Monday, September 20, 2010

Skeezix and Uncle Walt



Frank King worked for the Chicago Tribune, on the Sunday page, The Rectangle, staff artists would contribute one-shot panels, this is where Gasoline Alley began. Four guys, Walt, Doc, Avery and Bill would have weekly conversations about cars. In 1919 it would become a daily strip in the New York Daily News.

Gasoline Alley would be the first comic strip to have it characters age normally, unlike Little Orphan Annie who stayed a girl forever. In order to generate greater appeal to women it was decided to add a baby to the comic strip. There was one problem though, Walt Wallet was a confirmed bachelor. The problem was solved with Uncle Walt discovering an abandoned baby, Skeezix, on his doorstep. This book Skeezix and Uncle Walt tells that story.


Skeezix would grow up, fight in World War II, and marry his sweetheart Nina Clock and have children of their own, all before the eyes of adoring readers of Gasoline Alley.

Casey: Please note the port-hole opening in the side of this baby carriage. Remind you of anything?
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2 comments:

  1. Casey ShainSeptember 20, 2010 at 5:49 PM

    First of all, I love old books more than I can say! I just can't see anyone finding a Kindle in 100 years and even being able to turn it on. I have discs from the '80s that just can't be accessed anymore, they don't make drives for them. Secondly, Gasoline Alley was one of my favorite comics when I was growing up. It just seemed to real. Thats a treasure of a book! Thanks for the history lesson too, I didn't realize how the strip started. And I'm still sneezing too!

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  2. Casey ShainSeptember 20, 2010 at 5:52 PM

    forgot to mention the cover typography. I love it! also like the way they did the copyright page. People were SO creative back in the day when you actually had to create with your hands and mind. Well, to be good you still have to, but so many 'designers' allow the computer to run their design for them.

    that baby carriage looks exactly like my old one! must have been the latest thing in the mid 20s-the Cat's Meow!

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