Why the Long Wait for Pogo Volume 9? The Story Behind It

Good things come to those who wait. But waiting more than four years for a new Pogo collection is testing even the most patient fans.

Thankfully, the wait is finally coming to an end. After a lengthy silence, Fantagraphics has confirmed that Pogo: The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips, Volume 9: A Distant Past Yet to Come will arrive on January 5, 2027, in bookstores, with the Direct Market edition following on July 7, 2027.

To be honest, this Pogo collection has one of the most fitting subtitles imaginable. After waiting more than four years, A Distant Past Yet to Come feels almost prophetic. I’m literally waiting for something from the distant past to finally arrive. Thankfully, January 2027 is finally on the horizon, and with any luck, the wait will prove to have been worth it.

The delay has understandably frustrated longtime readers. Volume 8 was released back in December 2022, making the gap between Volumes 8 and 9 just over four years, by far the longest pause since Fantagraphics launched its ambitious 12-volume archival series.

The reasons are both practical and financial. When the project began, the restoration team had the enormous task of tracking down and restoring decades-old syndication proofs, newspaper tearsheets, and other fragile source material. While the later years of the strip require less intensive restoration than the earliest volumes, the series has also had to contend with the reality that archival comic collections appeal to a relatively small audience. Unlike The Complete Peanuts, which became a publishing phenomenon, Pogo has always been more of a passion project than a commercial blockbuster.

That doesn’t mean Fantagraphics has given up on the series. Quite the opposite. The publisher remains committed to completing all 12 planned volumes, preserving Walt Kelly’s entire syndicated run from 1949 through 1973.

Volume 9 is a 344-page hardcover collecting the daily and Sunday strips from 1965 and 1966, restored from the best available source material and accompanied by historical commentary from Mark Evanier and Eric Reynolds. As with the previous books, the goal isn’t simply to reprint the strips but to present the finest edition possible.

The painstaking restoration process is one reason these books take so long. Much of Kelly’s original artwork no longer exists, forcing the restoration team to work from aging syndication proofs, yellowed newspaper pages, and even microfilm. Kelly’s beautifully detailed brushwork, intricate lettering, and dense swamp scenery often require careful manual cleanup that simply can’t be automated.

Volume 9 collects the daily and Sunday strips from 1965 and 1966, a period where Walt Kelly’s sharp political satire feels just as relevant today as it did six decades ago. Through his unforgettable cast of swamp critters, Kelly tackled everything from politics and consumerism to civil rights and environmental issues, all while delivering laugh-out-loud humor, heartfelt moments, and some of the finest artwork ever to grace the comics page.

Every volume includes historical notes and a surprise foreword from notable guests. Previous contributors have included Jake Tapper and Sergio Aragonés, adding even more value to what is already one of the finest archival comic collections on the market.

As someone who has followed this series from the beginning, I have to admit the wait has been difficult. Four years between volumes is a long time, especially when you’re hoping to see one of the greatest newspaper comic strips ever created finally collected in its entirety. Still, I’d rather Fantagraphics take the time to do it right than rush out an inferior edition.

With Volumes 10, 11, and 12 still on the roadmap, the finish line is finally starting to come into view. I just hope the next three books don’t take another four years each to arrive. If the gap between Volumes 8 and 9 becomes the new normal, I could be looking at another 12 years before I finally have the complete collection on my bookshelf.

Can I see myself waiting that long? As much as I love Pogo, that’s a tough question. After investing years into this remarkable series, I certainly hope Fantagraphics can pick up the pace. Walt Kelly’s masterpiece deserves to be completed while longtime readers are still around to enjoy the journey to the very last page.