Comic Art 18 Dec 2007 08:40 am
Gasoline Alley
- I recently posted a number of comic strips panels and story threads from The Gumps by Sidney Smith. This was an example of one of the great story strips that reigned in the 1920-30′s. It was certainly not the only example of these.
Gasoline Alley has always been one of my favorite strips. I fell in love with it when I was a kid just about the time that Dick Moores took over the strip from Frank King. Probably as a result of this, I have been more a fan of Moores’ work than I have been of King’s. There’s something about his open drawings that really sing to me.
Moores had been a long time assistant to King prior to taking over the strip, so he knew it well. Only recently, thanks to the work of Bill Blackbeard and Chris Ware have we been able to really appreciate this strip. It’s being published in chronological order via Drawn & Quarterly Books.
Walt found Skeezix, a baby, on his doorstep on Feb. 14th, 1921. For an unmarried garage mechanic to raise a child in the 20′s there were obvious problems to face. The strip faces these problems as we watch Skeezix grow up over the years and Walt grow older. Life goes on in this strip, and it’s wonderful.
Here are a few strips from the 1921 and 1922.
(Click any image to enlarge.)
Within the first year you can already see the attachment between Walt and Skeezix, and you can see that Skeezix is growing up in front of your eyes. It’s just great.
A while back I posted a piece about the illustrated novel by Frank King “Nina and Skeezix.” It was published in 1941, 20 years after Skeezix was born. You can read that post here.
on 18 Dec 2007 at 11:38 am 1.Larry Levine said …
Great early Frank King samples. I discovered the strip during the Dick Moore era too.
Just how old is ol’ Walt now–147? I think the strip’s ‘aging’ format is now pushing reality just a wee bit!
on 18 Dec 2007 at 3:50 pm 2.Dani said …
Wow! Clear, expressive drawings never grow old!
Thanks for posting them!
on 31 Oct 2013 at 9:13 pm 3.George Strum said …
I am working on a screen play script based on the early years of GA including the custody court case. Authentic music of the 20′s would fill the background. It begins with Skeezix’s celebrating his 100th birthday with flash backs to his founding up to the case where Walt wins his adoption.