Forgotten Comic Strips
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Forgotten Comic Strips
@forgottencomics.bsky.social
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A home for newspaper comic strips that have fallen out of memory.
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Forgotten Comic Strips @forgottencomics.bsky.social · Dec 12
I go through a lot of newspaper archives for my job, so I end up reading a lot of funny pages. This is a home for comic strips that have been forgotten, either because they fell out of the public memory, or because they were never that successful to begin with.
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forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Inside Woody Allen" by Stuart Hample*, 1976-1984
July 27th, 1977 as seen in the Buffalo News

*credited as Joe Marthen
Comic strip "Inside Woody Allen," though this paper trimmed over the "Inside" part. A woman gives comedian/director/gross human being Woody Allen a c.b. radio for his birthday, already licensed with the handle "Four-Eyed Red-Haired Midget." I should check to see if they ever did a Bill Cosby comic strip.
July 18, 2025 at 12:48 AM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Tribune Toon" by Duck Ewing, 1993-1996
July 16th, 1993 as seen in the Tampa Tribune
Comic strip "Tribune Toon." A man provides a "half glass full" interpretation of the Tampa Bay weather forecast. Chance of rain means chance it won't rain! Partly cloudy means partly sunny! Not much he can do for "lightning storms up the gazoo!!" A strip exclusive to the Tampa Tribune in Tampa, Florida.
February 13, 2026 at 5:14 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Bunion" by George Martin, 1959-1968
November 7th, 1960 as seen in the Windsor Star
Comic strip "Bunion." A man sits under a tree, watching a concert in the park. When the crowd gets up, the man hits his head on a tree branch and falls unconscious.
February 13, 2026 at 4:52 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Hooper Jr." by Croft, 1948-1952
November 5th, 1951 as seen in the Selma Times-Journal
Single panel comic strip "Hooper Jr." A devil child is made to write "I will not fight" on the chalkboard as punishment. The child tells his teacher, "Of course you know this is going to louse up my pitching arm!" Also called "Lafftoons with Croft."
February 13, 2026 at 4:40 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Alexander Smart, Esq" by Doc Winner, 1931-1944
May 16th, 1931 as seen in the San Francisco Call Bulletin
Sunday comic strip "Alexander Smart, Esq," a topper strip for Doc Winner's "Elmer." Alexander Smart tries to mansplain to a mother how to calm down her child, but the child pulls his nose.
February 13, 2026 at 4:28 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Film Fun" by Bert Link, 1921-1922
January 20th, 1922 as seen in the Oakland Post
Comic strip "Film Fun." Subtitled "The Land Lord - Bless Him." A landlord needlessly switches the rent from fifty dollars a month to twenty-five dollars every two weeks. Because landlords are the worst.
February 13, 2026 at 4:15 PM
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"Our New Age" by Athelstan Spilhaus and Gene Fawcette, 1958-1975
December 15th, 1974 as seen in the Santa Barbara News-Press
Science speculation comic strip "Our New Age." Subtitled "Hole Power," this Sunday strip describes the theoretical harnessing of a black hole as a power source. I'm no Neil deGrasse Tyson, but I don't think this is quite right. Full Text: "Three scientists, Drs. Wood, Weaver and Nuckolls of Lawrence Livermore Lab, have thought the unthinkable and proposed what may be the most fantastic use of a yet-to-be-found object in history. They believe that if a small 'black hole' - a piece of the world's original material 10 to 15 billion years ago - can be located near Earth, it could be made to supply all the energy we would ever need! A spaceship could search for a 'black hole' with special instruments to detect its high-energy radiation and gravitational effets and when found, nudge it into Earth orbit by 'feeding' it bits of matter... Once in position, it could be used as a perfect fuction reactor by firing pellets of deuterium/tritium into it and directing the resulting burst of energt through a magnetic field to produce electricity... Power could then be beamed to Earth by microwaves!"
July 18, 2025 at 12:39 AM
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"Louie" by Harry Hanan, 1947-1976
October 16th, 1951 as seen in The Times
Comic strip "Louie." Louie is busking, playing a violin, when he's approached by another man. Clearly not a fan, he takes Louie to a music teacher and gives him money for lessons.
July 18, 2025 at 12:20 AM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Grandfather Clause" by Chris Wright, 2000-2001
August 13th, 2000 as seen in the Detroit Free Press
Comic strip "Grandfather Clause." Gramps is a contestant on a Survivor-style reality show with a bunch of tough survivalist types. However, when he mentions he partied with Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia and lived, everybody wants Gramps on their team.
February 12, 2026 at 5:08 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Today's Funny" by ???, 1969-1975
September 6th, 1971 as seen in the Vickburg Post
Single panel comic strip "Today's Funny." Reader-submitted puns drawn by an uncredited artist or artists. Today's pun, from Gary Rider in Flint, Michigan: "Credit cards give you that all-a-loan feeling."
February 12, 2026 at 4:39 PM
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"Socko, The Sea Dog" by "Teddy," 1939-1941
May 8th, 1941 as seen in the Hart County News
Comic strip "Socko, the Sea Dog." Socko the sailor orders a steak at a fancy restaurant, but finds it too tough to cut. He tries to get the waiter to take the steak back, but he can't, as Socko has bent it. It's believed that Jack Kirby did uncredited work on the strip at one point.
February 12, 2026 at 4:09 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Embarrassing Moments" by George Herriman, 1928-1932
September 30th, 1930 as seen in the Evening Courier
Single panel comic strip "Embarrassing Moments." A scene of two bees flying around potted flowers, one of the bees wearing a crown. Caption reads: "After having told the 'Queen' that you were a wizard at bringing home the 'honey,' she finds you buzzing around a mess of artificial flowers - "
February 12, 2026 at 3:56 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Old Doc Gayboy" by J.P. Arnot, 1913-1914
November 19th, 1913 as seen in the San Francisco Chronicle
Comic strip "Old Doc Gayboy." Subtitled "Doc Gayboy Found There Were Several Gayboys on the Job." Old man about town Doc Gayboy sees that there will be chorus girls performing. Hoping to impress those beautiful women, Doc Gayboy grooms himself and puts on his fanciest coat, when when he arrives at the theater, he finds a dozen men have already beaten him there, all of them dressed and groomed exactly like Doc Gayboy.
February 12, 2026 at 3:44 PM
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"Dotty Dripple" by Buford Tune, 1944-1974
October 1st, 1947 as seen in the Knoxville News-Sentinel
Comic strip "Dotty Dripple." Dotty notices that the dog, Pepper, is acting lethargic, and thinks Horace should take him to the vet. Horace is taking a nap, so Dotty suggests he go see the vet too. I've never seen a comic want to be Blondie so badly.
July 18, 2025 at 12:13 AM
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"Hold Everything" by Howard Boughner, 1941-1945
May 6th, 1944 as seen in the Ann Arbor News
Single panel comic strip "Hold Everything." Two army men carry garbage cans out of the camp kitchen. One complains, "When I enlisted I told them I was a stamp collector!"
July 18, 2025 at 12:04 AM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Caldwell" by John Caldwell, 1985-1989
March 29th, 1986 as seen in the Detroit Free Press
Single panel comic strip "Caldwell." A man covered in wings and propellers rides a unicycle towards a cliff. Caption reads: "The Obstinate Hall of Fame: The late Chet Heffernan - who spent a lifetime attempting to prove that the Wright Brothers were wrong."
February 11, 2026 at 4:53 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"New Jersey's Patriots" by Fred Fredericks, 1959-1959
June 2nd, 1959 as seen in Vineland Times Journal
Serialized historical comic strip "New Jersey's Patriots," a recounting of the American Revolutionary War from the perspective of New Jersey. New Jersey rebels watch as Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Mawhood and his men leave after the massacre at Hancock’s Bridge, three miles out from Salem that saw twenty members of the Salem militia killed.
February 11, 2026 at 4:42 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"The Muffins" by George Crenshaw, 1957-1959
November 14th, 1957 as seen in the Cleveland Press
Single panel comic strip "The Muffins." Mrs. Muffin can't decide what cut of steak she wants. "Then may I make one final suggestion, Mrs. Muffin," says the butcher, handing her a dart to throw at a beef chart on the back wall.
February 11, 2026 at 4:26 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"The Wonderland of Oz" by L. Frank Baum and Walt Spouse, 1932-1933
September 13th, 1932 as seen in the Decatur Daily Review
Serialized comic strip "The Wonderland of Oz," adapting the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. An adaptation of the second Oz book, 1904's "The Marvelous Land of Oz." The boy Tip is transformed back into the girl known as Princess Ozma. Full text: "Glinda ordered her own royal couch to be placed in the center of the tent. It was piled high with cushions covered with rose colored silk, and from a golden railing above hung many golds of pink gossamer, completely concealing the interior of the couch. The first act of the witch was to make the boy drink a potion which sent him into a deep dreamless sleep. Then the Tin Woodman and the Woggle-Bug bore him gently to the couch. Mombi squat upon the ground and kindled a tiny fire of dried herbs which she drew from her bosom. When the blaze shot up, she scattered a handful of magic powder over the flames, which straight-away gave off a rich, violet vapor. Then, while the others watched her curiously, she chanted a rhythmical verse and bent her lean body seven times back and forth over the fire. Then she cried one work "Yeowa" in a loud voice. Immediately the vapor floated away, the atmosphere became clear again, a whiff of fresh air filled the tent, and the pink curtains of the couch trembled slightly, as if stirred from within. Glinda walked to the canopy and parted the silken hangings. Then she stretched forth her hands and there arose from the couch the most beautiful fairy princess the world has yet known, for Tip was in truth the lovely and gracious Ozma of Oz. 'I hope none of you will care less for me than before,' she said sweetly, 'I'm just the same Tip you know.' 'Only you're different!" said the Pumpkinhead, and everyone thought it was the wisest speech he had ever made. When Jinjur heard of the discovery of Princess Ozma, she said: 'To think that after having ruled as a queen I must go back to washing dishes again. I will never consent.' So she declared war on Glinda and Ozma."
February 11, 2026 at 4:02 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Not Now" by Dick Dorgan, 1916-1917
June 10th, 1916 as seen in The Day
Comic strip "Not Now." Subtitled "In Spring a Young Man's Fancy - But -". A man sets his alarm clock at 6 a.m. so he can get up early to play tennis. When the alarm goes off, the man throws a shoe at the clock and cries out the strip's catch phrase, "NOT NOW!"
February 11, 2026 at 3:46 PM
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"Fenton" by Wiley Miller, 1983-1985
April 30th, 1983, as seen in the Indian River Press Journal
Comic strip "Fenton." A dog tries to scare away a cat, but the cat isn't impressed by anyone wearing a leash.
December 12, 2024 at 3:40 PM
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"Blender Mesh" by David Locher, 2000-2001
April 12th, 2001 as seen in the Oconomowoc Enterprise
Comic strip "Blender Mesh." A goat man goes in to give blood. The nurse asks him a series of questions about his health, which the goat replies "yes" to. He gets so in the zone that he stops listening to the questions, so when the nurse asks him if he's done hard drugs, he replies "yes." The goat man is rejected from giving blood.
July 16, 2025 at 4:39 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Son & Co." by John Roman, 2000-2000
June 20th, 2000 as seen in the Salt Lake Tribune
Comic strip "Son & Co." Sean and his father Ike, who have gone into the shipping business with each other, discuss why Sean quit his job to start the company. Sean says he wanted to get away from "tyrannical supervisors who cracked the whip and worked me to exhaustion." Now Sean can get to do that to himself.
February 10, 2026 at 4:51 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Wingtips" by Michael Goodman, 1981-1982
July 17th, 1982 as seen in The Sun
Comic strip "Wingtips." A judge is retiring, and he suggests his secretary continue to work for him, but as his golf caddy.
February 10, 2026 at 4:39 PM
forgottencomics.bsky.social
"Elsworth" by Bernard "Seeg" Segal, 1946-1958
February 9th, 1957 as seen in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Sunday edition of comic strip "Elsworth." Young Elsworth throws a snowball at a boy, who starts crying for his mother. Elsworth calms him down by letting himself get hit by a snowball, but when the snowball doesn't bother Elsworth all that much, the other boy starts crying for his mother again. Strip originally titled "Hank and Honey" before being retitled in 1949.
February 10, 2026 at 4:29 PM