What began as a depiction of Robert Crumb's family cat Fred, Fritz eventually evolved into a self-assured beatnik who roamed (and slept) his way through the counterculture of 1960s US and the anthropomorphised "supercity" he inhabited. Crumb's creation was part of the underground "comix" movement, the 1960s DIY illustration scene that challenged what comics and illustration could do and say. His stories had a sometimes meandering, conversational social focus that, whether the characters were animals or not, leaned closer to life in the US than the likes of Captain America. It was partly this that drew Bakshi to admire, and seek to animate, Fritz. But Crumb was reluctant to hand over the copyright. In a bargain with details that remain somewhat murky, co-producer Steve Krantz eventually produced a contract that was signed by Crumb's wife, Dana, who held power of attorney. Crumb mostly kept his distance from the production and, on its release, was so appalled by the film that he responded by writing the very last Fritz comic, Fritz the Cat – Superstar, where the character had become a sleazy sell-out and movie star who meets with Bakshi and Krantz, before meeting his Leon Trotsky-style fate of murder by ice-pick.
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