So much of my efforts into researching and enjoying comic strips have been spent studying "Peanuts", "Blondie", enjoying current favorites as "Pearls Before Swine", "Overboard" and "Garfield"... that I continually forget that my first favorite one was "Popeye".
Local cartoon networks aren't kind to the Popeye franchise these days. It's almost as if he's been censored a second time. Historically, Popeye was nearly retired by the comic syndicate in 1931 as readers complained Popeye's actions and fractured language were too rough for the comics pages. This, back when political correctness was far from being an idea!
Elzie Segar, the strip's creator, was forced to quickly modify Popeye's habits, adding morals to his reasons for fighting. He used to fight at the drop of a hat -- and perhaps if you think about it, it's easier to understand parents not wanting their children to catch on. The result was actually pleasing versus being a distraction, although the great Charles Schultz emphasized in an interview that "classic" Popeye (pre-1931) was very different from modern Popeye.
Despite that dab at censure, readers still loved the character, and he was forever shown on television many times during the day. Now I don't know if it was Robin Williams' dreadful portrayal of the character in the 1980 movie that began Popeye's slide from grace (his arms have to be twisted for him to even try spinach?), but somehow we lost touch.
Credit YouTube for bringing some cartoons back. And I'm not talking the Flesicher cartoons of the 30s, or the Paramount clips from the 50s -- I'm talking the King Features presentations from 1960-61 which were seen on local Channel 20 here for decades.
I can see why, after viewing them, why they're not shown as much. Devoted followers probably consider these the worst of the lot. But these were the first ones I was exposed to. Naturally, the King Features cartoons rank as "home base" with me and were actually the ones I missed the most, warts and all.
You can check out a bunch of them under this YouTube account. Some real great finds.
