I’ve always loved comics. When I was a kid Uncle Vern sent me a subscription to Donald Duck Comics and though I found those particular comic books not totally interesting, I was immediately in love with the format. By the time I was 10 I was spending lots of my hard-earned babysitting money on comic books…leaving behind Donald, Huey, Dewey and Louie and Scrooge McDuck. An early favorite was Nancy and Sluggo (aren’t they just so cute?)
And then Archie and Veronica and Jughead, Brenda Starr in the Sunday paper, Superman. The narrative told in single or double panel images was what I loved…and then I went on to the New Yorker cartoons (Roz Chast), Lynda Barry, Calvin and Hobbs, graphic novels…and so on.
So a few years ago I got this book from the discard sale at the library…copyright 1945…
this might have been me…
(note the “period” difference between male and female legs)
and then I got these books…
and stacked them in a pile for later date…like today…in the middle of quarantine…after comfort food…
and what a fun read…thinking about images and writing. Here’s Lynda Barry:
Ideas…both books said the same thing, keep track of your ideas and write them out. Find images…as I sat at the dining room table considering…
I looked up…at the end of the table…where all my drawing books of the last 25 years were stacked…
waiting to be put in the big cases at the Hallie Ford Museum during my exhibit (Memory as Myth) now not opening May 9th because of you know what…(maybe later though?)…and I thought…omg…I have years of images and ideas…
so off we go…
Keep in touch friends
On The Way 
How cool Bonnie. I remember Veronica, Jughead and Little Orphan Annie was a must.
Later Calvin and Hobbes. A special favorite of my brother and his deceased wife. They laughed and read quotes of it to each other. One of my favorite memories of their love. Life goes on and so shall we with this, you know….thank you for your insight. I will be right there when you exhibit at Hallie Ford.
Particularly loved reading this wonderfully strange post.
Nancy and Sluggo were the best.
Mary Jane and Sniffles was my favorite and Classic Comics. Thanks for the walk down memory lane and looks like we can expect new and evermore interesting things from you.
oh wow! we were on the same surf board, bonnie! nancy, little lulu and little orphan annie. sheena of the jungle. archie and veronica, popeye and olive oyl. and of course, brenda starr! fun reading lynda barry. fun reading this post and seeing more of your drawings. and OMG is that pea salad? made pea salad myself today and a potato salad. as with the comics, food carries memories of my youth. how cool to think of the roots of your love of drawing coming from the drawings of comic artists. post on.
“Little Lulu I love you Loo just the same-the same-Little Lulu I love you loo just the same…”
Little Lulu, Nancy and Donald Duck. Such cozy memories from childhood. Thank you Bonnie for stirring the pot.
I have a little Lulu doll…now where is that I wonder?
Fascinating! Hugs—from a distance
smoooooch
Love this post! I still love the comics, and am a big fan of Lynda Barry. Remember “Sylvia?” In addition to “Brenda Starr” (my role model) there was “Winnie Winkle.” Thanks for the the good cheer.
Yes yes…Winnie Winkle!
we’ll wait for word, when it does open, on Memory and Myth. ginny
the ground is moving…everything changes day to day. We shall see…
oh little lulu–she was my absolute fave, and i learned that reading was worthwhile if you have neighbors with stacks of comics—captain america and the fantastic four–thanks for this wonderful reminder—
My favorite was also Mary Jane and Sniffles, but I also like Archie and his pals. Favorite comic strips: Pogo, Doonesbury, Stone Soup, and For Better or For Worse. We didn’t have money for comic books, but when we visited my cousin in Cheney and were there over Saturday nights, they took us along on my cousin and his father’s Sunday ritual to buy the newspaper and a comic book each of us kids.