Review: Popular Comics #9 (Oct 1936)

Popular Comics #9
Dell Comics
October, 1936

Writing: various
Art: various


In October of 1936, with the success of Popular Comics, Dell Comics started a second title: The Funnies.  Several strips would bounce between these comics, thus creating room for new strips in this book.  Still carrying over 100 strips in every issue, Popular Comics is a treat!

This issue also advertises the new comic, "The Funnies" that also is in the same 64-page format with over 100 comics!  The winners of the "Name the comic" are announced, too!  This issue sees many strips leave, presumably to go into "The Funnies".


Gone this issue:

• Texas Slim
• Mutt and Jeff 
• Cicero's Cat 
• Life's Little Tragedies 
• Bronc Peeler and Coyote Pete 
• Tailspin Tommy 
• Tad of the Tanbark 
• Don Dixon 
• Reg'lar Feller 
• Daisybelle 
• Ben Webster's Page 
• Uncle Bill 
• Ginger

New this issue:

• The Nebbs
• Simp O'Dill
• Mary Apple

Returning this issue:

• Zipper by Gaar Williams.  A cute topper about a dog.

Even with the departure of some favorites, this is still a strong book with many great strips to enjoy!    There is plenty of action, adventure, comedy, and even some romance to enjoy! I enjoyed this issue and look forward to the next issue and the new "The Funnies" book!


The strips (in order of first appearance):

The Nebbs by Sol Hess.  Junior, high on the glow from nabbing a criminal (even if on accident) gets into trouble with a bully, but will his luck hold out?  Pretty funny.  The art on this strip is a little simple, but nice. The cartoon characters are clean and interesting, but the backgrounds are pretty sparse.  This is the first time I've ever heard of this strip, but it has me intrigued.

Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray.  Annie is about to become a star in a motion picture!  Or is she just being used?  Very intriguing.

Maw Green by Harold Gray.  Still dispensing good advice!

Smitty by Walter Berndt: How exclamations can order food!  Heh.

Herby by Walter Berndt: Kinda mean.

Dick Tracy by Chester Gould:  Tracy begins to take his new (temporary) job in HomeVille as police chief very seriously.  How will the criminals react?


Always Belittlin' by Percy Crosby.  Always cute and funny!

Skippy by Percy Crosby.  How do you  handle a new dog?  heh.

Tippie by Edwina Dumm: Cute.

Harold Teen by Carl Ed.   When feelings for worms can get you in trouble!  While this is a cute strip that I enjoy, it has thick accents and lots of timely slang...which, together, make me miss part of it, I think!


Moon Mullins by Frank Willard:  Who knows what pain lurks in a man's sock!  Heh.

Kitty Higgins by W (Frank Willard): Great joke!  The beauty is that I should have seen this joke re-done since the 30's, but I haven't and it was fresh!


Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff:  A bridging strip between story-lines, but still interesting.  Ohhh, and my favorite new word:  clockydoodle.

Scribbly by Sheldon Mayer. Heh.  Ving Parker goes on a quest to find and train Scribbly!

Little Joe by Ed Leffingwell.  A good philosophy on living versus living long.  Nice.

Ella and Her Fella by Al Posen. ot funny, and I think the art is getting sketchier and worse.


Sweeney and Son by Al Posen:  Heh.  Is that a baseball bat in your coat...

Tom Mix the Fighting Cowboy:  Pictures over words.  Boring. Tom is captured and escaped.

Little Folks by Jack Knight: Fun!

The Gumps by Sidney Smith: Reunited, with help from the Eskimo tribe, the team sets of to find their way home...but what mystery does an ancient ship harbor?


Smokey Stover by Bill Holman: Smoking, exploding cigars, and gasoline.  Heh.


Whiteboy in Skull Valley by Garrett Price:  Bob gets attacked for his circus reward money.

Gasoline Alley by Frank King.  A misunderstanding of words that is quite funny!

Mary Apple by Martha Orr.  A new strip for me, and one I've never heard of.  This strip has very classic artwork.  Starting after crippled school-kid Dennie has helped the police in some previous strips, he is promoted to class-monitor.  He asks his teacher for where her brother is as his grandma needs money owed from him.  It will probably take a few strips to get into this one.  Luckily, they gave us four strips to start this out.  I'm still not sure what the storyline is yet, but I'm starting to piece it together and enjoy it.

Don Winslow U.S.N. by Lieut. Cmdr. Frank V. Martinek U.S.N.R. and Leon A Beroth.  Doctor Q's plan continues.

Bos'n Hal Sea Scout by F.V. Martinek U.S.N.R and Leon A. Beroth.  Hal finds Captain Bell on board...

Parental Problems by Beck.  Four single panel jokes...or slices of life...boring and unfunny.

Smilin' Jack by Zack: I'm confused...they seem to be back up in their balloon exploring...maybe this is just an out of order strip from prior to the balloon crash.

A Strain on the Family Tie by Gaar Williams.  Money problems.  Heh.

Winnie Winkle the Breadwinner by Martin Branner.  They boys enlist a friend to get their clubhouse back from the girls.  Heh.


Lovey Dovey by Ferd Johnson. What can go wrong trying to get into a ball game?  Heh.

Zipper by Gaar Williams.  Cute topper about a dog...and a log!


Mort Green and Wife by Gaar Williams:  What can go wrong with breakfast in bed!  Heh.

Simp O'Dill by Sol Hess. A new topper for me.  This is really a standard 5-panel strip that could be a daily strip.  Not funny, unfortunately.  Simp gets snookered.


Tiny Tim by Stanley Link:  Tim and Dotty meet the Tortise and the Har.

Looie by Martin Branner: Not too bad.



Streaky by Gus Edson.   How to get on a baseball team!  Cute.