|
|
|
|
|
The comic strip is a uniquely American creation. Even though some mid-Nineteenth
Century European artists drew satirical cartoons telling a story within a single
frame, the furthest European cartoon art developed was the serialization of stories
by such writers such Charles Dickens accompanied by illustrations of contemporary
cartoonists.
American humor and cartoon weekly magazines founded after the late 1870s (“Puck,”
“Judge,” and “Life”) first introduced single panel cartoons
(and later a “strip” of panels) to American audiences. Striking storytelling
artwork was the result. (See the “American Memories” page on this site
for examples of these works.)
As the Twentieth Century approached, the United States was a growing nation with
a huge new immigrant population focused particularly in the large cities. Newspaper
publishers waged battles for increased readership. The comic cartoon became a major
weapon in these economic skirmishes. Cartoonists like R.F. Outcault (“The Yellow
Kid” and “Buster Brown”), Winsor McCay (“Little Nemo”),
and Frederick Opper (“Happy Hooligan”) drew large multi-paneled cartoons
– often a full newspaper page in size – printed in full color. Readers
often chose their newspaper based on which cartoons a newspaper featured. Comic
cartoonists became frontline soldiers in the newspaper circulation wars, but this
afforded them a continuing showcase plus enormous freedom to experiment.
|
|
In time, publishers and cartoonists settled on the cartoon “strip” we
know today as the standard format. Theme and content varied by the times, social
conditions, and location. Something was offered for everyone. Strips featured little
kids, immigrant families, social criticism and comment, heroes and adventure, soap
operas, or humor. The single panel cartoon never totally left comic newspaper art
and became an ideal form for new magazines such as in “The New Yorker.”
|
|
|
Comic strips continue today as part of mainstream American life. Strip artists have
a way of capturing an irony, an idea, or human condition using only a few lines
and words, a bottle of India ink, and a piece of illustration board. Because there
is only one original of a comic strip, they are highly sought after by collectors.
Few original cartoons are offered for sale by artists, making those available even
more collectible. The Art-cade inventories a wide selection of classic and modern
strips in a wide range of prices.
|
|
|
|
 
|
|