Newspaper Comic Strips

Ace O'Hara

Comic Strip Name: Ace O'Hara Strips Available: 24 Latest Strip: Ace O'Hara 13 - The Flying Saucer Mystery | Uploaded: Jun 28, 2021 Categories: Science Fiction | Adventure Originally appearing in the Daily Dispatch, a British newspaper, and the Melbourne Australian Age. The strip started in 1954. The Daily Dispatch folded in 1955. Story by Conrad Frost, art by Basil Blackaller. Blackaller died in 1958 when Tony Speer took over the art. Lambiek has a piece on Mr. Blackaller:- https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/blackaller_basil.htm

Adam Ames

Comic Strip Name: Adam Ames Strips Available: 5 Latest Strip: Adam Ames 1960-10-05 - 1961-02-11 | Uploaded: Mar 3, 2013 Categories: Mixed Bag Adam Ames was a short-lived strip lasting from 1959 to 1962. The story is pure soap opera revolving around Adam Ames, a widower, his housekeeper and two teenage children. Although the strip is not well know, its artist most certainly is! Adam Ames was drawn by Lou Fine. He is considered one of the greatest artists working during the the Golden Age of comic books. Fine joined the Eisner-Iger comic book shop in 1938, where he contributed to Wilton of the West, The Count of Monte Cristo, and most famously the Flame. He then finished his comic book career drawing for Quality Comics, where he illustrated the Black Condor, Stormy Foster, and Uncle Sam. In 1944 he left comic books to draw Sunday advertising strips, presumably for financial reasons. During this period he worked extensively with Don Komisarow. Their creations include 'Charlie McCarthy' and 'Mr. Coffee Nerves' for Chase and Sanborn Coffee, and 'Sam Spade' for Wildroot Cream Oil. Adam Ames was created late in Fine's career and was followed by his last strip, a complete change of genre with private eye Peter Scratch. Will Eisner, called Lou Fine one of the greatest draftsmen ever. Joe Simon, named him his: "favorite artist.... He was also Jack Kirby's favorite artist. I know that Jack was a fan of and greatly influenced by Fine's work". Can there be higher praise?

Angel Face

Comic Strip Name: Angel Face Strips Available: 1 Latest Strip: Angel Face (1957) | Uploaded: Aug 19, 2012 Categories: Humor | Children/Teenagers | Leading Ladies Angel Face is a short lived series of newspaper panels, featuring a little girl who either by accident, or by design tends to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. If she is not doing that, then Angel is up to some sort of mischief. Although at first sight the cartoons appear to be targeted at children, the humor is actually aimed at adults. Angel Face is rather obscure, however it is of interest as the artist is Gene Hazleton. Hazleton joined Disney in 1939 where his animation work can be seen with the goat kids in Fantasia along with the 'Pleasure Island' sequence in Pinocchio. He left Disney in 1941 to join Robert Clampett at Warner Bros. Hazelton then spent many years at MGM. There he worked with Hanna and Barbera on Tom & Jerry, and also on the Tex Avery shorts. When MGM closed its animated studio, Hazleton freelanced and it was at this period that he created Angel Face. The last big move was to Hanna-Barbera, where for many years he was the head artist of the newspaper comic department. Initially Hazleton supervised The Flintstones and Yogi Bear strips, but then took over both the writing and drawing of them. He also helped on the animation side and is credited with creating both Pebbles and Bamm Bamm, for the Flintstones. Gene Hazleton died 6 April 2005, aged 85.

Ben Webster

Comic Strip Name: Ben Webster Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Ben Webster Sundays 1935, 1940 | Uploaded: Feb 16, 2018 Categories: Adventure | Children/Teenagers Ben Webster was an early comics adventure hero. Early titles of the comic strip include "Bound to Win" and "Ben Webster's Career". The original star of Bound to Win was another boy hero, Phil Hardy, whose comic was distributed by Bell Syndicate from 1925-26. It was during September of the latter year that Williams/Alger traded Phil for Ben as its hero, but Phil continued to star in a "Bound to Win" series of novels. Ben rescued many innocent women, young and old, from distress of various kinds. A favorite type of villain was what is now called a "bankster", whose modus operandi back then, before the days of massive government bailouts of institutions run into the ground by managers who escape with millions, was the simple manipulation of mortgages. Ben tended to use a mutt named Briar as his sounding board for dialog, just as The Chicago Tribune's Annie had used Sandy and King Features' Annie had used Zero. Bell continued to distribute Ben's strip for well over a decade. The Sunday Page was originally called Ben Webster's Page, and featured stories about the lives of famous men, but these eventually gave way to Ben's adventures. The strip was reprinted in All-American Comics, starting with its 1939 first issue, along with Skippy, Reg'lar Fellers and Mutt & Jeff. That ended in 1941, when both it and Believe It or Not were ousted in favor of a non-reprinted feature, Dr. Mid-Nite. By that time, the comic book was his only remaining venue. Bell had dropped it in 1940. (source:toonpedia)

Billy Make Believe

Comic Strip Name: Billy Make Believe Strips Available: 5 Latest Strip: Billy Make Believe 1937 | Uploaded: Mar 9, 2018 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Humor | Adventure Publication History: Dates: Jul 22, 1934 - 1938 Billy Make Believe was created by cartoonist Harry E. Homan, whose other work in comics seems to be sparse, but who also did Billy's topper, How to Make It (which described amateur craft projects for its juvenile audience). The distributor was United Feature Syndicate (Gordo, Garfield), which launched it as a Sunday-only feature on July 22, 1934. Billy's end date is less well known. Comics historian Allan Holtz (the discoverer of Bobby the Boy Scout) has speculated that it may have lasted less than a year, despite the fact that United Feature appears to have promoted it as late as 1938. World Color Printing (Major Ozone's Fresh Air Crusade), which Holtz notes was known for buying up and reprinting short-run comics, distributed reruns of it as recently as 1940, but that seems to have been the last of it. It was also reprinted in an occasional comic book such as Comics on Parade, one of several that specialized in United Feature strips like The Captain & the Kids and Fritzi Ritz. But that was the extent of its media penetration. source:toonopedia.com

Bobby Make Believe

Comic Strip Name: Bobby Make Believe Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Bobby Make Believe - Chicago Sunday Tribune (1915-1917) | Uploaded: Jun 19, 2014 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Fantasy/Whimsey | Humor Publication History: Dates: 1915 - 1919 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.

Boob McNutt

Comic Strip Name: Boob McNutt Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Boob McNutt Misc | Uploaded: Feb 22, 2018 Categories: Humor Publication History: Dates: 1915 - Sep 1934 Boob McNutt was a comic strip by Rube Goldberg which ran from June 9, 1918 to September 23, 1934. It was syndicated by the McNaught Syndicate from 1922 until the end of its run. Boob McNutt was a clumsy, buffoonish fellow who was quite friendly and attempted to be helpful in his incompetent way. He was entrusted with tasks like caring for priceless works of art and the Elixir of Immortality, tasks in which he inevitably failed, usually in a destructive manner. From 1922 to 1926, the strip focused on Boob's pursuit of his true love Pearl, whom he finally married, then divorced, then married again and divorced again. Goldberg inserted supporting characters from his other strips, including Mike and Ike (They Look Alike) and Bertha the Siberian Cheesehound. In 1934, he even brought in Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts, inventor of those famed Rube Goldberg machines, for a brief sojourn before the strip was cancelled. source:wikipedia

Boots And Her Buddies

Comic Strip Name: Boots And Her Buddies Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: Boots and Her Buddies 1937 Sundays | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Humor | Leading Ladies Boots and Her Buddies was created by Edgar Martin and launched as a Newspaper Enterprise Association daily on Monday, February 18, 1924. When we meet Boots (AKA "Sweetheart of the Comics", "Everybody's Sweetheart" or "Sweetheart of America") she is attending an undisclosed college, and the buddies of the title are various amorous beaus who vie for her attention. It took quite a while before Edgar ("Abe") Martin allowed Boots to graduate, and over twenty years for her to eventually marry the successful suitor Rod Ruggles, with whom she has a son Davey Ruggles. Although she never made it in the movies, Boots did manage a comic book run, and also appeared in "Boots and the Mystery of the Unlucky Vase", a war time book written and illustrated by Martin in 1943. The daily strip would run until 1960. But Boots still continued in the Sunday Strip, that was launched 1926 and finally finished her run October 6, 1968.

Bringing Up Father

Comic Strip Name: Bringing Up Father Strips Available: 14 Latest Strip: Bringing Up Father 1937 | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Humor Bringing Up Father was created by cartoonist George McManus (1884-1954). Distributed by King Features Syndicate, it ran for 87 years, from January 12, 1913, to May 28, 2000. Many readers, called the strip "Jiggs and Maggie" after its two main characters. The humor centers on an immigrant Irishman named Jiggs, a former hod carrier who came into wealth in the United States by winning a million dollars in a sweepstakes. Now nouveau-riche, he still longs to revert to his working class habits and lifestyle. Constant attempts to sneak out with his old pals, eat corned beef and cabbage ("Jiggs dinner") and hang out at the local tavern were often thwarted by his social-climbing (and rolling-pin wielding) wife, Maggie, their lovely young daughter, Nora and infrequently their lazy son Ethelbert later known as Sonny. Between 1935 and 1954, McManus' assistant Zeke Zekley made a major contribution to the strip in both writing and art. When McManus died in 1954, the strip continued with other artists, including Bill Kavanagh and Frank Fletcher. It was expected that Zekley would take over the strip, but instead it was Vernon Greene. The strip's popularity faded, and Bringing Up Father limped along until its 87-year run came to a close on May 28, 2000. (source: wikipedia)

Buck Ryan

Comic Strip Name: Buck Ryan Strips Available: 94 Latest Strip: Buck Ryan 15 - Green Flames | Uploaded: Mar 7, 2024 Categories: Detective | Crime | Spy/Espionage Buck Ryan was a UK newspaper adventure comic strip created by Jack Monk and the writer Don Freeman. It ran in the Daily Mirror from 22 March 1937 to July 1962. Buck Ryan, the strip's main character, is a young British private investigator who fights crime. His opponents include the lady crime boss 'Twilight' along with various kidnappers and German spies.

Bungle Family

Comic Strip Name: Bungle Family Strips Available: 2 Latest Strip: Bungle Family 1937 Sundays | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Humor The Bungle Family is an American gag-a-day comic strip, created by Harry J. Tuthill, that first appeared in 1918. Originally titled Home, Sweet Home, it first appeared as part of a series of rotating strips in the New York Evening Mail. The strip ran until June 2, 1945. In 1999, The Bungle Family was voted one of the Top 100 English language comics of the 20th Century by The Comics Journal. Art Spiegelman praised The Bungle Family as "Visually deadpan, genuinely hilarious once you tune into its frequency, with a great ear for dialogue and an unsurpassed sense of character". Spiegelman also described the strip as "one of the darkest visions of American life this side of Nathanael West." Seen only sporadically in 1918, the strip was published daily and was nationally syndicated with the McClure Newspaper Syndicate by the end of 1919. Home, Sweet Home followed the adventures of Mabel (later Josephine) and George, a young couple beset on all sides by in-laws, neighbors and businessmen. Tuthill took the strip to the McNaught Syndicate when the Evening Mail was sold in 1924, changing the name to The Bungle Family and adding daughter Peggy Bungle to the cast. A Sunday page was in existence by September 9, 1923. Tuthill continued to draw The Bungle Family for McNaught until he had a dispute with the syndicate in 1939. This led to Tuthill ending the strip on August 1, 1942. After a hiatus, the strip returned - syndicated by Tuthill himself - on May 16, 1943, with newspapers running a promotional banner, "The Bungles Are Back!" It ran for two more years until June 2, 1945, when Tuthill retired. Source:wikipedia

Buster Brown

Comic Strip Name: Buster Brown Strips Available: 6 Latest Strip: Buster Brown Sundays 1915 - 1918 | Uploaded: Oct 31, 2023 Categories: Humor | Children/Teenagers Publication History: Dates: 1902 Buster Brown is a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard Felton Outcault which is known for his association with the Brown Shoe Company. This mischievous young boy was loosely based on a boy near Outcault's home in Flushing, New York. Buster Brown, his sister Mary Jane, and his dog Tige were well known to the American public in the early 20th century. Tige is thought to be the first talking pet to appear in American comics, and, like that of many of his successors, his speech goes unnoticed by adults. The comic strip began in the New York Herald on May 4, 1902. Outcault left for William Randolph Hearst's employ in 1906, and after a court battle, Outcault continued his strip, now nameless, in Hearst papers, while the Herald continued their own version of Buster Brown with other artists. The latter lasted until 1911 or so, and the former until at least 1921.

Buz Sawyer

Comic Strip Name: Buz Sawyer Strips Available: 5 Latest Strip: Buz Sawyer Dailies 5 - May 1947 | Uploaded: Jun 15, 2014 Categories: War/Armed Forces | Aviation | Water/Boats Publication History: Dates: Nov 1, 1943 - 1989

The Captain and the Kids

Comic Strip Name: The Captain and the Kids Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: The Captain and the Kids 1940 Sundays | Uploaded: Feb 26, 2018 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Humor Publication History: Dates: Dec 12, 1897 - Jan 1, 2006 The Katzenjammer Kids is an American comic strip created by Rudolph Dirks in 1897 and later drawn by Harold Knerr for 35 years (1914 to 1949). It debuted December 12, 1897, in the American Humorist, the Sunday supplement of William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. The comic strip was turned into a stage play in 1903. It inspired several animated cartoons and was one of 20 strips included in the Comic Strip Classics series of U.S. commemorative postage stamps. After a series of legal battles between 1912 and 1914, Dirks left the Hearst organization and began a new strip, first titled Hans and Fritz and then The Captain and the Kids. It featured the same characters seen in The Katzenjammer Kids, which was continued by Knerr. The two separate versions of the strip competed with each other until 1979, when The Captain and the Kids ended its six-decade run. The Katzenjammer Kids published its last strip on January 1, 2006, but is still distributed in reprints by King Features Syndicate, making it the oldest comic strip still in syndication and the longest-running ever. Source:wikipedia

Captain Easy

Comic Strip Name: Captain Easy Strips Available: 21 Latest Strip: Captain Easy 1944.04.29 - 1944.04.16 | Uploaded: Nov 18, 2020 Categories: Adventure | Crime Captain Easy started his comic strip life on May 6, 1929 as sidekick in another one of our comic strips Wash Tubbs. Originally, little was known about Easy, apart from he was a tough Southerner who sought adventure. The character proved popular, and June 11, 1933 he began starring in his own Sunday strip Captain Easy, Soldier of Fortune. Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy's creator Roy Crane drew the early strips. They are considered some of the finest examples of comic strip art. As the years marched by Easy also became the star of the Wash Tubbs daily strip. During World War II he enlisted in the US army and after demobilization he became a private detective. Meanwhile Wash Tubbs married, and slipped away into domestic bliss. Captain Easy's, comic strip life proved as durable as his chin and lasted over half a century until its demise in 1988.

Charlie Chan

Comic Strip Name: Charlie Chan Strips Available: 14 Latest Strip: Charlie Chan Daily Newspaper Strips 1939-05-22 To 1939-12-23 | Uploaded: Oct 20, 2012 Categories: Crime | Detective The Chinese-American sleuth Charlie Chan was created by Earl Derr Biggers, and based in part on an actual Honolulu detective, Chang Apana. Although Chan, like his real-life counterpart Apana, works for the Honolulu police he is very much a globe-trotter who solves mysteries throughout the world. Charlie Chan debuted in The House Without A Key written by Biggers in 1925, with other novels following in quick succession. Only one year after he appeared in print Charlie Chan hit the big screen and over the years has appeared in numerous other film adaptations, along with radio and television shows. On October 24, 1938 the McNaught Syndicate launched a Charlie Chan comic strip. It is notable as the first strip drawn by Alfred Andriola. He would later work on Dann Dunn, before embarking on the strip for which he is best known for today, the long running Kerry Drake. Charlie Chan's strip was cancelled in May 1942, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The ending of hostilities meant the Charlie Chan made a comeback. Although his strip was not resurrected, he appeared in a variety of comic books including a four issue run by Charlton and in a title created for Prize Comics by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

Chris Welkin

Comic Strip Name: Chris Welkin Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Chris Welkin 1954 | Uploaded: Feb 14, 2018 Categories: Science Fiction Publication History: Dates: 1952 - 1964 Chris Welkin, Planeteer was distributed by the Newspaper Enterprise Association from 1952 to 1964. It was created by Art Sansom and Russ Winterbotham. As Sansom recollects: "I inherited a weekly strip called Peggy and then about 1950, NEA decided cowboys were on their way out and spacemen were the coming thing. So I began to draw the Chris Welkin strip, which was daily and Sunday for a couple of years, and then Sunday only for about eight years after that." The best was yet to come from Art Sansom, when his The Born Loser debuted on May 10, 1965. The strip and its main character Brutus P. Thornapple became so popular that it was soon syndicated to over 1,000 newspapers. So, despite all his planet hopping technology Chris Welkin eventually lost out to a loser.

Comic Strip ads

Comic Strip Name: Comic Strip ads Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: Camel Cigs | Uploaded: Aug 22, 2012 Categories: Mixed Bag Advertisers soon realized that the comic strip was a great vehicle to promote their products. Captain Ben Dix was sponsored by The Bendix Aviation Corporation. The World War II strip has a "I know my Instruments" panel featuring strange and wonderful appliances, to cut on the dotted line and save! During the 1950's it was a favorite medium for cigarette manufacturers. Philip Morris contribute to this section with Duke Handy. The strip that only lasted 6 months during 1958 was written by Allen Saunders and illustrated by Alex Kotzky. Fists and cigarettes abound in this series!! R J Reynolds were at the forefront. Their Camel brand already sponsored the Phil Silvers Show. Ernie Bilko and the rest of the cast were ideal material for a comic strip drawn by Bob Bugg. Others featured in the Camel strips include: • Hollywood great Henry Fonda • Explorers Lewis N. Cotlow and Nichol Smith • War Workers Jean Curran, Fieda Traynor and a WAVE named Phyllis • Marguerite Piazza soprano, entertainer and later a philanthropist • Johnnie Parsons winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 • Ruth Kyle MacDonnell who featured on the cover of Time magazine

Corky

Comic Strip Name: Corky Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Corky 1938 | Uploaded: Aug 11, 2012 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Humor Corky is a spinoff off from Frank King's Gasoline Alley. It features Walt and Phyllis Wallet's son Corky, born May 2, 1928. The younger brother of 'Skeezix' Wallet, he eventually married Hope Hassel on October 1, 1949. He runs a diner in a standalone building. Little information is available about this strip. It is presumed to be a bottom filler on a Sunday funny page. Although a second string Gasoline Alley character, Corky managed to star in his own film series Corky of Gasoline Alley (1951), replacing the Blondie film series which ended in 1950 with Beware of Blondie. Corky and his sister Judy decide the only way to save the Wallet family from bankruptcy and insanity is to persuade a free-loader to move on. The latter then fakes an injured back. (source: wikipedia)

Dan Dunn

Comic Strip Name: Dan Dunn Strips Available: 5 Latest Strip: Dan Dunn 1936 | Uploaded: Jul 4, 2018 Categories: Crime Publication History: Dates: Sep 1933 - Oct 1943 Dan Dunn is credited as the first fictional character to make a debut in an American comic magazine. Quite a claim to fame! He was created by Norman Marsh, and debuted in Detective Dan, Secret Operative No. 48, in 1933. Humor Publications cancelled the title after just the one issue (the company would only produce a total of three comic before folding). But all was not lost as the same year Publishers Syndicate launched Dan Dunn's comic strip. It is quite apparent that Dan Dunn is a Dick Tracy clone. He has the same square-jaw and when it comes to taking on criminals, he has the same propensity to violence. Comparisons have also been made between his partner Irwin Higgs and Dick Tracy's Pat Patton. Showing his softer side Dunn is friendly with an orphaned girl named Babs and owns a dog he called Wolf. Dan Dunn also appeared in 7 Big Little Books and two issue pulp magazines. Although he never made it onto the silver screen, Dan did appear in 78 episodes of a 15-minute radio program. The final Dan Dunn strip appeared Sunday, October 3, 1943, as he headed off to war. He still appears to be missing in action.

Dixie Dugan

Comic Strip Name: Dixie Dugan Strips Available: 15 Latest Strip: Dixie Dugan 1938 | Uploaded: Apr 8, 2023 Categories: Leading Ladies | Mixed Bag Publication History: Dates: 1928 - 1966 Dixie Dugan was created by J.P. McEvoy. She debuted as the star of Show Girl, a slightly risque novel that was serialized in Liberty magazine in 1928. This soon appeared in book form, along with a Broadway show, that was produced by Ziegfeld. George and Ira Gershwin provided the music and it was immediately made into a movie. All this occurred in 1928, Dixie had hit the road running! In October 1929 Dixie Dugan appeared in her own comic strip, drawn by John H. Streibel. A few years later in 1934 she was also given a Sunday page. Initially the stories were full of humor and showbiz glamor, but as the Great Depression bit, the daily strip became more serious, with Dixie working to support herself and her parents. It also featured romance and suspense stories. In comparison the Sunday page remained lighter in tone. Towards the end McEvoy's son Renny was charged with writing of the strip. Streibel remained as the artist, but as his health deteriorated much of the work was done assistants. Streibel died in 1962 and the strip struggled on until 1966.

Don Dixon and the Hidden Empire

Comic Strip Name: Don Dixon and the Hidden Empire Strips Available: 7 Latest Strip: Don Dixon 1939 | Uploaded: Aug 11, 2012 Categories: Science Fiction Publication History: Dates: 1935 - 1941 Don Dixon and the Hidden Empire launched as a Sunday page on October 6, 1935. It was syndicated by The Daily Eagle, a small newspaper located in Brooklyn. The series was written by Bob Moore, with Carl Pfeufer providing the artwork. The story starts with a young Don and a Doctor Lugoff exploring new lands. In their adventures they discover the lost world of Pharia. Don soon finds love interest in the beautiful Princess Wanda and the stage is now set for some ripping yarns. It is quite noticeable that Don Dixon bears more than a passing resemblance to Flash Gordon. In fact the main difference appears to be whilst Flash is exploring the universe, Don Dixon is most definitely Earth bound. Don's five and half year comics strip run ended on March 6, 1941, but no doubt there have been many untold adventures since that date.

Ella Cinders

Comic Strip Name: Ella Cinders Strips Available: 14 Latest Strip: Ella Cinders 1927.08.08 - 1927.11.05 | Uploaded: Feb 14, 2018 Categories: Humor | Leading Ladies Publication History: Dates: 1925 - 1961 The name Ella Cinders gives a big clue to the initial inspiration for this comic strip. The modern day Cinderalla, created by writer Bill Conselman and artist Charles Plumb, first made her appearance June 1, 1925. A Sunday page was launched a couple of years later and Ella's run finally finished in 1961. The story started in classic style with a stepmother Myrtle "Ma" Cinders, favoring her daughters Prissie and Lotta, whilst Ella is consigned to household chores. But, Ella is made of sterner stuff and along with her brother Blackie makes light of her lot and even has a boyfriend Waite Lifter. After winning a rather dubious prize, Ella Cinders moves to Hollywood, with her brother, to start a glamorous job that never materializes. Now free from drudgery her adventures really begin. As a final note, Ella Cinders actually did have a break, starring in a real movie released in 1926.

Flyin' Jenny

Comic Strip Name: Flyin' Jenny Strips Available: 2 Latest Strip: Flyin' Jenny 1941 615-1228 | Uploaded: Aug 11, 2012 Categories: Adventure | Leading Ladies | Aviation Publication History: Dates: 1939 - 1946 Flyin' Jenny created by Russell Keaton, made her maiden flight October 1939. Virginia Dare, to give her correct name was a test pilot at the Starcraft Aviation Factory. Appearing at the beginning of World War II Flyin' Jenny would not last long after the end of hostilities, the strip was discontinued July 1946. During her seven years of life Jenny was not content with just taking to the skies, but did battle with master criminals, spies, saboteurs and numerous other evil-doers. Although originally Russell Keaton both wrote and drew the strip, over time others would become involved including: Glenn Chaffin (co-creator of Tailspin Tommy), Marc Swayze (now known for his work on Mary Marvel) and Gladys Parker (Mopsy). Keaton died February 13, 1945 aged just 35, and just over a year later Flyin' Jenny made her last flight.

Fox Syndicate Sunday Strips

Comic Strip Name: Fox Syndicate Sunday Strips Strips Available: 2 Latest Strip: Fox Syndicate Sunday Strips 1940-02-25 - Kansas City Journal | Uploaded: Sep 6, 2017 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Superhero | Adventure | Mixed Bag | Science Fiction | Humor Color comics section published by Fox in 1940.

Frantic Stein

Comic Strip Name: Frantic Stein Strips Available: 2 Latest Strip: Frantic Stein 2 | Uploaded: May 15, 2014 Categories: Adventure Frantic Stein had a short run during 1947, and was drawn by George Mercer (October 1, 1923 - August 12, 2012). He was a prolific cartoon and comic strip artist. An African American, his work also includes: "Solid Senders", "Rickey", "Arline's Career"' and 'Pee Wee'. Later George Mercer became an artist for the United States Postal Service, nine of his designs were selected for individual stamps or postage on embossed envelopes. These include a 15-cent Uncle Sam's Top Hat embossed envelope and the 12-cent Freedom of Conscience. The later printed in 1981, is a red brown on beige stamp of the Americana Issue celebrating freedom of conscience. It pictures the torch from the Statue of Liberty with the wording "Freedom of Conscience-an American Right".

Gasoline Alley

Comic Strip Name: Gasoline Alley Strips Available: 14 Latest Strip: Gasoline Alley 1922 | Uploaded: Mar 30, 2015 Categories: Automobiles | Humor Publication History: Dates: 1918 Gasoline Alley made a low-key debut in The Chicago Tribune Syndicate, November 24, 1918. It was the beginning of a journey, which continues to this day. Gasoline Alley is credited as the first comic strip in which the characters age normally, and also being one of the first soap operas in any medium. The strip was created by Frank King with the remit from The Chicago Tribune's publisher, Colonel Robert McCormick, to create a strip to appeal to the new generation of car owners and mechanics. The major characters include: • Walt Wallet - a car fanatic, head of the family and the strip's central character • Phyllis Wallet - married Walt June 24, 1926 and died April 26, 2004 • Skeezix Wallet - Walt's adopted son, found on his doorstep February 14, 1921 • Avery - Walt's rather cantankerous neighbor • Pert - a rich miser and often the villain of the piece

High Lights of History

Comic Strip Name: High Lights of History Strips Available: 6 Latest Strip: High Lights of History 1933 | Uploaded: Feb 14, 2018 Categories: Non-fiction James Carroll Mansfield created several, mostly educational, newspaper features for Bell Syndicate. His most successful feature was 'Highlights of History', which debuted as a daily strip on November 17, 1924. In 1925 Mansfield "published a junior high school textbook called 'High Lights of History, America 1492 to 1763'. A full color Sunday feature of the comic strip began in 1926. The content focused on world history and peculiarities. Both the daily and Sunday strips came to an end in 1942 James Carroll Mansfield also created other features including 'Boys and Girls The World Over', 'Famous Fiction', 'Flags', 'Historic Ship', 'Jolly Geography', 'Would You Believe It? and 'Pictures in the Map'. The artist also drew some comic book art, such as 'Kit Carson in Pictures'. source:various

Invisible Scarlet O'Neil

Comic Strip Name: Invisible Scarlet O'Neil Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Invisible Scarlett O'Neill 1942 Spring | Uploaded: Sep 16, 2016 Categories: Superhero | Leading Ladies Publication History: Dates: 1940 - 1956 Invisible Scarlet O'Neil was written and drawn by Russell Stamm, who had previously worked on Dick Tracy. She first appeared in the pages of the Chicago Times, June 3, 1940. Scarlet O'Neil has the claim to fame of being one of the very first superheroines. As her name suggests Scarlet has the power of invisibility. This power was created when Scarlet put her finger in an experimental ray created by her scientist father. She suddenly disappeared, but luckily figured out that touching a nerve in her wrist acted as a switch, so she could turn her invisibility off and on at will. Over time Scarlet O'Neil's special talent was slowly dropped from the strip until in 1950 it was renamed to just 'Scarlet O'Neil'. A year later a new character named Stainless Steel was introduced. In 1955 the strip was retitled Stainless Steel, promptly folding the next year. As for Scarlet O'Neil she has yet to switch her off her invisibility and no one knows where she is.

Joe Palooka

Comic Strip Name: Joe Palooka Strips Available: 19 Latest Strip: Joe Palooka 1940 | Uploaded: Dec 18, 2016 Categories: Boxing/Martial Arts | Humor | Sports Publication History: Dates: 1930 - 1984 In 1921 Ham Fisher, a young sports reporter, met a boxer named Pete Latzo outside a poolroom. As he later recalled: "Here, made to order, was the comic strip character I had been looking for - a big, good-natured prize fighter who didn't like to fight; a defender of little guys; a gentle knight. I ran back to the office, drew a set of strips and rushed to the newspaper syndicates." Despite his continued efforts, Fisher had to wait nearly ten years before the strip launched. His breakthrough finally came whilst working as a salesman for the McNaught Syndicate hawking the newly launched Dixie Dugan. He managed to sign up over 20 newspapers for his strip, and Charles V. Adams McNaught's general manager agreed to give Joe Palooka trial. Launching April, 1930 Joe Palooka soon proved to be a sporting success. In 1932 he was the star of a short-lived radio show and in 1934 he starred in a low-budget movie. This was followed by a series of shorts and later a television series. He also appeared in numerous comic books along with his compatriots Little Max and Humphrey Pennyworth. Ham Fisher, Palooka's creator, committed suicide in December, 1955. Joe however lived on much longer, his final newspaper strip appeared on November 24, 1984.

Just Kids

Comic Strip Name: Just Kids Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Just Kids 1937 Sundays | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Humor A young cartoonist August Daniels "Ad" Carter was working a low-level job at The Brooklyn Eagle, when co-worker Clare Briggs advised him to create a comic strip and try selling it to a syndicate. He responded with Our Friend Mush, which his paper started running in 1916. It was years before anything came of it in syndicated form, but King Features Syndicate mogul William Randolph Hearst eventually took an interest in Carter's work. King launched Just Kids, where title character Mush Stebbins continued as part of an ensemble cast, as a daily on July 23, 1923. A Sunday page was added the following month. Other regulars included Mush's pals, Fatso Dolan and Pat Chan. The group functioned as a kid gang operating in and around a small town called Barnsville. The strip is pretty much a copy of Reg'lar Fellers, by Gene Byrnes. Just Kids even looked like Reg'lar Fellers, as Carter imitated Byrnes's art style as well as his character set-up, especially in the early days. But while the imitation was never as popular as the original, it still carved out its own place in the public consciousness. In addition to pins, dolls, games and other merchandised products, it was the subject of a coloring book in 1928 and a 16-page comic book reprint in 1932. Starting in 1934, it was the subject of at least a half-dozen Big Little Books. In the late '30s, as modern-style comic books rose to prominence, Dell Comics put it in the back pages of several of its comic strip reprints. The daily Just Kids ran nearly a quarter of a century, ending in 1947. The Sunday version continued, but when Carter died, in 1957, Just Kids was laid to rest with him. (source:toonopedia)

Ken Winston

Comic Strip Name: Ken Winston Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: Ken Winston 1954-11-02 to 1955-01-08 | Uploaded: Apr 13, 2014 Categories: Crime | Detective Ken Winston was a shortlived strip created by Jerry Siegel, with pencilling by Ogden Whitney (and Mike Roy). Syndicated by General Features it featured a James Bond look-a-like. running for a year or so in the mid fifties. "As most of Siegel's work it's not very sophisticated, but it is a lot more fun than you might expect from a failed and forgotten shortrun strip. A true oddity from two well known creators". (source: Ger Apeldoorn / The Fabulous Fifties)

Krazy Kat

Comic Strip Name: Krazy Kat Strips Available: 8 Latest Strip: Krazy Kat 1943 | Uploaded: Feb 15, 2018 Categories: Humor | Funny Animals Publication History: Dates: 1910 - 1944 The Krazy Kat comic strip debuted in New York Evening Journal October 13, 1913. Created by George Herriman it was published in daily papers until 1944. An interesting fact is that the publisher William Randolph Hearst was a great fan of Krazy Kat, and on occasions insisted that it appeared in his newspapers. Today, the often surreal strip is highly regarded and often quoted as a source of artistic inspiration. The main characters are: • Krazy Kat - a mentally challenged cat who is head over heels in love with a mouse and misinterprets brick throwing as a sign of endearment • Ignatz Mouse - the object of the cat's desire who unfortunately hates Krazy Kat, and makes that plain to everyone bar the cat • Offissa Pupp - whose sole objective is to lock up Ignatz Mouse in the county jail

Lesley Shane

Comic Strip Name: Lesley Shane Strips Available: 2 Latest Strip: Lesley Shane - Arms of Dracos | Uploaded: May 21, 2013 Categories: Crime | Adventure | Leading Ladies Glamourous detective, Lesley Shane, appeared in the Daily Sketch in the 1950's. The stories were syndicated world wide and later were adapted for Super Detective Library, one of the many pocket library series that were very popular in Britain and elsewhere. CB+ also hosts 2 Lesley Shane stories which were adapted for Super Detective Library /?cid=3364 /?dlid=71482 The stories were drawn by Oliver Passingham. The original newspaper strips appear by kind permission of https://bearalley.blogspot.co.uk/

Little Nemo

Comic Strip Name: Little Nemo Strips Available: 16 Latest Strip: Little Nemo 1913 And 1914 | Uploaded: Jul 6, 2009 Categories: Humor | Children/Teenagers | Fantasy/Whimsey Publication History: Dates: 1905 Little Nemo is the main fictional character in a series of weekly comic strips by Winsor McCay (1871-1934) that appeared in the New York Herald and William Randolph Hearst's New York American newspapers from October 15, 1905-April 23, 1911 and April 30, 1911-1913; respectively. The strip was first called "Little Nemo in Slumberland" and then "In the Land of Wonderful Dreams" when it changed papers. A brief revival of the title occurred from 1924-27.

Minute Movies

Comic Strip Name: Minute Movies Strips Available: 5 Latest Strip: Minute Movies 1919-1923 | Uploaded: Feb 15, 2018 Categories: Humor | Adventure Created by cartoonist Ed Wheelan, Minute Movies had a lengthy run from 1920-1935. It was a followup to his earlier Midget Movies (1918-1920). He later revived the strip as a back-up feature in All-American's (later DC) Flash Comics where it ran for several years (1940-1944).

Myra North, Special Nurse

Comic Strip Name: Myra North, Special Nurse Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Myra North, Special Nurse 1939 | Uploaded: Jan 3, 2015 Categories: Adventure | Crime | Spy/Espionage | Leading Ladies Publication History: Dates: Feb 1936 - Aug 1941 Myra North, Special Nurse was written by Ray Thompson and drawn by Charles Coll. The strip, which was distributed by the Newspaper Enterprise Association, debuted on February 10, 1936. A Sunday page was then added December 6, 1936. Thompson and Coll continued to work on both strips until they folded a few years later. One thing to be aware of, is that Myra North is not quite the person you would imagine. Although she is indeed a nurse, Myra spends a large proportion of her time investigating spies, super-criminals and other miscreants. So the strip is most definitely not a medical soap opera. In 1938 Myra appeared in a Big Little Book, but that was about her only outing away from her newspaper strips. The daily ended on March 25, 1939, but she continued to make regular appearances on Sundays until August 31, 1941. And that was the end of Myra North!

Napoleon and Uncle Elby

Comic Strip Name: Napoleon and Uncle Elby Strips Available: 11 Latest Strip: Napoleon - Sundays 1935 (Jan-Jun) | Uploaded: Apr 14, 2019 Categories: Animal | Humor Publication History: Dates: Jun 6, 1932 - 1961 Napoleon and Uncle Elby was a popular syndicated newspaper comic strip created by Clifford McBride, which launched on June 6, 1932. Over a span of 29 years it was distributed to both American and foreign newspapers. By the mid-1940s, the strip was carried by 80 newspapers. source: wikipedia While drawing such features as McBride's Cartoon (1927) and Clifford McBride's Pantomime Comic (1932), McBride introduced Elby, a character based on his uncle, Wisconsin lumberman Henry Elba Eastman. He soon began to add situations involving Elby's dog, Napoleon. For a minor syndicate, Lafave Newspaper Features, McBride began Napoleon as a daily strip on June 6, 1932. His Sunday strip was added on March 12, 1933, and the following year, the title was changed to Napoleon and Uncle Elby. Elby was based on McBride's uncle, Henry Elba Eastman. McBride soon began to add situations involving Elby's dog, Napoleon. McBride's assistant on the strip was former Disney artist Roger Armstrong (1917–2007). After McBride's 1951 death in Altadena, California, his second wife, Margot Fischer McBride, wrote the strip, and she hired Armstrong as the illustrator. In 1952, the team switched to the Mirror Enterprises Syndicate in Los Angeles, keeping the strip going for the next eight years. The strip was drawn by Joseph Messerli from 1953 to 1956, by Ed Nofziger from 1956 to 1958, and then Armstrong returned for the final two years. The Sunday page ended on November 27, 1955, and the daily strip ended in 1960.

Oaky Doaks

Comic Strip Name: Oaky Doaks Strips Available: 5 Latest Strip: Oaky Doaks 1939 | Uploaded: Jan 9, 2014 Categories: Humor | Fantasy/Whimsey Publication History: Dates: Jun 1935 - 1961 Oaky Doaks was created by Bill McCleery the comics editor of The Associated Press and illustrated by cartoonist Ralph Fuller. The strip debuted June 17, 1935 and a Sunday edition was added later in 1941. The strip, set in medieval times centers on Oaky Doaks, a farm boy who wore a suit of armor that he had made from the tin roof of a shed. His steed is named Nellie, and before joining Oaky on his adventures, pulled his father's plow. Oaky Doaks has the usual knightly adventures, fighting dragons and rescuing damsels in distress. But as he is just a simple lad much mayhem ensues. In the early years Oaky Doaks was accompanied by the rather rotund King Cedric, who really was not suited for kingly duties. Later Oaky strikes out on his own and settles in Uncertainia. Here he marries King Corny's beautiful daughter, Princess Pomona, who bears him a son. Presumably he is still there, as that is the last we heard of him, back in 1961.

Old Opie Dilldock

Comic Strip Name: Old Opie Dilldock Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: Old Opie Dilldock - Chicago Tribune (1908) | Uploaded: Jun 19, 2014 Categories: Humor | Fantasy/Whimsey W.L. Wells made the newspaper strip 'Old Opie Dilldock's Stories' in the Chicago Tribune between October 1908 and 1914. The strip was created by F. M. Howarth, who died shortly afterwards. On 24 February 1915, he created 'Old Nicodemus Nimble'. source:www.lambiek.net

Our Boarding House

Comic Strip Name: Our Boarding House Strips Available: 9 Latest Strip: Our Boarding House 1937 - Dailies | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Humor Our Boarding House was a long-running, American single-panel cartoon and comic strip created by Gene Ahern in 1921 and syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association. Set in a boarding house run by the sensible Mrs. Hoople, it drew humor from the interactions of her grandiose, tall-tale-telling husband, the self-styled Major Hoople, with the rooming-house denizens and his various friends and cronies. After Ahern left NEA in March 1936 to create a similar feature at a rival syndicate, he was succeeded by a number of artists and writers, including Wood Cowan and Bela Zaboly, before Bill Freyse (1898-1969) took over as Our Boarding House artist from 1939 to 1969. Others who worked on the strip included Jim Branagan and Tom McCormick. The Sunday color strip ended on March 29, 1981; the weekday panel continued until December 22, 1984. (source: wikipedia)

Out Our Way

Comic Strip Name: Out Our Way Strips Available: 27 Latest Strip: Out Our Way 1937 Dailies | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Humor Publication History: Dates: Mar 1922 - 1977 Out Our Way first saw the light of day as a single-panel cartoon March 20, 1922. Created by J.R. Williams it depicted American rural and small town life. The strip acted as an umbrella for several series, which included 'The Bull Of The Woods', 'Why Mothers Get Gray' and 'Heroes Are Made, Not Born'. Another recurring title was 'Worry Wart' that starred a young boy. Other regular characters included a cowboy named Curly and Wes a ranch bookkeeper. When a Sunday page was launched some of the characters were grouped together as the Willet family. At its height Out Our Way appeared in more than 700 newspapers, with a readership in the millions. J. R. Williams died in 1957, but Out Our Way continued to be produced by among others: Neg Cochran, Paul Gringle and Ed Sullivan. The last strip was produced in 1977, twenty years after Williams' death and fifty-five years since it launched.

Polly and Her Pals

Comic Strip Name: Polly and Her Pals Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: Polly and Her Pals 1937 Sundays | Uploaded: Dec 19, 2016 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Humor Publication History: Dates: Dec 4, 1912 - 1958 Polly and Her Pals is an American comic strip, created by cartoonist Cliff Sterrett, which ran from December 4, 1912, until December 7, 1958. It is regarded as one of the most graphically innovative strips of the 20th century. It debuted as Positive Polly on December 4, 1912, in William Randolph Hearst's newspapers, initially the New York Journal, and was later distributed by King Features Syndicate. The title changed to Polly and Her Pals on January 17, 1913. Main characters: • Polly Perkins – The nominal star of the strip was a pretty young girl, a flirtatious child of the Suffragette movement and a precursor of the Jazz Age 1920s flappers. Over time, the center of the action changed from Polly to those around her, and thus the title changed to Polly and Her Pals—though the "pals" were in fact members of her family: her parents and cousins. • Paw (aka Sam'l or Sambo) Perkins – Polly's excitable father, the main character and real star of the strip. • Maw (aka Suzie) Perkins – Polly's headstrong mother was the one with common sense, who usually sided with Polly. • Ashur Earl Perkins – Staying with them was their dimwitted nephew Ash, a font of bad advice. • Carrie - Paw's sister-in-law, a constant house guest (and irritant). • Gertrude – Carrie's precocious, spoiled brat of a daughter. • Neewah – The family's Japanese houseboy, who mostly did not understand what was going on (or pretended not to). • Kitty – An ever-present black housecat, who sometimes played a comic part in the strips. Source:wikipedia

Private Lives

Comic Strip Name: Private Lives Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Private Lives pt.4 | Uploaded: Aug 30, 2012 Categories: Non-fiction Publication History: Dates: 1938 - 1948 The full title for this series is: "Private Lives by Edwin Cox. Candid Cartoons of the World's Celebrities. The Unconventional News of the News-names". It was syndicated to American newspapers by Edwin Cox and Jack Bliss from November 1938 to May 1943. Jack Bliss was the artist for the complete series. Usually appearing in the Sunday Comics section, it consists of a single large cartoon panel surrounded by smaller cartoon boxes. It features famous people of the the day, including politicians and media celebrities.

Sparky Watts

Comic Strip Name: Sparky Watts Strips Available: 2 Latest Strip: Sparkly Watts (April 1 - May 9, 1942) | Uploaded: Oct 26, 2015 Categories: Superhero | Humor | Children/Teenagers Publication History: Dates: Apr 1940 Sparky Watts is a light-hearted comic strip that was written and drawn by Boody Rogers. It is a parody of the highly popular superheroes of the day. The story starts with Sparky Watts making his way though college by selling magazines door-to-door. One day he knocks on at the house of Doctor Static and a deal is struck. The doctor will buy all of the magazines if Sparky is the guinea pig for his cosmic ray experiments. In traditional style he is now suddenly blessed with superhuman powers, becoming the world's strongest man. Apart from his incredible speed and strength, his head is so strong that artillery shells bounce off it. On a domestic level Sparky now needs to use a blowtorch to shave! The stories which often center around Doc Sparks's latest experiment include other regular characters: • Slap Happy - a bald-headed sidekick who provides muscle and has massive feet • Yoo Hoo - a small Chinese boy • Hattie - who appears to be nothing more than a top-hat and legs • Goober - a dog who is owned by Doctor Static

Tailspin Tommy

Comic Strip Name: Tailspin Tommy Strips Available: 3 Latest Strip: Tailspin Tommy (Sundays) 1937.03.07 - 1937.12.12 | Uploaded: Dec 3, 2020 Categories: Aviation | Adventure Publication History: Dates: May 21, 1928 - Mar 15, 1942 In the 1920s, aviation adventure had as much high-tech glamor as space travel did a half-century later. And after 1927, when Charles Lindbergh became the first solo pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean, non-stop - all of a sudden, the American public couldn't get enough stories about flying heroes. Within a few years, the comics pages were packed with strips like Scorchy Smith, Brick Bradford (before it went over to sci-fi), Skyroads … The very first of these high-flying adventurers was Tailspin Tommy, who debuted on May 21, 1928. Tommy Tomkins showed an interest in aviation from a very early age - so strong that his neighbors in Littleville, Colorado nicknamed him "Tailspin Tommy" before he even saw the inside of a real airplane. He got his first chance to do so when mail pilot Milt Howe made an emergency landing in a nearby field and found Tommy, who had seen the troubled descent and came running to help, waiting on the ground. Milt helped Tommy get a job fixing planes at Three Point Airlines in Texas, and Tommy jumped at the chance. Before long, he was piloting them on his own - in fact, within a few years, he, his pal Peter "Skeeter" Milligan, and his sweetheart, Betty Lou Barnes, had become part owners of the company. source:toonopedia

Teena

Comic Strip Name: Teena Strips Available: 16 Latest Strip: Teena (1964) | Uploaded: Jul 9, 2016 Categories: Children/Teenagers | Leading Ladies Publication History: Dates: 1944 - 1966 Teena is a comic strip about a teenage girl, created by Hilda Terry. It ran from July 1, 1944, to 1963, distributed by King Features Syndicate. The strip evolved from Terry's earlier Sunday feature, It's a Girl's Life, a collection of gag cartoons which first appeared in newspapers on Sunday, December 14, 1941. The format displayed six panels about the reactions of teenage girls to World War II. Main characters are: • Teena Merry - The main character, a red-haired teenage girl. In color strips, her hair is either orange, maize yellow, or in rare instances, blonde • Pipsie Squeakie - Teena's best friend, a teenage girl with dark hair. Her first name is sometimes spelled Pipsy • Gwendolyn - Introduced later in the strip. A precocious little girl who lives across the street from Teena, whom she had become friends with. Has a big teenage brother, who Teena was infatuated with • Mary Merry - Teena's mother • John Merry - Teena's father source:wikipedia

Terry and The Pirates

Comic Strip Name: Terry and The Pirates Strips Available: 58 Latest Strip: Terry and the Pirates 14 C a) Burma's Return Beowulf | Uploaded: Feb 20, 2011 Categories: Adventure | Children/Teenagers | Pirates Publication History: Dates: 1934 A classic adventure comic strip, Milton Caniff's Terry and the Pirates. Caniff's masterful work on Terry garnered him the very first Cartoonist of the Year award in 1946 as well as the nickname "the Rembrandt of the comic strip." What we have here are the earliest Terry strips, illustrating Caniff's knack for spirited storytelling - complete with exotic locales, fisticuffs, explosions, and more than a little danger and suspense. So Join Terry Lee, Pat Ryan, Dale Scott and George Webster Confucius aka "Connie" as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime. PLEASE NOTE: We also have a collection of Terry And The Pirates Comic Books.

The Thimble Theater

Comic Strip Name: The Thimble Theater Strips Available: 1 Latest Strip: Thimble Theatre 1919 | Uploaded: Jul 27, 2012 Categories: Humor Publication History: Dates: 1919 The Thimble Theatre created by cartoonist Elzie Segar debuted on December 19, 1919. The King Features strip was designed as a replacement for Ed Wheelan's Midget Movies (he had moved on to create Minute Movies). The original strip parodied popular movies and plays of the time. The two central characters were Castor Oyl and his pal, Ham Gravy. In case you have not guessed what is coming Castor had a sister named Olive. All three appeared together for nearly 10 years until on January 17, 1929 a new and now very familiar character made his first appearance. Castor Oyl and Ham Gravy were down at the docks and as Don Markstein tells us: "'Hey there! Are you a sailor?' Castor called to a one-eyed man wearing a nautical outfit, with an anchor tattooed on his arm. 'Ja think I'm a cowboy?' said Popeye, who at that moment became an integral part of the Thimble Theatre cast. Within a year, Ham was written out of the strip and Popeye replaced him as the sweetheart of Castor's sister, Olive. Wimpy was added to the cast in 1932, and Swee'pea in 1936." And rest is history :)

U.S. Newspaper Comic Sections & Supplements

Comic Strip Name: U.S. Newspaper Comic Sections & Supplements Strips Available: 8 Latest Strip: How It Began 1934-36 | Uploaded: May 3, 2018 Categories: Adventure | Humor | Mixed Bag | Science Fiction | Western | Children/Teenagers The first US newspaper comic strips appeared in the late 19th century, closely allied with the invention of the color press. Jimmy Swinnerton's The Little Bears introduced sequential art and recurring characters in William Randolph Hearst's San Francisco Examiner. In the United States, the popularity of color comic strips sprang from the newspaper war between Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Some newspapers, such as Grit, published Sunday strips in black-and-white, and some (mostly in Canada) print their Sunday strips on Saturday. Subject matter and genres have ranged from adventure, detective and humor strips to dramatic strips with soap opera situations, such as Mary Worth. A continuity strip employs a narrative in an ongoing storyline. Other strips offer a gag complete in a single episode, such as Little Iodine and Mutt and Jeff. The Sunday strip is contrasted with the daily comic strip, published Monday through Saturday, usually in black and white. Many comic strips appear both daily and Sunday, in some cases, as with Little Orphan Annie, telling the same story daily and Sunday, in other cases, as with The Phantom, telling one story in the daily and a different story in the Sunday. Some strips, such as Prince Valiant appear only on Sunday. Others, such as Rip Kirby, are daily only and have never appeared on Sunday. In some cases, such as Buz Sawyer, the Sunday strip is a spin-off, focusing on different characters than the daily. An example of an action-adventure strip is The Phantom (May 28, 1939). With Ray Moore art, this was the first Phantom Sunday strip. Famous full-page Sunday strips include Alley Oop, Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, Blondie, Bringing Up Father, Buck Rogers, Captain Easy, Flash Gordon, and Thimble Theatre. Such classics have found a new home in book collections of recent years. On the other hand, numerous strips such as Bob Gustafson's Specs and Virgil Partch's The Captain's Gig are almost completely forgotten today, other than a brief display in the Stripper's Guide site run by comics historian Allan Holtz. Many of the leading cartoonists also drew an accompanying topper strip to run above or below their main strip, a practice which began to fade away during the late 1930s. Holtz notes, "You'll hear historians say that the topper strip was a victim of World War II paper shortages. Don't believe a word of it—it's the ads that killed full-page strips, and that killed the topper. World War II only exacerbated an already bad situation." (source:wikipedia)

Vignettes of Life

Comic Strip Name: Vignettes of Life Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: Vignettes of Life - Frank Godwin 1927 | Uploaded: May 24, 2013 Categories: Humor Vignettes of Life is a weekly "pseudo" comic strip by Frank Godwin who is better known for his work on Connie and Rusty Riley. He also drew some Wonder Woman stories. It's not exactly a comic strip, but exactly as it says vignettes. It often appeared in the newspaper magazines rather than with the comics. It was syndicated by the Philadelphia Ledger, printed in color or in smaller newspapers in black and white. Blogger Tom Sawyer writes: "Frank Godwin's Vignettes of Life was a tour de force, especially with respect to the art. It was also a highly amusing feature, and it tends to prove the proposition that people do not really change. People were the same in 1924 as they are today."

War On Crime

Comic Strip Name: War On Crime Strips Available: 10 Latest Strip: War on Crime C1-78 Dillinger Aug 17 to Nov 14 1936 | Uploaded: Nov 3, 2012 Categories: Crime Publication History: Dates: May 1936 - Jan 1938 War on Crime was conceived, at least in part, by none other than FBI director Edgar J. Hoover, who intended it as a public relations exercise. It was designed to counteract the current portrayals of G-men as lone mavericks. Instead, the strip showed the FBI as a formidable and well-oiled organization that was under the direct control of the director. The strip launched on May 18, 1936 appearing in 45 newspapers. It was written by crime reporter Rex Collier, who was a personal friend of Hoover. The illustrations were initially provided by Kemp Sterrett who after a year was replaced by Jimmy Thompson. All the stories featured in the War on Crime were real-life cases, and personally vetted by Hoover. The strip chronicled the demise of such infamous characters as: Ma Barker, Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger. They all met their ends due to the expertise and scientific methodology used throughout the FBI. Well, that is the way War on Crime told the stories! The strip finished its run on January 22, 1938. This was partly due to the fact that real-life material was running thin. The other reason cited is that the general public much preferred their crime-busters to be daredevil heroes who cut through red-tape. This fact still holds good!

Wash Tubbs

Comic Strip Name: Wash Tubbs Strips Available: 9 Latest Strip: Wash Tubbs 19440904-19441208 | Uploaded: Jul 31, 2009 Categories: Adventure | Humor Publication History: Dates: 1924 The date is April 14, 1924 and Washington Tubbs II, a young bumbling store manager makes his comic strip debut. It started life as a daily gag about Tubbs's misadventures, but soon expanded to storylines. Just 12 weeks later the strip was reinvented. Its creator, Roy Crane, moved Tubbs from the comfort of the store to a life in the circus. Suddenly, Tubbs became a man of adventure and it is often claimed that the former store manager was the precursor to Buck Rogers and Dick Tracy. Bull Dawson, Wash's arch-enemy was introduced in 1926. But Tubbs not being a fighter needed some muscle to deal with him. After a few attempts at finding a suitable character Roy Crane introduced Captain Easy on May 6, 1929. The tough Southerner was exactly what was needed. In fact he eventually stole the show, had himself a Sunday strip and in 1949 the daily was renamed Captain Easy. Luckily we have examples in our Captain Easy section. Tubbs made infrequent visits to the strip, presumably married life and the birth of twins keeping him busy. In 1988 Captain Easy's strip finished and with it any chance of news of Tubbs.

Yellow Kid

Comic Strip Name: Yellow Kid Strips Available: 4 Latest Strip: The Yellow Kid (1895) | Uploaded: Jul 28, 2012 Categories: Humor | Children/Teenagers Publication History: Dates: 1895 The Yellow Kid was created and drawn by Richard F. Outcault. Real name Mickey Dugan, he was bald headed and was probably shaven after lice were found. He sported a large yellow hand-me-down nightshirt, hence the name. As a device, the shirt had what the kid was saying printed on it. The Yellow Kid made his appearance as a supporting character in Truth Magazine in 1894. Due to his popularity he then became the star of Hogan's Alley (a fictional slum area in New York City). This first appeared in the New York World published by Joseph Pulitzer in 1895. Soon color was introduced, leading the way to Hogan's Alley and its star the Yellow Kid becoming a full-page Sunday color cartoon.

Single And Small Run

Comic Strip Name: Single And Small Run Strips Available: 178 Latest Strip: Gas Buggies - 1930-31 | Uploaded: Apr 9, 2024 Categories: Mixed Bag Newspaper strips that were a small run, or that we only have a single collection of and are not expecting any more.