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***L’il Abner***

One of my favorites! Remember the Students Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything (SWINE)? I still get a thrill thinking of when the Hippie front tooth attacked the Mafia Mob enforcer’s Brass Knuckles.

Pogo, L’il Abner

I meant conservative in terms of being resistant to breaking the continuity of the strip, not necessarily the political content. Al Capp changed over the years, and I never had any use for Walt Kelly, who I consider extremely over-rated.

Blondie, unfortunately, went way downhill when Chic Young passed away, and has lowered itself to self-reference. Dagwood is not supposed to explain or even acknowledge that he has a crazy hair cut or has one big button in his shirt.

Now, there IS an organic exception. Every so often, a new character will take over a comic strip. Three examples come to mind,

1. "Nancy" took over Fritzi Ritz, which had been about a beautiful young woman and her life and romances, ultimately being reduced to an occasional foil in later Bushmiller years, before being somewhat revived (though at the expense of the minimalist Bushmiller art).

2. "Thimble Theatre" had chugged along for years without Popeye, but once the sailor man entered the strip, he pretty much took over.

3. "Barney Google" was mainly about a not-too-with-it bloke who liked to bet and was heavily invested in a nag named "Sparkplug". He was a big deal, inspiring a hit record, and numerous novelty items. Now, it's even hard to Google him! The strip retains his name, but it is 99% hillbilly Snuffy Smith.