Click the image to see a larger version.
We end this December 2024 as we began it, with another Yellow Kid. Like before, there's always so much to see in these comics. You might see some bad, unsightly things, but there are a lot of good things to see here as well, much like the year that has just passed. Hopefully this next year will have fewer of the bad things and more of the good.
Happy 2025 everyone.
Click the image to see a larger version.
George Herriman is of course most well known for his masterpiece of a comic strip, Krazy Kat, but prior to the Kat's kreation creation Herriman penned several other strips which lasted for varying amounts of time. Professor Otto and His Auto lasted less than a year, beginning in March 1902 and most likely not lasting into 1903. Today's comic is probably the last Professor Otto strip that ran.
The strip was, as the title suggests, about a professor and the various things he does while in his automobile. I guess one thing he really enjoys is running into things with it, so his resolution is to only run into snowmen from now on. It seems causing emotional trauma to children is preferable to causing physical harm to people, at least in his mind. Mistaking Henry for a snowman and plowing into him, causing Henry to beat him to a pulp, is possibly why Professor Otto did not return for another strip.
Click the image to see a larger version.
As a kid, when you get socks or underwear or clothes of any kind for Christmas, it can be a major disappointment. Maybe getting a cool new jacket or some neat graphic t-shirts or something could be fun, but socks are always boring. Socks with fun patterns on them are disappointing, too, because it just feels like a boring thing that's trying too hard to not be boring. Extra points off if they're Christmas themed, because in reality those are socks you can't even wear until next Christmas.
Contrast this with how some adults feel about getting socks. While it seems nearly all socks made for kids are basically the same, and all you really worry about is if they will fit or not, adult socks come in so many different shapes, sizes, textures, and fabrics that getting some good ones as a gift can actually be exciting for some people. So when adults give kids socks, they may not actually be thinking about how the kid would feel about getting them and are mostly thinking about how they would feel. This, of course, leads to the Aunt Eloises of the world giving the Sonnys of the world socks for Christmas. If you are an Aunt Eloise, perhaps next year you should consider giving those socks to your adult siblings, and get something more fun and exciting for your nieces and nephews.
Click the image to see a larger version.
I'm just reading between the lines here, but I get the feeling Colonel Beef was trying to keep the boys from leaving because he either was aware of the surprise party being planned, or planned it himself. It's a shame they didn't get to be there, but I hope the colonel had a good party with the rest of the folks even in their absence. Dalton deserved to lose that 47 cents, though.
Click the image to see a larger version.
I don't remember having to return very many presents that I've been given over the years, either for Christmas or for birthdays. Perhaps once or twice. On the whole, though, I've always felt bad about doing it because it seems ungrateful to the person giving the gift. If someone has gone out of their way to give me something that they thought I would like, the least I can do is at least use it or try to enjoy it.
I can understand it when it comes to clothing, however, which seems to be what today's strip is referring to. Giving someone clothing is always difficult, especially children who are growing and who it may be hard to keep track of what size they are at any given moment. Using the returns as an opportunity to get entirely different clothing seems a bit ungrateful, though. I would have to return it and get something either exactly the same or as similar as possible in order for me to not feel bad about it.
Click the image to see a larger version.
Gift giving is hard. I've never been good at it. I'm never sure what someone else would like to receive. It appears the Candy family has the same issue, and what they've done is give gifts that they would like to have given back to them when the person they gave them to doesn't like them. It all works out in the end, I guess.
Click the image to see a larger version.
Terr'ble Thompson was an unfortunately short lived comic created by Gene Deitch, who was better known for his work in animation. The strip only lasted about six months, but Deitch would adapt it for a Terrytoons animated series called Tom Terrific a couple years later. It lasted only a couple of years, but reruns could be seen on the Captain Kangaroo show for many years after that. Terr'ble Thompson was known as the "Hero of Hist'ry," or at least that's what he called himself. He was so called because had some kind of time traveling ability that allowed him to go to any time period and meet various historical figures.
I guess Santa Claus counts as an historical figure, because we have Thompson meeting him here. This is the conclusion to a story about Santa Claus wanting to stay home for Christmas because no one believes in him anymore. The elves seem to feel the same way. Thompson uses his shirt and hat to make Santa a "beard cozy", which rejuvenates him and his elves and makes him want to give out presents at Christmas again. The decision to stay home must have happened at the very last minute, because the 4th panel makes it look like the presents were all ready to go but just weren't loaded onto the sleigh yet. Maybe Santa didn't really want to stay home, but was just thinking about it. Good thing Thompson gave him the little push he needed in order to make the right decision.
Click the image to see a larger version.
I don't have a lot to say about this one, other than the fact that I just love it. I love the clown car of Santas that just keep coming out of the chimney. I love the dialogue in the 2nd panel that so simply sets up the whole situation. Of course, I just like Ella Cinders generally, and this one in particular is just great.
Click the image to see a larger version.
I've never been much of a fan of Li'l Abner, because unlike certain other strips like Walt Kelly's Pogo which seems to actually have some respect for its Southern US swamp denizens, Al Capp always seemed to make every joke at the expense of the hillbilly folk. It felt like we were laughing at them when we should have been laughing with them. However, I think today's strip is very cute. Sure, Pa Yokum in his advanced age still believes in Santa Claus who we all know isn't real, but his belief is seen as something that should be preserved rather than ridiculed. Even for those of us who don't believe in a real, living Santa, I think continuing to talk about folkloric characters like him as if they do exist still adds something fun to the holiday season. Plus, if you're lucky, maybe you'll have a dream about meeting him.
Click the image to see a larger version.
It's always surreal to see media based on puppet characters that portrays them as regular people who walk around and go places on their own. While in the fiction of the puppet world they do have their own lives, there's an audience understanding that these things are being operated by a person. If it's something like The Muppets or Sesame Street where the puppeteers aren't really seen or shown, then it's not as weird, but in the case of Mortimer and Charlie, the lack of Edgar Bergen is noticeable. The ventriloquist is an integral part of the ventriloquist act, and having the dummies walk and talk without him just doesn't feel right.
On top of that, we see that in the fiction of this dummy world the dummies are actually the size of ventriloquist dummies. Had Edgar Bergen actually been in the comic, he would appear normal size, and they would appear the size that they do in his act. This allows for the punchline of today's strip, which shows Mortimer Snerd, who is small enough to fit into a baby's cradle, falling asleep in the baby furniture display. Why he has to get yelled at by a disgruntled wife in order for that to happen, I'm not sure. Having Mortimer wait in line for the phone booth forever, ask Charlie what kind of star he wants, and then go back to the store only to find it closed would work just as well. But I guess that wouldn't be Edgar Bergen-esque enough.