Category Archives: Comics

Aug. 31, 1979: "Drabble," in an early, crudely drawn panel, replaces "Jeff Hawke." Notice that Stan Lynde has stopped drawing "Rick O'Shay," which is being done by Mel Keefer and Marian Dern. Also notice the reference in "Apartment 3-G" to … Continue reading →

Aug. 30. 1978: I had forgotten about Tom K. Ryan's "Tumbleweeds" until I started going through the old comics pages. The strip is full of annoying stereotypes but the one I found the most obnoxious was Hildegard Hamhocker, the desperately … Continue reading →

Aug. 29, 1977: "Kelly" is replaced with Sydney Jordan's "Jeff Hawke," another short-lived strip. 

          Aug. 27, 1975: The Times adds "The Circus of P.T. Bimbo," a short-lived comic that is just as dumb as it sounds. Plus "Doonesbury," "Mary Worth," "Momma" and "Broom-Hilda."

         Aug. 26, 1974: Here's a real slice of the 1970s — "Tank McNamara" and a redesigned "Lolly." "Lolly" was an old 1950s strip that had undergone several incarnations at this point and although the fashions have been … Continue reading →

      Aug. 25, 1973: The Times continues to alter its comics lineup, eliminating "Dark Shadows" and adding Jack Moore's "Kelly." Notice the much more sophisticated draftsmanship in "Doonesbury," compared with the panels two years earlier.

       Aug. 24, 1972: "Momma" and "Broom-Hilda."

   Aug. 23, 1971: On a dark day in May 1971, The Times changed its comics lineup, keeping the crudely drawn and unfunny "Momma" while eliminating "Nancy" to make way for something called "Doonesbury." Note "Dark Shadows" and "Friday Foster," … Continue reading →

   Aug. 22, 1970:  Some people dismiss Ernie Bushmiller because he portrayed the everyday human comedy rather than events of the day. Then again, being topical isn't always a good idea: Here we have a panel crowded with dialogue and … Continue reading →

   Aug. 21, 1969:  We can only speculate on what brought about a sudden transformation in Ernie Bushmiller's style. Perhaps it's the influence of the sexual revolution of the 1960s, Bushmiller portrays a romantic moment between Nancy and Sluggo as … Continue reading →

   Aug. 20, 1968:  In addition to not getting credit as an environmentalist, Ernie Bushmiller is usually ignored for his pioneering role in the Internet. But here we have conclusive proof that he anticipated the e-mail spam folder.

   Aug. 19, 1966: This is not the first time we have seen Ernie Bushmiller's concern for the environment. Recall his earlier panel on recycling. I'm not sure he has gotten adequate credit as an environmentalist.    

     Aug. 18, 1965: I will leave it to others to delve into the aesthetics of "Nancy" and muse on the inevitable changes in Ernie Bushmiller's style over the years. Still, these 1960s panels seem a bit more static … Continue reading →