For such an iconic character, very few people seem to have read the original Popeye comic strips. I know I didn't read them as a kid, and so my knowledge of the dude rested on some barely glimpsed Fleischer cartoons and some truly dire comic books; being particuarly opposed to vegetables as a kid, this sailor' spinach pimping mug filled me with no kind thoughts whatsoever.
But now there's Fantagrpahics' reprinting of the original Segar strips (done in frankly unwieldly giant-sized editions.) I've been following these since the first volume, and I have to say, outside of maybe Krazy Kat there isn't a single strip from the golden age of newspaper cartoons that can hold a candle to Popeye. I love how the characters just keep getting swept up in these epic insane adventures; I love the crazy twisted logic that the strip follows; I love Segar's creativity with language, Popeye's throughly mangled english being a particular highlight.
At the same time, there's something really touching about these strips, especially when you consider that they were being printed during the Great Depression: there's something very poignant about how Segar keeps having Popeye and his pals fall into these gigantic fortunes, and even though they're usually gone again by the end of the storyline, you can see the sense of wish fulfillment inherent to that - especially when you consider how the rich characters are almost always hateful rogues or ponpous buffoons. In a way the strip reminds me of the Warner Bros movies of the 30's - all those Cagney and Robinson flicks that have a similiar focus on ethnic humor and working class portrayals.
And then there's Wimpy.
Wimpy is interested in two things, and two things only: free food and watching someone beat someone else up. His civilized tone, and the relentless eagerness with which he pursues these two goals, make him one of my favourite characters of all time.
Anyway, yeah, great stuff this. Anyone else a fan?
But now there's Fantagrpahics' reprinting of the original Segar strips (done in frankly unwieldly giant-sized editions.) I've been following these since the first volume, and I have to say, outside of maybe Krazy Kat there isn't a single strip from the golden age of newspaper cartoons that can hold a candle to Popeye. I love how the characters just keep getting swept up in these epic insane adventures; I love the crazy twisted logic that the strip follows; I love Segar's creativity with language, Popeye's throughly mangled english being a particular highlight.
At the same time, there's something really touching about these strips, especially when you consider that they were being printed during the Great Depression: there's something very poignant about how Segar keeps having Popeye and his pals fall into these gigantic fortunes, and even though they're usually gone again by the end of the storyline, you can see the sense of wish fulfillment inherent to that - especially when you consider how the rich characters are almost always hateful rogues or ponpous buffoons. In a way the strip reminds me of the Warner Bros movies of the 30's - all those Cagney and Robinson flicks that have a similiar focus on ethnic humor and working class portrayals.
And then there's Wimpy.
Wimpy is interested in two things, and two things only: free food and watching someone beat someone else up. His civilized tone, and the relentless eagerness with which he pursues these two goals, make him one of my favourite characters of all time.
Anyway, yeah, great stuff this. Anyone else a fan?
