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9 Reasons to Adore Kate Beaton

Brenna Clarke Gray

Staff Writer

Part muppet and part college faculty member, Brenna Clarke Gray holds a PhD in Canadian Literature while simultaneously holding two cats named Chaucer and Swift. It's a juggling act. Raised in small-town Ontario, Brenna has since been transported by school to the Atlantic provinces and by work to the Vancouver area, where she now lives with her stylish cyclist/webgeek husband and the aforementioned cats. When not posing by day as a forserious academic, she can be found painting her nails and watching Degrassi (through the critical lens of awesomeness). She posts about graphic narratives at Graphixia, and occasionally she remembers to update her own blog, Not That Kind of Doctor. Blog: Not That Kind of Doctor Twitter: @brennacgray

Webcomic goddess Kate Beaton is my soulmate. I’m pretty sure, anyway. I’ve been following her for years — so funny, so quirky. After listening to her speak so beautifully on my favourite podcast, Canadaland, this week, I starting counting all the ways I love Kate Beaton. Here are my favourite nine.

When you’re done reading my list, spend some time on her website and add your own in the comments.

1. She rocks a hell of a Jane Austen fandom joke.

kate beaton jane austen2. She talks trash about colonialism.

kate beaton colonialism

3. She knows who really won the War of 1812, and who doesn’t care.

kate beaton war of 1812

4. She worries about the consequences of a domesticated Wolverine.

kate beaton wolverine

 

5. She is the only person who loves Canada in exactly the same way that I love Canada.

kate beaton canada

6. … even (especially?) the stereotypes.

kate beaton canada

7. She knows that science is super hot.

kate beaton tesla

 

8. She’s not just wit and fun; Beaton is also capable of depth and emotional honesty. Her series “Ducks,” about working in the Alberta oil sands, is exquisite.

kate beaton ducks

9. And sometimes she’s just the perfect amount weird.

kate beaton grandpa