It appears the Krazy Kats lifted their logo and some of their hep-ness from George Herriman's Krazy Kat cartoon, which was at the peak of its popularity at the time of the photos. The cartoon strip ran in major US dailies and was noted for its irreverance and odd characters. The two protagonists were Krazy (a "kat") and Ignatz (a mouse). Ignatz held an unrequited love for Krazy - and expressed his affection with bricks tossed at the noggin of his beloved (whose sex was never stated or even insinuated). Herriman employed some odd English spellings and syntax as evidenced by this witty and revealing exchange:

Krazy: “Why is Lenguage, Ignatz?”

Ignatz: “Language is that we may understand one another.”

Krazy: ”Can you unda-stend a Finn, or a Leplender, or a Oshkosher, huh?”

Ignatz: “No,”

Krazy: “Can a Finn, or a Leplender, or a Oshkosher unda-stend you?”

Ignatz: “No,”

Krazy: “Then I would say lenguage is that that we may mis-unda-stend each udda.”

Goober Pea