SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 148

 

 

Picking up with our ongoing adventure storyline...

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ "A QUICK CRACK UP↑" - Episode 2

 

Lots of Easter Eggs, Deep Cuts, Borrows, Crossovers, and Homages here in this little one panel parody. With apologies and acknowledgments. IYKYK.

 

Also, I ask for forgiveness to any Popeye fan triggered by my inclusion of Shorty in the parody. But whoop, there he is!

 

Oh, and hello, ALFRED. Welcome to SEA SHANTY FUNNIES you beautiful, obscure, and mainly forgotten public domain comic strip character who speaks volumes in total silence

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ "A QUICK CRACK UP↑" - Episode 1

 

 

Trying out something new with a simple gag strip to do here and there as the muse hits me.

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 147

 

We're back with the ongoing storyline after this past week's intermission while I took care of some things. Thank you for you holding.

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - KEY MOMENT Episode 9

 

So, in recent weeks, I've started to explore Popeye's publishing history over in Italy where there are thousands of pages of Popeye stories that have never been printed over here in America. Stories I never knew about or read.

 

Our fellow Popeye fan and friend Tano Strilla recently sent me a book called "Il Meglio di Braccio di Ferro" (The Best of Popeye) which are original Italian stories of Popeye by Pier Luigi Sangalli and Sandro Dossi that I am reading for the first time. One of the tales is of "Georgie the Giant" (named "Grissino" in Italy which means 'Breadstick'). This is a character first introduced by Bud Sagendorf at the beginning of 1960 in the POPEYE #51 and #52 comic books published by Dell Comics. 

 

Today's KEY MOMENT is a snapshot from the second issue. In the previous issue that he first appeared in, "Georgie the Giant" was Popeye's foe whom he knocked out. Spoiler alert. But Georgie was a Gentle Giant and as King Blozo states to Popeye, "Because you defeated him he says he is your slave and has to stay with you."

 

The next issue, he comes over for a weekend visit and causes all sorts of problems for Popeye's hometown due to his size.

 

"Grissino" would later spin off as the lead character into his own back up features in many of the "Braccio di Ferro" Popeye comics over in Italy where he appeared over 130 times in his own stories. He even spun off into his own comic book in Italy. He was also popular in the French version comic "Cap'tain Présente Popeye". The Comic Book Grand Database says that Georgie the Giant (called "Georges" in French) had appeared in French comics over 150 times. (I only own one French comic and intend to explore their publishing history soon, also). 

 

Over here in the U.S., "Georgie the Giant" was but one of many footnote minor characters that came and went with a few minor appearances, but for Italian and French readers, he was literally "a BIG DEAL". I'm no expert on Georgie the Giant, but he is a character of interest that I'm now appreciating and wanting to read more of his exploits in these non-American Popeye comics.

 

I have a whole new love and appreciation of Georgie "Grissino" the Giant. I just received my second Italian Popeye book yesterday with Grissino and I look forward to reading many more Italian comics featuring Popeye (Braccio di Ferro) as a fan (and possibly for research). 

 

As I've mentioned previously, I'm starting to learn a bit of Italian at the moment due to my interest in Braccio di Ferro and private correspondence that I've had lately with Tano. To me, it is funny, because I first learned to read English as a child at age five due to my father giving me comic books to read. Some of those comics were Popeye comics. Now, here I am at fifty-five years of age and I'm learning to read Italian ... thanks to... um... comics once again.

 

As they say, "I've gone full circle".

 

Over the past month, we've had a great influx of new readers. Many are from all over the world and I have come to realize that Popeye's popularity is global and unifying. We all love Popeye, don't we? This just isn't an "American thing". It is a "world thing". This has inspired me with all of you new readers to really look at exploring offering my comics translated into other languages if the interest is there.

 

For my readers from around the world where English is difficult for you to read: I know many of you are reading translations of these posts, however the text in the artwork is not always accessible for you to read.

 

Please  let me know what languages you would like to see SEA SHANTY FUNNIES translated in. First up, I intend to begin doing some translation in Spanish and Italian. What other languages would you like to see my comics translated in for you to read?

 

I want to do so because of my love for these characters. I would love to be able to provide entertainment and fun for you to read new Popeye tales. Thanks!

UPDATE: SEA SHANTY FUNNIES Returns on Sunday

Sorry, I've been tied up with both personal and work matters this past week and wasn't able to work on comic strips these past several evenings. Things are now returning to normal.

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES will return on Sunday with a new full page comic strip.

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 146

 

A drawing of the Literary James Bond

 

Somewhat how I envision the 1950's Literary Version of James Bond in my mind's eye when reading an Ian Fleming novel with the "comma of hair" and three inch scar on his right cheek. A quick rough drawing tonight for fun.

 

I tried to merge Sean Connery, Hoagy Carmichael, and a bit of George Lazenby. When I read the Bond novels, it is actually Lazenby's "voice" that I "hear" in my head when reading 007's dialogue. 

 

I hope to one day go and visit Fleming's home GoldenEye in Jamaica where he wrote his Bond novels. Wouldn't that be something?

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 145

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 144

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 143

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 142

 

An Ode to Beetle Bailey

 

 

While most folks know that I love Popeye and I'm doing my own public domain-based comic strip called SEA SHANTY FUNNIES, I am also a BIG fan of BEETLE BAILEY by Mort and Greg Walker. Just for fun, I put together this simple fan-inspired tribute as a test and chance for me to draw these characters that I love. THIS IS ONE TIME ONLY and is not meant as any sort of infringement. I thought I'd share. With all respect and love to the comic strip and creators. Thank you for making me chuckle all these years!

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 141

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - SORRY FOLKS, TODAY'S COMIC STRIP IS A RE-RUN. . .

 

 

SORRY FOLKS, TODAY'S COMIC STRIP IS A RE-RUN. . . 

 

I needed (and still need) to take care of some things on the home-front and for my work at my "day job". I plan on returning with a new SEA SHANTY FUNNIES web comic strip (and continue our current storyline) this upcoming Sunday -- the Almighty willing. It should be a longer comic strip this next go round is my current plan. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

 

So, HOLD FAST!

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - ♪ "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother..."♬

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 140

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES: Just enjoying the summer!

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 139

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 138

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ A Key Moment - Mini-Episode #8

 

I admit that it feels sort of sacrilegious for me to even to attempt to do today's flashback to a "Key Moment" from Popeye's life that is such an iconic big part of Popeye's history originally created and portrayed by creator E.C. Segar in a THIMBLE THEATRE comic strip that ran on Saturday, October 24, 1936. 

 

So with apologies... this is "after Segar".

 

This is the moment that Popeye finally confronted his father Poopdeck Pappy for the first time. For those that don't know, Popeye was abandoned decades earlier when he was a young child and had been on the lookout for his Poppa ever since. 

 

Popeye had journeyed with his friends and found his father due to the magical abilities of Eugene the Jeep who knew how to locate Popeye's father and pointed the way. On the remote island, Popeye found Poopdeck Pappy joined by his shipmate pal Pooky Jones who had just exited the scene just before this to "go trim his beard".

 

I did take some creative liberties to insert a few elements that were "off screen" that had appeared in previous panels leading up to this pivotal scene. This is another re-imagined "key moment" one-panel comic that I do my own reinterpretation of sorts.

 

For SEA SHANTY FUNNIES continuity in my comic strips and stories, I build off all of E.C. Segar's work that came before. I view it pretty much all as canon to Popeye's backstory though there are few things in my alternate universe I choose to throw out. I digress.

 

While I build off the foundation of Segar's work, I also inject modified stories from the Flesicher cartoons and other material into the back story of SEA SHANTY FUNNIES where I try to fit certain elements or "retcon" things the best I can to bring it all together in a melded mishmash.

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES is absolutely an "alternate retro universe" so some things that happened officially in comics or cartoons doesn't necessarily all fit within my unofficial alternate universe's history, back stories, or timeline. I state this for all the hardcore Popeye fans who may comb over details in my work to relax and rest easy knowing that this "alternate universe" is doing it's own thing and playing out. I'm just doing some storytelling in my own sandbox.

 

SPOILER ALERT...

 

And to tease something for a future segment of the current storyline from this summer in my SEA SHANTY FUNNIES "alternate retro timeline"... the "OTHER first meeting reunions" between Popeye and Poopdeck Pappy portrayed differently in the cartoons of Fleischer Studions "Goonland" (1938), "Popeye's Pappy" (1952) by Famous Studios, and "Me Quest for Poopdeck Pappy" (1960) from A.A.P. also all took place (in some altered manner) in my timeline's history if you will suspend your disbelief. Not to mention another version or two elsewhere seen in Popeye's various lore. At least in my mind and story.

 

I will explain the paradox and how and why it happened in an upcoming comic strip. But just know that over in SEA SHANTY FUNNIES, this "first reunion" portrayed by E.C. Segar happened first and was the most significant.

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 137

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Bully!

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES Facebook Group

 

If you're finding SEA SHANTY FUNNIES out here on my Blog, please know that I also have a Facebook Group for this comic strip and Popeye fan community that you can join for free over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/seashantyfunnies

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 136

 

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ - Episode 135

 

See their response, tomorrow. . .

SEA SHANTY FUNNIES Update

 Sorry, I wasn't able to get to my digital drawing board last night to deliver for you my usual Wednesday morning web comic. I was out on the town with some high school pals including the model and inspiration for our umpire Troy Vilayhong nd fellow SEA SHANTY FUNNIES Facebook Group members including my wife Jennifer for dinner and a fun get together. However, the next comic strip is 75% completed and I will post it tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. Central. I've got to go work at the day job now.