Ultimate Classic Comics Strips : II Quiz

Answer: George Wunder

Wunder took over the reigns of the highly successful strip and his first Terry appeared on December 29, 1946. Although many comic strip critics snub their nose at Wunder's work, the public seemed to enjoy it. With its great artwork, cheesey dialogue and an increasing hawkish attitude, Wunder's 'Terry and the Pirates' lasted until February 25, 1973.

Answer: Brant Parker

The strip was created in 1964. According to Hart, Parker and he spent three days in a New York hotel room creating the new strip. They taped their efforts to the room's walls. When the walls were filled, they called the syndicate up to come over and take a look. Amid a rubble of beer bottles, food containers and cigarette-filled ashtrays the men from Publishers-Hall syndicate worked their way around the walls reading the strip.

The verdict was in. "We think you're disgusting", they said, "but the strip is great! We'll take it!"

Answer: Lil' Abner

In those troubled times, Capp said he wanted the public to have something they knew would be the same, to forget the war for at least the few minutes it would take to read a 'Lil' Abner' strip. So while many comic strip heroes fought the Nazis and the Empire of Japan in their strips, 'Lil' Abner' remained blissfully ignorant in Dogpatch, U.S.A.

Answer: Al Capp

This strip was the brainchild of Al Capp. With so much on his plate doing 'Lil' Abner', Capp enlisted Raeburn Van Buren, a magazine illustrator, to do the wonderfully drawn strip. The strip lasted from 1937 to 1971. In 1947, Capp turned the writing of the strip over to his younger brother, Elliot Caplin. This duo of Caplin and Van Buren lasted until it's demise on January 30, 1971.

Answer: Porky Pine

A quiet and thoughtful character, Porky Pine would give Pogo a worthless but meaningful present every year. From a flower from the previous spring to an old piece of "chonklate" cake from a summer fish-fry, Porky Pine showed that the thoughtfulness of a present meant more than the actual gift itself.

Answer: Spark Plug

Barney Google loved his horse Spark Plug, and on occasion even slept in his stall so he wouldn't be lonely. Spark Plug was always draped in a horse blanket so his "knock-knees" wouldn't show. During the roaring twenties stuffed toys of Spark Plug were quite popular.

Answer: Fontaine Fox

'The Toonerville Folks' was a great strip with unforgettable characters. From Mickey McGuire to The Powerful Katrinka, these Fox creations were a slice of Americana so sadly missing now days. It's a shame strips like this are largely forgotten in today's world.

Answer: Bud Smith and Tad Dorgan

In 1915, Bud Smith ('Mutt and Jeff') and Tad Dorgan ('Indoor Sports')went down to Mexico with journalist John Weeler for a story Weeler was working on for the old New York Herald. It is a fascinating story which includes drunken debauchery, gamecock fighting, and murder. Bud Smith was given a six-shooter by Pancho Villa which he was proud of. Smith even had 'Mutt and Jeff' involved in the Mexican revolution in his strip. You can read more about this in the magazine "Nemo the classic comics library", issue number 25,April, 1987. Vol III, No. 5.

Answer: Moon Maid

On October 4, 1964, Junior Tracy married Moon Maid on the Moon. Gould, who went way overboard on his enthusiasm for space exploration, created ridiculous science-fiction stories in his strip. Thankfully, in 1978 Moon Maid was blown up in a car bomb explosion meant for Dick Tracy.

Answer: Milton Caniff

Capp remembered, "When I left 'Gilfeather', Milt Caniff took it over and probably made it a damn masterpiece". He didn't, and soon left the unoriginal panel strip to create his own masterpiece, 'Terry and the Pirates'.

Answer: Flyface

Flyface, a disgusting looking villian with an Elvis Presley-like hair-doo, had a swarm of flies constantly buzzing around his face. If that wasn't bad enough, Flyface also had a sweet little old mother, who also had the swarm. Also in this loathsome family was his little nephew, named Little Doc, who looked a little like the character Dondi with glasses, who was also teeming with flies.

Although grotesque, these characters were very humorous.

Answer: toppers

Some of the more popular "toppers" were 'Joe Sappo'('Thimble Theatre starring Popeye'), 'The Squirrel Cage'('Room and Board'), 'Unwashable Jones'('Lil' Abner'), 'Cicero's Cat'('Mutt and Jeff'), and 'Parlor, Bedroom & Sink'('Barney Google'). Just these toppers alone were better than most Sunday strips now.

Answer: George McManus

Maggie and Jiggs were constantly fighting in this classic strip. They were one of the first duos of a domineering wife and a brow-beaten husband. In real life Jiggs would have been in the emergency room many times over for all of the dishes, pots, pans and other objects thrown at his head by his better half.

Answer: 'Barnaby'

Created in 1942, 'Barnaby' was a favorite among intellectuals. Barnaby was a kid who had a fairy godfather named Mr. O'Malley, a cigar-chomping boastful little man with wings only Barnaby and other little kids could see. Barnaby looked exactly like Johnson's Harold from his children's books. Johnson left the strip in 1946 for other projects and the strip was continued in other hands.

Although drawn in Johnson's style, without his whimsical story-telling the strip was buried early in 1952.

Answer: H.T. Webster

The strip starred Caspar Milquetoast, who had to be the most timid man alive. He once waited in the rain for 3 hours to loan 10 bucks to a less than appreciative friend. He was pushed around by his wife, his boss, his cohorts, animals, even bums off the street.

The information for this quiz was taken from many sources as I have a large library of books and magazines I have collected over the years. These sources include "The Comics" by Jerry Robinson (1974 Berkley Windover Books), "Nemo the classic comics library" issues #4, 7, 21, 24 and 25, and "The Best of H.T. Webster" by H.T. Webster (1953 Simon and Schuster).

There are many books about the great old comics of yesteryear and I have collected these books from used bookstores throughout the years. If anyone one is interested in this subject I suggest checking out the older used-book stores in your area.