Classic Newspaper Comics
October 22, 2009 8:52 AM Subscribe
I Love Comix. Tons o' galleries of classic and not-so-classic newspaper comics. Essentials such as Little Nemo in Slumberland and Flash Gordon. Also Batman, Conan, Dark Shadows, and Pogo. Also lots of oddball stuff like Myra North: Special Nurse and Chris Welkin, Planeteer. [via]
They have your Star Trek and Star Wars too. Some of the images are bigger than others, the Little Nemo's for example are available in nice large scans.
They have your Star Trek and Star Wars too. Some of the images are bigger than others, the Little Nemo's for example are available in nice large scans.
Yeah, the delay on the Pogo reprints is annoying as hell.
posted by COBRA! at 9:43 AM on October 22, 2009
posted by COBRA! at 9:43 AM on October 22, 2009
Well, that's Fantagraphics for you.
posted by marxchivist at 9:46 AM on October 22, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by marxchivist at 9:46 AM on October 22, 2009 [2 favorites]
Not your regular nurse, no sir. That's Myra North, special nurse. wink, wink.
posted by Naberius at 10:19 AM on October 22, 2009
posted by Naberius at 10:19 AM on October 22, 2009
My grandmother had a collection of early 20th century comics, mostly newspaper clippings. While visiting her as a kid, I would pore over them for hours. (Interestingly, I learned more about early 20th century politics, the Great Depression and Prohibition through political cartoons more than I ever did in school) Little Nemo in Slumberland was always one of my favorites (it's weird as hell!) - I haven't thought of it since reading Alan Moore's Promethia (Specifically, Issue #3 "Misty Magic Land"), and I certainly haven't seen it in years. Thanks for the cool post.
posted by brand-gnu at 12:01 PM on October 22, 2009
posted by brand-gnu at 12:01 PM on October 22, 2009
Oh I love Little Nemo! I used the comics all the time studying illustration in college and watched the weird "yamma pajama" movie as a kid.
posted by sweetmarie at 1:08 PM on October 22, 2009
posted by sweetmarie at 1:08 PM on October 22, 2009
oh, I mean is this where we talk about blackface and how it's really just about class?
posted by sweetmarie at 1:09 PM on October 22, 2009
posted by sweetmarie at 1:09 PM on October 22, 2009
I was just talking to a friend about how creepy a lot of the early newspaper comics were. He singled out Little Nemo for freakiness; to me, Nemo's a cool kind of creepy but every time I see a drawing of the Yellow Kid it's like someone's pooping on my soul.
posted by COBRA! at 1:11 PM on October 22, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by COBRA! at 1:11 PM on October 22, 2009 [2 favorites]
Random suggestion/plea that will end in my possible crucifixtion? Can we, uh, accept that Little Nemo was written/created at a time when what was depicted was a cultural norm, and, due to the utter awesomeness of the full created work, try to give it a one-time "but only because you're so good" pass?
I was lucky enough to grow up with a book of Little Nemo. Full-sized pages, with full color reproductions. Between that, Micky in the Night Kitchen, Where the Wild Things Are, and the Rainbow Goblins, my imagination was in good hands.
posted by Ghidorah at 2:52 PM on October 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
I was lucky enough to grow up with a book of Little Nemo. Full-sized pages, with full color reproductions. Between that, Micky in the Night Kitchen, Where the Wild Things Are, and the Rainbow Goblins, my imagination was in good hands.
posted by Ghidorah at 2:52 PM on October 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
I thought blackface was all about how much better white men are at fitting into the stereotype they had for black men than real black men could. (Also applies to white guys portraying Charlie Chan, Fu Manchu, etc.)
end of derail.
Speaking of stereotypes (or being just stereotypical enough to capture the mainstream white audience), I like how the Gordo strips he had were of a storyline making fun of Texas. Still, needs more Gordo, and needs some Rick O'Shay, the Western comic with the oddest combination of cartoony and realistic art I can remember growing up.
And I need to read up about when and how Pogo Possum stole the strip from original title character Albert the Alligator. I've always referred to that as "The Fonz Effect", but it really dates back to Barney Google & Snuffy Smith or earlier. Just makes me realize how much I don't know about Pop Culture, and Comics Culture specifically. *sigh*
posted by wendell at 3:50 PM on October 22, 2009
end of derail.
Speaking of stereotypes (or being just stereotypical enough to capture the mainstream white audience), I like how the Gordo strips he had were of a storyline making fun of Texas. Still, needs more Gordo, and needs some Rick O'Shay, the Western comic with the oddest combination of cartoony and realistic art I can remember growing up.
And I need to read up about when and how Pogo Possum stole the strip from original title character Albert the Alligator. I've always referred to that as "The Fonz Effect", but it really dates back to Barney Google & Snuffy Smith or earlier. Just makes me realize how much I don't know about Pop Culture, and Comics Culture specifically. *sigh*
posted by wendell at 3:50 PM on October 22, 2009
This is awesome!
Pogo is certainly the greatest newspaper comic strip ever created, better even than Calvin and Hobbes (and that's sayin' something.) Windsor McKay was a great artist, one of the greatest newspaper comics have ever seen; but he finally lost the long battle and was consigned to drawing political cartoons that were largely beneath him principally because he was no newspaper man. Whereas Walt Kelly was a newspaper man; he was friendly with all parts of the business, and he made it his life's work to create a comic strip that could deal with everything from the empty, sinking feeling caused by ubiquitous advertising in the modern age to the political blowhards on the left and the right to the environment. (And he dealt with the environment in the 60s and 70s, when it was far from being the pet cause it became in the 90s.)
posted by koeselitz at 4:46 PM on October 22, 2009
Pogo is certainly the greatest newspaper comic strip ever created, better even than Calvin and Hobbes (and that's sayin' something.) Windsor McKay was a great artist, one of the greatest newspaper comics have ever seen; but he finally lost the long battle and was consigned to drawing political cartoons that were largely beneath him principally because he was no newspaper man. Whereas Walt Kelly was a newspaper man; he was friendly with all parts of the business, and he made it his life's work to create a comic strip that could deal with everything from the empty, sinking feeling caused by ubiquitous advertising in the modern age to the political blowhards on the left and the right to the environment. (And he dealt with the environment in the 60s and 70s, when it was far from being the pet cause it became in the 90s.)
posted by koeselitz at 4:46 PM on October 22, 2009
Hilarious and beautiful at the same ever-lovin' time.
posted by koeselitz at 4:58 PM on October 22, 2009
posted by koeselitz at 4:58 PM on October 22, 2009
Okay, okay: one more and then I'll stop. But this one is just too darned good.
posted by koeselitz at 5:01 PM on October 22, 2009
posted by koeselitz at 5:01 PM on October 22, 2009
Tell us how you really feel about Pogo koeselitz!
posted by marxchivist at 5:03 PM on October 22, 2009
posted by marxchivist at 5:03 PM on October 22, 2009
Oh! Was I dreaming? Eh huh! Yes! Um! Oh! I'm so glad!
-- Come on, Nemo! Get up! It's late! Do not let me have to call you again! Get up now!
Yes Mam! Pshaw!
posted by litlnemo at 5:19 PM on October 22, 2009
-- Come on, Nemo! Get up! It's late! Do not let me have to call you again! Get up now!
Yes Mam! Pshaw!
posted by litlnemo at 5:19 PM on October 22, 2009
I 'grees with koeselitz. Way back when I was jus a lickle tyke, I read me jus a passle o' Pogo collections. I specially liked Churchy's singing.
Good King Wencelas, look out!
On yo feets uneven!
While the snoo lay round about
Something something Steven
Or who can forget:
Ma boonie lice soda devotion
My bonnet lye soda D.C.!
Something something
Oh, brickbat my something toomey!
(Obviously there's been some bit rot in the last 35 years or so.)
posted by Michael Roberts at 9:28 PM on October 22, 2009 [2 favorites]
Good King Wencelas, look out!
On yo feets uneven!
While the snoo lay round about
Something something Steven
Or who can forget:
Ma boonie lice soda devotion
My bonnet lye soda D.C.!
Something something
Oh, brickbat my something toomey!
(Obviously there's been some bit rot in the last 35 years or so.)
posted by Michael Roberts at 9:28 PM on October 22, 2009 [2 favorites]
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