Dr. Irene Strychalski

The recent meeting of the 2024-25 Fredonia Shakespeare Club season was called to order by President Sharon Klug with 14 members present. The president thanked Dr. Irene Strychalski for hosting the meeting at her home where Beckie Ross poured the tea.

Dr. Irene Strychalski presented her paper “Dave Pilkey Creator of Captain Underpants Series.”

David Murray ‘Dav’ Pilkey, Jr. was born in Cleveland in 1966. He is an American author and illustrator of children’s literature. He is best known as the author and illustrator of the children’s book series Captain Underpants. As a child he had been diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia and was a sore trial for his teacher. Fortunately, Dav loved to draw, write and read. He loved to create comics and had imaginary friends. His comic creations were able to overcome the bad guys by fantastical means: dragons, robots and superheroes. Finally, however, the good guys won, and all was well.

Pilkey created Captain Underpants when he was 8 years old, in second grade. His cantankerous teacher happened to mention underwear during class. Immediately all the children began to laugh and giggle. She scolded the children, shouting: “Underwear is not funny!” Right then, he realized that underwear was a very powerful thing. So that very day, he drew his very first drawing of a caped hero named Captain Underpants.

The actual authors of Captain Underpants books are George Beard and Harold Hutchins. Dav created them to write and illustrate these books. After a hard day cracking jokes, pulling pranks and creating mayhem in school, George and Harold would rush to an old treehouse in George’s backyard, furnished with a table, some chairs, a cupboard crammed with junk food and a box of paper and writing materials. Harold was the artist, and George the storyteller. One day the duo went too far, causing a football game to be totally disrupted by their pranks. The principal had installed video surveillance cameras and caught the boys red-handed. Their punishment included a list of services to the principal, being model students in class and grueling extra homework.

To get out of their predicament, George and Harold sent away for a Hypno-Ring to hypnotize the principal and cause him to forget the football incident. After the ring was delivered, they showed the ring to Mr. Krupp and in a short time he was hypnotized. Afterwards, they showed him a picture of Captain Underpants. George snapped his fingers and said” You are now the greatest superhero of all time: The Amazing Captain Underpants.” Mr. Krupp tore down the red window curtain, tied it around his neck and then he took all his outer clothes off, even his toupee. “Tra-La-Laaaaaa!” he sang and off he went. After a while, the boys found Captain Underpants in front of the bank. The door flew open and out stepped two robbers. “Surrender!” said Captain Underpants.

“Oh no,” whispered Harold and George.

The robbers burst out laughing hysterically and fell to the ground. Then the police came and demanded, “And just who the heck are you supposed to be?” “Why, I’m Captain Underpants, the world’s greatest superhero. I fight for Truth, Justice, and all that is preshrunk and cottony!” Oh Yeah!!!” shouted the police chief, “Cuff him boys!” But before the police could handcuff Captain Underpants, George and Harold had already whisked him away on their skateboards.

After further adventures they dressed Captain Underpants back into Mr. Krupp’s clothes and took him back to his office at school. There, George and Harold de-hypnotized Mr. Krupp by pouring water on his head from a flower vase on the desk. George and Harold returned to their old prankster ways, but they had to keep an eye on Principal Krupp. For some strange reason, any time he heard the snapping of fingers, he turned back into Captain Underpants.

Pilkey has written and illustrated many books for intermediate students. His series includes Captain Underpants’ (1997-2015). Spinoffs, such as Dog Man (2016-2024), Cat Kid (2020-2023) and many individual stories. He has received several honors; including the National Awards contest for students, The Caldecott Honor Award, The Disney Adventures Kid’s Choice Awards, The Young reader Medal, The Milner Award, The favorite children’s book author and the Person of the Year Award from Publishers Weekly.