Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for April 25, 2013

Comics that are no longer around of course.

Where’s Snuffy Smith at?

Who’s that blonde on the right? I think I’m in love.

Wonder if Brenda Starr will make an appearance? I think Snuffy Smith, Katzenjammer Kids, Popeye, Prince Valiant and a host of others are under new management – and still plugging along with new strips. Our local newspaper has an online feature called Comics Kingdom which has a whole lot of those great old comics available. But I know for a fact that Brenda Starr retired. I guess you could say that For Better or For Worse, Cathy and Peanuts have mostly retired. The strips which they are running now are all re-runs of classic strips. I notice that Mutt and Jeff are part of the Retired Comics Retirement Home picture – but classic episodes of Mutt and Jeff are still running at Go Comics. Hopefully, this will be a lengthy adventure!

I’ve been following the comics for over 65 yeras, since I first learned to read, but I hardly recognize any of these characters.

I think Walt may be staying…

Is it me, or is Walt starting to look younger since walking into the room?

Orphan Annie is still going as just “Annie” – where’s Smokey Stover?

Yeah, the only ones I really recognize are Annie and Mutt&Jeff.

I, too, think Walt will be staying – or perhaps coming back here soon to stay. It’s a way to get around the “aging in real time” problem. Skeezix and the others can visit him regularly.

I think the blond may be from one of the oldies like Terry and the Pirates or Buzz Sawyer or something.

All the other go comics have a link to buy a print of the comic. Of course now that there is one I’d be interested in buying, no link.

Annie is in reruns, no new strips.

The Yellow Kid is not. Yellow. Syndicate hack must be coloring these strips. Comics Kingdom at the Seattle PI has him in a pale blue shirt. http://www.seattlepi.com/comics-and-games/fun/Gasoline_Alley/

I am guessing there may be some legal (read: copyright) restrictions remaining that preclude which old comic strips Jim can pick from. I say this because it may mean why we have not seen the likes of: Lil’ Abner, Pogo, Calvin, and/or any of the Wild Side or Charles Adams characters.

I beg to differ. Pogo was NOT for children. I still miss that little possum and his friends in the swamp.

Dook, I did not think Jim was focusing strictly on strips for children. As a case in point, I would suggest GA is not just for kids. Thinking back to Pogo, and the great Walt Kelly, are you aware how Kelly saved Al Kapp’s reputation? I am not sure I should go into it here, but suspect the facts are available with a little time on Google.

Is the guy with the green tie and black bowler Moon Mullins???

Is the gent with the derby and green bow tie Moon Mullins?

Holy smoke, it’s Harry Hershfield’s Abie the Agent (standing in front of Moon Mullins and Happy Hooligan).

Yes, the guy in the derby and the bow tie is Moon Mullins. I am wondering about the fellow in the upper left with the brown hair sticking out. He kind of looks like Tillie the Toiler’s boy friend and eventual husband Mac, although Mac was a short little guy. Is the flapper on the other side of the room supposed to be Tillie?

Gee, we’re old!

The blonde could be Polly from Polly and Pals.

The good old days…when..We were not good…We were not old……. and..We were talking about the ‘nights’..

Wouldn’t it be cool if each and every one of the old comics were compiled into their own book for us to pick up and read? I’ve been collecting the Peanuts books and I would love to see this done with these old comics. Would make for a great library of comic strip books.

The Old Comics Home is my favorite GA storyline. Anyone see Smilin’ Jack Martin?

I thought I was old, but I don’t recognize many of these characters. Snuffy Smith was my favorite, but GoComics doesn’t have him.

i’m waiting for scram gravey

Nice to see the interest generated today by this great old strip! Good job!

I think these are all pre-WW2 strips (though some of them continued until relatively recently).