Bobby Make-Believe began his short life in a Chicago Tribune Sunday page on January 31, 1915. It is obvious that the strip was highly influenced by Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland which had already been running for 10 years. As the title suggests, Bobby is a bit of a dreamer of adventures, very much in the Walter Mitty mold.

The main historical significance of Bobby Make-Believe is that it was Frank King's first successful strip. It followed on the heels of a couple of misses in Tough Teddy and Here Comes Motorcycle Mike.

Frank King soon had his big hit when Gasoline Alley launched at the end of 1918. Bobby Make-Believe appears to have had his last daydream very soon afterwards. There is no definite end date so maybe he is still locked in his last fantasy adventure.