discovering the value of a day job. When songwriting started going well, he kept his custodian job because it was the perfect environment for discovery through the energy and interest of the students. [1] Many of the characters are based on his childhood experiences at school, and at home as the child of an educator. [3] Frazz is, at least attitudinally, based on Mallett himself.[4] During a 1996 book tour of schools to promote a children's book he wrote and illustrated, Mallett noticed that the kids wouldn't quiet down for their teachers or principals, but would for the school janitor; he or she was "the man", existing on a separate plane between the students and adults. [5]

Recurring characters

Frazz — The eponymous character, Edwin Frazier[6] is a 30-something songwriter who took a job as janitor of Bryson Elementary. Mallett describes him as "the voice of reason, the voice of experience and, frequently, the voice of temptation." [1] He took the job because his songwriting career wasn't going well, but then several of his songs became major hits. Now independently wealthy, he keeps his job as janitor because he can.[7] His daily interactions with the students and faculty reveal insight into an unimaginable number of topics: books, music, pop culture, art, history, and many more. A true Renaissance man, Frazz is always ready to teach children and adults more about the world around them. Because he doesn't look down on them, the students look up to him, and he also has the respect of the adults. [5] Drawing inspiration from his daily school life, his songs soon become extremely popular. Frazz loves triathlons, bicycling, jogging, swimming, basketball, songwriting, and talking with the students. He has a pet guinea pig which he rescued from Mrs. Olsen's classroom and named it "Lyle" after Lyle Lovett, .[8]
Caulfield — An eight-year-old named by his parents after J.D. Salinger's Holden Caulfield,[9] Caulfield tried to convince Mrs. Olsen that he was from a disadvantaged background, but his father is finishing his PhD in pharmachology, and his mother is a civil engineer.[10] Mallett regards Caulfield as "the hero of the strip... He won’t give up that joy of learning for the sake of a test score, for quiet approval, for the easy A". [1] Caulfield is a handful. He is a genius, but hates school because it fails to challenge him.[11] He spends a lot of time in detention for speaking out in class, but whiles away the hours discussing books or logic with Frazz. His fresh perspective on the world brings interesting, often startling revelations to the comic. Caulfield chooses a literature-themed costume every Halloween, often stumping most of the teachers, but which Frazz invariably gets. Caulfield's costumes have included:
Miss Jane Plainwell — The first-grade teacher at Bryson Elementary, and Frazz's romantic interest.[20] The students all think they'd be a perfect couple, and the two often go on jogs together while talking about life and love. Like Frazz, Miss Plainwell is also an athlete, running in 5k charity races. She majored in journalism, and worked at the sports department of a newspaper, before she decided to teach at Bryson Elementary, wanting to work with a "more mature audience." [21] Miss Plainwell is modeled on Mallett's wife.[3] She has a pet greyhound named "Mario", which she adopted after it retired from racing.[22]
Mr. Burke — Mr. Burke is the fourth-grade teacher at Bryson Elementary, the best teacher there and Frazz's best friend.[23] His one-on-one basketball matches with Frazz are filled with brilliant discussions--and very little scoring.[5]
Mrs. Olsen — Mrs. Olsen is the third grade teacher at Bryson Elementary, and the teacher from hell. [23] She is frequently the object of tricks and practical jokes by Frazz and Caulfield. [24] She had enough of Frazz when he was her student years ago, and would just as soon he leave for good. [5] Another side of her character is seen when Caulfield gets a summer job in her garden (a summer 2005 sequence in Frazz) and they come to have a sense of respect for each other. She is a composite of several of Mallett's teachers and one of Mallett's wife's teachers.[citation needed]
Mr. Spaetzle — The principal of Bryson Elementary. [23] He craves the adulation the students heap on Frazz, and wants to be just like him. [5]
Mrs. Trevino — The second-grade teacher at Bryson Elementary. She cooks gorditas for her class every Cinco de Mayo. [25] She also had "Tamale Day" to use cooking as a teaching tool (although she apparently didn't know that the corn husk was not to be eaten).[26]
Coach Hacker — The physical education teacher, interested only in team sports, with no interest in participatory athletics. [citation needed] Coach Hacker was an All-Big 10 defensive end in the 1970s, but now is out-of shape and has been married five times. In college his nickname was "Man-O-War", but now it is "Jellyfish".[27] [28]According to Mallett, he "doesn't understand Frazz any more than he understands how to work a combination lock". [5]
Mr. Uhrmann — A substitute teacher for Mrs. Olsen who is unflustered by Caulfield. He is described by Frazz as the only one of Caulfield's substitute teachers not to "throw up his hands and quit by 9:30". Caulfield calls him "The Uhrmanator".[29]
Clutch — Frazz's friend & fellow runner/cyclist. Works as an emergency room nurse.[citation needed]

References to Real-Life People

Many of the characters or locations in the strip are references to real-life people whom Mallett respects. In addition to various literary figures, among the people referenced are the following:

  • In a 2008 interview, Mallett said that Bryson Elementary is named after one of his favorite authors, Bill Bryson.[30]
  • Frazz plays catch with Caulfield on Bobke's Bluff, referencing cyclist Bob Roll.[31]
  • The artistic student character "Charlie" appears from time to time. He is named after Jef Malletts cousin-in-law, artist and designer Charles Scott.[citation needed]
  • Frazz often time wears t-shirts with logos. These logos come from all aspects of Jef Malletts life. Bands he likes, restraunts, places he visited,inside jokes etc.

Physical location

The strip is set in a town named "Rodney", in a state beginning with the letter "M". While Jef Mallett has not formally identified the state, he often drops Michigan references into his strips. Some of the location references include:

  • In one of the earliest strips, Caulfield lists his address on a form as 3310 Sycamore Street, Rodney, M. The second letter of the state abbreviation cannot be seen. [33] While playing with two children, Frazz runs to a city limits sign for "Rodney - Home of Bryson Elementary".[34] The town of Rodney is located near Mallett's home town of Big Rapids, although it does not have a Sycamore Street. [35]
  • One of the children tells Frazz and Miss Plainwell that she saw them the previous evening at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor.[36]
  • In October 2007, Frazz trains to run in the Motor City Marathon, and Miss Plainwell coaches Mr. Burke to run in the 5K,[38] in Detroit and Windsor, Ontario while Mallett was training to run in the same race, his first marathon.[39]
  • Caulfield tells Frazz that Mrs. Olsen believes reports that Elvis was seen working as a barista at the Water Street Coffee Joint in Kalamazoo.[40][41].
  • Mrs. Olsen asks Frazz to help with her car which got stuck in the snow. After he agrees, and discovers that her car isn't in the school parking lot, she tells him that her car is in Detroit, behind a casino.[6] [42]
  • Caulfield answers "N/A" to a math story problem asking how long it would take to drive 28 miles from Novi to the airport at the speed limit, arguing "Who goes the speed limit on I-275?" [44]

Comparisons to Calvin & Hobbes

Because of similarities in calligraphic style, Frazz's physical appearance, his station in life as a brilliant underachiever, and his age relative to Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes, speculation arose that Mallett was actually Bill Watterson, or that Frazz was an unauthorized sequel and that Frazz is Calvin as an adult. Some other characters that are similar are Miss Wormwood and Rosalyn in Watterson's strip to Mrs. Olsen and Miss Plainwell in Mallett's strip. In a May 2006 series of strips, Frazz and Caulfield invent a game called "Bedlamball" that, like "Calvinball", has no apparent rules or scoring.[48] Mallett acknowledges Watterson's influence, but denies that he is Watterson or that Frazz is intended as a copy or replacement of Calvin & Hobbes.[49]

In his online column, "Chatological Humor", Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten published a response by Mallett to the speculation that Frazz was a grown-up Calvin. [50] In the foreword to Live at Bryson Elementary, Weingarten writes, "They're [critics are] focusing not only on hair (Frazz's frizz), but also on his station in life: a brilliant underachiever. Well, Jef assures me that any similarity is unintentional."

LA Times columnist Charles Solomon noted, "The humor and calligraphic drawing in “Frazz” reflect Watterson’s influence, but the strip doesn’t feel like a pallid imitation." [24]

Mallett has alluded to the speculation several times in the strip. In a September 2003 Sunday strip an introverted student tells Frazz that she wants to be famous, and believes it is possible to be famous for one's work, without exposing your private life to the public eye. Frazz says, "Good point. Like J.D. Salinger or Bill Watterson." She says she's never heard of them.[51] As part of a brief story arc in November 2006, Frazz tells Caulfield "I also used to be Bill Watterson's personal assistant."[52]

Awards

  • 2003 and 2005 Wilbur Award for Promoting Ethics and Positive Values

Anthologies

  • Live at Bryson Elementary. 2005, Andrews McMeel Publishing. 128 pages. Includes foreword by Gene Weingarten and introduction by Jef Mallett. ISBN 0740754475
  • 99% Perspiration. 2006, Andrews McMeel Publishing. 128 pages. ISBN 0740760432
  • Frazz 3.1416. 2008, Andrews McMeel Publishing. 128 pages. ISBN 0740777394. Includes an introduction by Charles Solomon

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bass, Adrian, "Joy in learning, joy in work" Greater Lansing Business Monthy (April 2009)
  2. ^ "Fifth anniversary nears for "Frazz'", Editor & Publisher (March 23, 2006)
  3. ^ a b "Here's a look at the five new comics joining our pages", Cincinnati Enquirer (January 24, 2004)
  4. ^ Rubin, Neal, "Lansing cartoonist's talks with troops rewarding", Detroit News (April 16, 2009)
  5. ^ a b c d e f Guzman, Rene, "'Frazz' sweeps through the comics with cool smarts", San Antonio Express News (October 11, 2008)
  6. ^ a b Watson, Ursula, "Smart 'Frazz' joins News's comics page" Detroit News (January 26, 2009)
  7. ^ Frazz 04-03-2001
  8. ^ Frazz Apr 30-May 5, 2001
  9. ^ Pat Hathcock (2003-05-05). "New comic strip debuts in today's Advocate" (fee required). Victoria Advocate. Retrieved 2008-01-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Frazz 8/23/2001
  11. ^ Frazz 04-04-2001
  12. ^ Frazz 10-31-2001
  13. ^ Frazz 10/31/2002
  14. ^ Frazz 10-31-2003
  15. ^ Frazz 10-30-2004
  16. ^ Frazz 10-31-2005
  17. ^ Frazz 11-02-2006
  18. ^ Frazz 10-31-2007
  19. ^ Frazz 10-31-2008
  20. ^ "Comics for the young at heart", Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (December 21, 2008)
  21. ^ Frazz 9-19-2002
  22. ^ Frazz April 27-28, 2008
  23. ^ a b c "'Frazz' takes readers back to school", Augusta Chronicle (September 29, 2002)
  24. ^ a b Solomon, Charles, "The unforgettable, irreplaceable Calvin", LA Times Book Review (October 9, 2005) p.R-6
  25. ^ Frazz 5-5-2003
  26. ^ Frazz Sept 11-14, 2001
  27. ^ Frazz 6-18-2001
  28. ^ Frazz Sept 24-25, 2001
  29. ^ Frazz Feb 17-22, 2003
  30. ^ Palmer, Brian, "Washing Machine Post: The Jef Mallett Interview" Ileach (May 3, 2008)
  31. ^ Barrringer, Marc, "Q&A; Cartoonist Jeff Mallett on 'Frazz'", VeloNews, (May 23, 2004)
  32. ^ Frazz 11-16-2003
  33. ^ Frazz 04-10-2001
  34. ^ Frazz 11--2-2003
  35. ^ Rodney, MI at Google Maps
  36. ^ Frazz 1-24-2004
  37. ^ Frazz 12-25-2004
  38. ^ Frazz 10-10-2007
  39. ^ Kurtis, Doug, "Running: First-time marathoners speak out", Detroit Free Press (October 18, 2007)
  40. ^ Frazz 1-19-2008
  41. ^ Parikh, Jane, ""'Frazz' features Kalamazoo coffee shop", Kalamazoo Gazette(January 18, 2008)
  42. ^ Frazz Feb 26-28, 2008
  43. ^ Frazz 5-5-08
  44. ^ Frazz 12-02-2008
  45. ^ Frazz 1--3-2009
  46. ^ Godfrey, Linda, Weird Michigan Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2006 ISBN 1402739079, 9781402739071 p151
  47. ^ Frazz 3-28-09
  48. ^ Frazz May 1-4, 2006
  49. ^ Ehlers, Matt, "Jeff Mallett: 'Frazz'", The News & Observer (November 24, 2006)
  50. ^ Weingarten, Gene, "Chatological Humor", WashingtonPost.com (January 28,2005)
  51. ^ Frazz 9-21-2003
  52. ^ Frazz 11-29-2006
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