Sunday Journal Comics Sampler

As I noted yesterday, the Sunday Journal debuted its comic page on September 8, 1968 with an interesting lineup of classic comics. There were ones dating back to the early 1920s (Moon Mullins), the 1930s (Smiling Jack), the 1950s (Dennis the Menace) and at least one brand new in 1968 (Boner's Ark).

I was hoping to post some comics from the Sunday Journal's initial offering in 1968, but unfortunately they're not on microfilm. But here's a complete comic section from early December 1976. As you can see, some of the ones from 1968 were still going strong. Prince Valiant was one of my Mom's favorites.

Gasoline Alley is still running today. However, the strip's gimmick – that the characters age in real time, like us – became a problem. Walt Wallet, the strip's patriarch is about 120 years old now!

I always liked Moon Mullins and its great cast who all lived together in a boarding house of sorts. Besides happy-go-lucky, cigar-chomping Moon and his little brother Kayo, the cast included Lord Plushbottom (who looked like the top-hatted guy from the Monopoly game) and his wife, Emily; Uncle Willie (who resembled a hobo) and his wife Mamie; and a few attractive women for Moon to flirt with.

And since I couldn't find a 1968 comic section from the Journal, here are a few examples of strips that you would have seen then, such as Lolly.

And I couldn't resist posting this color Moon Mullins from 1972. The men of the house sure are getting worked up over Miss Swivel's perfume.

And here's another Moon Mullins, this time from 1970 featuring Myna Byrrd.