History ComicBook / FritzTheCat

* EatenAlive: "Fritz the Cat, Secret Agent for the C.I.A." contains what is probably the earliest depiction of ''[[EatenAlive vore]]'' in comics. Fritz is swallowed whole by a giant creature, along with a female Chinese agent who betrays her country because she loves Fritz. Together, the two escape out ''the back way''.

** Subverted in the film, which plays RapeAsDrama.

* CoversAlwaysLie: Though Fritz is appears pretty much as shown in the poster (currently the page image), the female cat (or [[Comicbook/{{Catwoman}} cat-woman]] [[IncrediblyLamePun if you will]]) never appears in the film.

A 1969 compilation of ''Fritz the Cat'' comics earned Crumb enough money to buy three acres of land. In 1972, Creator/RalphBakshi directed an [[WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat animated film]] based on Crumb's comic, which was more overt in its political and social commentary than the comics, which were largely light entertainment. Crumb was paid $50,000 for this film. Although the film was the subject of major critical approval, and was a surprising success for an independent animated film, Crumb expressed a dislike of it for its political view standpoints; as a result, he killed off the character. However, thanks to Steve Krantz pushing the ResetButton, a sequel was made by Robert Taylor in 1974, ''WesternAnimation/TheNineLivesOfFritzTheCat'', which was less political than its predecessor. It didn't do too well because Creator/{{Ralph Bakshi}} had nothing to do with it, but it was the first animated movie to compete in the Cannes Film Festival.

The legacy of the character remains great within the comic and animated movie industries however, having paved the way for much of the comics and animation aimed at adults since then. Creator/ArtSpiegelman even said that Crumb's anthropomorphic work allowed for all adult-oriented comics since to be produced, including ''ComicBook/{{Maus}}'', and it quite possibly influenced a few [[FurryComic furry comics]] as well. It is considered one of the predecessors of the modern UsefulNotes/FurryFandom.

Set in a "supercity" of anthropomorphic animals, the strip focuses on Fritz, a smooth feline con artist. He frequently finds himself in wild adventures, often involving a variety of sexual experiences. The character originated from home made comic books Crumb drew when he was a child, and became the most famous character created by him. Fritz was once Crumb's leading character, appearing in much of his work, and even cameoing in Crumb's graphic novel ''Oggie and the Beanstalk''. By the late 1960s, Crumb grew tired of the character, and stopped drawing him.

A 1969 compilation of Fritz the Cat comics earned Crumb enough money to buy three acres of land. In 1972, Creator/RalphBakshi directed an [[WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat animated film]] based on Crumb's comic, which was more overt in its political and social commentary than the comics, which were largely light entertainment. Crumb was paid $50,000 for this film. Although the film was the subject of major critical approval, and was a surprising success for an independent animated film, Crumb expressed a dislike of it for its political view standpoints; as a result, he killed off the character. However, thanks to Steve Krantz pushing the ResetButton, a sequel was made by Robert Taylor in 1974, ''WesternAnimation/TheNineLivesOfFritzTheCat'', which was less political than its predecessor. It didn't do too well because Creator/{{Ralph Bakshi}} had nothing to do with it, but it was the first animated movie to compete in the Cannes Film Festival.

* AnthropomorphicShift: Duke the Crow and Fritz crash a stolen car, and Duke flies Fritz onto the bridge before the car crashes into the river. In the [[WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat movie]], however, Duke grabs onto a railing because Creator/RalphBakshi disliked the idea of [[FurryDenial having anthropomorphic characters behave like animals]] to further the plot.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fritz_the_cat_comic_logo.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fritz02.gif]]

* FantasticRacism[=/=]SpaceJews: Crows stand in for African-Americans.
** Also, rats stand in for the Chinese. This is may be unintentionally TruthInTelevision: Rats are originally from China.

* UsefulNotes/FurryFandom: This comic originated from a very early form of funny animal fandom; comics with anthropomorphic characters were pretty much the only comics that Robert Crumb read as a kid.

* [[SchrodingersCast Schrödinger's Cat]]: Literally! Crumb killed Fritz off in the comics after the first movie, but ''WesternAnimation/TheNineLivesOfFritzTheCat'' was made nevertheless.

A 1969 compilation of Fritz the Cat comics earned Crumb enough money to buy three acres of land. In 1972, Creator/RalphBakshi directed an [[WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat animated film]] based on Crumb's comic, which was more overt in its political and social commentary than the comics, which were largely light entertainment. Crumb was paid $50,000 for this film. Although the film was the subject of major critical approval, and was a surprising success for an independent animated film, Crumb expressed a dislike of it for its political view standpoints; as a result, he murdered off the character. However, thanks to Steve Krantz pushing the ResetButton, a sequel was made by Robert Taylor in 1974, ''WesternAnimation/TheNineLivesOfFritzTheCat'', which was less political than its predecessor. It didn't do too well because Creator/{{Ralph Bakshi}} had nothing to do with it, but it was the first animated movie to compete in the Cannes Film Festival.

* BarbieDollAnatomy: In most comics, Fritz has this.