Popeye, Volume 1: Olive Oil & Her Sweety
Popeye, Volume 1: Olive Oil & Her Sweety
By E. C. Segar. Published by Fantagraphics.
Softcover in a hard case, 120 pages, Colour, 2021 (originally published 1931-1932)
Well, blow me down! This new four-volume series collects the complete run of the original Popeye Sunday newspaper page adventures in an accessible and affordable slipcased paperback format!
An irresistible alchemy of screwball comedy, tender romance, and rags-to-riches fantasy, Elsie Crisler Segar's newspaper comic strip captivated readers of the Roaring Twenties and beyond. And Popeye, the sailor man, was the unlikely star of the show. Fantagraphics is thrilled to bring Segar's whimsical world back into print, reviving the origins of the beloved spinach-eating American icon for a whole new readership. The E.C. Segar Popeye Sundays series collects the complete Popeye Sunday stories in four gorgeous full-color volumes, each packaged in a deluxe die-cut vertical slipcase.
Volume one (1931-1932) highlights Popeye's riotous romance with his sweet patootie, Olive Oyl. As apt to hold hands as butt heads, they are ultimately meant for each other, and their enduring connection forms the warm heart of the comic. Outside the love nest, Popeye seeks fame and fortune as a prizefighter. Ever the under-dog, he must contend with a series of increasingly fearsome opponents, from the formidable Johnny Brawn to a literal gorilla!
Featuring tongue-twisting gags, sensational slugfests, and an endearing ensemble of characters, this revival of classic Popeye adventures really packs a punch and will captivate stalwart fans and new readers alike. Introduced with comic tributes by acclaimed cartoonists Sergio Ponchione and Cathy Malkasian.
"An essential volume of both graphic storytelling and early 20th-century art. ... Nearly every episode collected here reveals Segar to be an absurdly hilarious master draftsman and wildly entertaining storyteller." — Library Journal (Starred Review)
"One of the great geniuses of the comic strip form, E. C. Segar created work that represents some of America's finest art in its epic scale, colloquial language, daffy humor and themes of romance and commerce.… Not to be missed." — Time Magazine
"Just as Charles Dickens took advantage of the serial publication of his early novels to introduce new characters and change directions, so also did Segar add, subtract and tinker until he had his comic strip working at its peak — and a brilliant, witty peak it was." — The Washington Post
"Modern audiences who know Popeye and his supporting cast only through later animated cartoons will be surprised by the richness of his original incarnation." — Booklist
"This new volume is perfect for a classic cartoon fan. Its focus on relatable themes like love, romance, commerce, and daffy humor make it a series readers should not miss." — Screen Rant