Yes, day after day. The cars suggest that Smith this installment is from the early 1950s, by which time Smith already been writing and drawing Mutt and Jeff for 20 years—and he had another 30 years to go! (The strip itself, created by Bud Fisher, dates to 1907.) For more beautiful drawing, take a look at Fisher’s Cicero’s Cat.
Yeah, art is definitely by Sparling, who loved to draw women in gravity-defying dresses at this stage of his career. I didn’t much care for his work when he was in the DC spook titles of the ’70s, but I came to appreciate him more years later. His work from the ’50s is especially strong. He drew well.
Just discovered tour strip. Marvelous! As for the art on the Loon-Oldson strip, panels 1 and 2 look very much like Matt Baker. Panel 3, though, particularly Jimminy’s profile, looks like the work of Bob Powell. Odd. Any other guesses?
Why so few comments about this invariably lively panel? Willems’s graphic sense sizzles.