From The Gumps by Sidney Smith, here is the second group of eight periodic dailies from the summer and fall of 1929 that follow Tom Carr’s life after the death of his beloved Mary Gold (from May 30 to September 11). Look for the final group of nine in a few days. The complete story of Mary Gold is in LOAC Essentials volume 2.
We know you’ve been waiting, but the wait is over! Coming November 2018, The Library of American Comics proudly presents THE LIBRARY OF AMERICAN COMICS ESSENTIALS, VOL. 12: BARON BEAN, 1918, the concluding volume of George Herriman’s hilarious daily strip starring the self-appointed Baron Bean. Now the complete Baron Bean will be reprinted for the first time ever—three volumes that will be a must-have for fans of century-old comics!
The second volume in LOAC Essentials reprinted “The Death of Mary Gold,” one of the most significant and influential sequences in comics history. The events that occurred in Sidney Smith’s The Gumps during the spring of 1929 are the benchmark against which every major comic strip death in the succeeding ninety years has inevitably been compared.
When we last saw Tom Carr, Mary’s betrothed, on May 3, 1929, he was alone, adrift…mourning the loss of his beloved Mary Gold. Although Sidney Smith naturally turned his attention to new storylines involving Andy Gump and family, the cartoonist periodically kept readers apprised of Tom’s life post-Mary. Through November of that year, Smith dedicated twenty-five dailies to our old friend Tom Carr. Part way through, he re-introduces the gold-digging Widow Zander, who first appeared in 1921(Watch out, Tom!).
Click “Continue reading” to see the first eight (from May 4 to May 26). Look for a second group of eight in a few days, followed by the final nine.
Comics creators sometimes gave nods to the calendar in their ongoing newspaper strips. Year-in and year-out, many comics did special installments of their features to commemorate Christmas and, a week later, the farewell to the old year and the welcoming of its successor. Comics with a strong streak of patriotism saluted holidays like Independence Day, Armed Forces Day, and for a time, V-E and V-J Days.
But Groundhog Day? Fuhgedaboudit. The comics trade showed no love to that special early February day when millions of hearty northerners, fatigued by battling weeks of the subzero cold, ice, and snow that Ole Man Winter loves to dish out, looked to the humble groundhog for a sign that spring might soon be on its way. An event that has its roots in the 19th Century and is worthy of being marked on each year’s new calendars never seemed to excite the cartoonists who offered readers their daily dose of excitement and humor.
What did comic strips offer their audiences on that day when the woodchuck was acclaimed for something other than chucking wood? We thought you’d never ask — so, just for you, we prepared this fantasy comics page from February 2, 1935 …
Dean Mullaney and Kurtis Findlay are back with another episode of the Library of American Comics & EuroComics Podcast!
In this episode, Dean and Kurtis discuss Steve Canyon Vol. 8, Star Wars Vol. 2 and Corto Maltese: Golden House of Samarkand. Plus, learn about Edwina Dumm, “Cap” Stubbs and Tippie, with Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum Associate Curator Caitlin McGurk!
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Little Orphan Annie moves into the ’50s in this new collection in our long-running series starring that unwavering red-headed orphan and her pals!
Coming November 2018, The Library of American Comics proudly presents THE COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE, VOL. 15: OPEN SEASON FOR TROUBLE, written and illustrated by Harold Gray.
Booklist has released a new interview with Lynn Johnston about her career as a cartoonist as well as revisiting her early strips when we were putting together For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library, Vol. 1.
Booklist was impressed with the first volume, calling it a “handsome hardcover”.
Once in a while we receive an email from a reader that — all on its own — makes every effort we make worthwhile. A long-time comics reader recently discovered our LOAC ESSENTIALS series and wrote:
“Thank you, thank you, thank you for publishing Dan Dunn: Secret Operative 48. I was thrilled more than you can ever imagine to accidentally find that you had done the book on Dan. I ordered it from Amazon immediately and couldn’t wait for it to arrive. I am in my late 80’s and my two favorite comic strips as a child were Alley Oop and Dan Dunn.”
Here are links to both books: Dan Dunn and Alley Oop.
If you would like to share your thoughts on any over our books, please email us (info@loacomics.com) or go to our Facebook page. THANK YOU!
Here’s hoping this still-New-Year is off to a fine start for our readers and all the visitors to this space! It’s been a mighty frosty start to 2018 here in New England (as it was in many parts of the country), where we tied the meteorological record for twelve consecutive days where the high temperature never topped twenty degrees. It’s been so cold in the greater Boston area that my intrepid dog, Gypsy, has consented to wearing the sweater my wife bought for her on December 29th (something I never thought she would do) —
Despite the wintry chill in my area, I’m working on a variety of LOAC projects that promise to make 2018 a hot year indeed! Let me offer you a tiny peek at what you’ll be seeing under our logo in the weeks and months ahead.
