Crock (comic strip)

Crock is an American comic strip created by Bill Rechin and Brant Parker depicting the French Foreign Legion. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, the strip began in 1975 and ended in May 2012. As of January 2012, it appeared in 250 newspapers in 14 countries.[1]

Crock
Author(s)Brant Parker (1975–1976)
Don Wilder (1976–2011)
Bob Morgan (2011–2012)
Illustrator(s)Bill Rechin (1975–2011)
Kevin Rechin (2011–2012)
WebsiteOfficial website
Current status/scheduleConcluded, in reruns
Launch dateOctober 26, 1975
End dateMay 20, 2012
Syndicate(s)King Features Syndicate
Genre(s)Humor

Don Wilder took over the writing duties in 1976 as Parker returned his focus to The Wizard of Id. Following the death of Bill Rechin in May 2011, the strip was drawn by Kevin Rechin and written by Bob Morgan, who is Rechin's brother-in-law.[2][3] Publication of new Crock strips ended with the May 20, 2012, Sunday comic, though reprints of older strips by Bill Rechin have continued to run.[1][4]

Characters and story

King Features describes Crock as "the greatest and longest-running parody of the Foreign Legion classic, Beau Geste," written in 1924 by P. C. Wren and filmed several times. The comic strip is set in the middle of a barren desert at a desolate fort, where the tyrannical and corrupt Commandant Vermin P. Crock rules over a curious group of beleaguered legionnaires. The characters include:

  • the cowardly Captain Poulet (French for chicken),
  • the simple-minded Maggot who digs and digs,
  • Figowitz (who just wants a kind word),
  • Le Cesspool owner Grossie (Le Cesspool is a favorite, though dilapidated hangout for the characters) who is married to Maggot,
  • the narcissistic Preppie,
  • Mario the Bartender,
  • Jules Schmesse who is always about to be executed,
  • the Arab horde and their stone god Nebookanezzer, who resembles a moai,
  • the ancient sage, never seen, who lives in a cave and dispenses wisdom and sarcasm,
  • the men of Outpost 5,
  • the Bookmobile,
  • the men being punished in the heat boxes,
  • Quench the ever-dry camel,
  • the Lost Patrol who have been wandering the desert for 20 years, trying to find their way back to the fort.

TV appearance

A live action Crock sketch was included in the special Mother's Day Sunday Funnies broadcast May 8, 1983 on NBC.[5]

Theme park

Crock is featured in the Universal Studios Florida theme park Islands of Adventure, where Crock's fort is part of Toon Extra in Toon Lagoon.

References
  1. Zitz, Michael (May 9, 2012). "'Crock' strip coming to its end". The Free Lance–Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  2. "'Crock' cartoonist Bill Rechin dies at age 80". The Virginian-Pilot. Associated Press. May 21, 2011. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  3. Cavna, Michael (May 25, 2011). "RIP, Bill Rechin: Artist son memorializes 'Crock' cartoonist". The Washington Post. Comic Riffs. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  4. Rechin, Bill (October 7, 2019). "Crock - Comic Kingdom". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  5. Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012, 2d ed. by Vincent Terrace
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