The KChronicles is a daily quasi-autobiographic comic strip written and drawn by Keith Knight, a sequential and hip-hop artist from California. Fear of a Black Marker is Knight's second collection of daily strips. The name of this collection is a spoof of the legendary Public Enemy album, Fear of a Black Planet. In many ways Knight picked a perfect title, as a note from an Oregon newspaper in the beginning states how certain people are not ready for Knight's take on the world. Knight comically but consciously takes on issues from racism to masturbation with a tongue and cheek, all out, laugh your ass off approach.
Fear of a Black Marker opens with Knight learning about the hard truths of life as a child, such as magic tricks are just illusions, which he discovers after sawing a cat in half or that racism still exists as a White man stands behind him at the water fountain with a can of Lysol. Another poignant strip dealt with the power of Viagra, entitled The "V" Games. The "V" Games features men who have taken Viagra and now with the extra power their penises have acquired are able to compete with their new weapons in Olympic events such as The Pole Vault, Weightlifting, Fencing, and the Three-Legged Race. WARNING: For those who are not used to seeing the male anatomy in such full form discretion is advised.
A reader has to find Knight admirable. Not only is he able to take pokes at the world at large, but at himself as well. This is quite apparent as Knight talks about his Star Wars obsession and how he paid full price for a movie ticket just to see the trailer for Episode 1. He shared with readers a brief list of the paraphernalia he has collected over the years from the epic sci-fi/fantasy, including a "Princess Lay-Her" blowup doll and authentic Bantha turd.
Knight is an unsung comedic genius, and why more papers or zines have not picked up the KChronicles is absolutely absurd. From gun control to office interns, Knight leaves no stone unturned-especially when it comes to bringing awareness to the incidents that we have become so accustomed to obsessing over. I HIGHLY recommend the KChronicles. I really LOVE this series. I personally will be on the look out for more compilations.
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