Y’know, I like this strip a lot. It’s a funny, well-drawn feature with characters that I personally find utterly charming and unique in comicdom. The Dippy Dudes are Robby and Reggie, Victorianesque swells who must have seemed anachronistic even in 1905 when they appeared in the papers. Their affected lisp (the strip was initially called “Wobby and Weggy”) and effete “sissy” mannerisms read as overtly homosexual to modern eyes, and I have a hunch that they did at the time as well, since later strips introduce a recurring, fruitless interest in vying for the attentions of “Mith Dolly”. Whether they’re a burlesque of gay stereotypes or simply preening and pretentious poseurs, they have some funny little misadventures, and deserve a little exposure.

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Today we have another wonderful strip from William Steinigans, scribe of Bill’s bad dreams, a couple of adorable pups, and Mr. Grimes’ goat! In fact, Splinters is something of a spin-off from the Pups, who co-star in this strip about a mischievous clown. As with all of his other features, this is gorgeously rendered and quite amusing. A worthy strip with which to spend some time!

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I’ve added about sixty new strips to the archive of George McManus’ classic pre-Bringing Up Father strip, The Newlyweds! They start in April of 1911 and carry through August of ’12!

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It’s cold down here at the beach in North Carolina, but we can’t make a snowball, let alone a Frappe Snow Man, so I won’t complain!

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