I Yam What I Yam

Meet Popeye. "Thimble Theater" began in 1919, but it wasn't until 1929 that Popeye appeared as an incidental character, gradually becoming the star. He became the dominant character, completely displacing the previous hero, Castor Oyl, and grew into a major animation star. He even brought spinach to the consciousness of mothers everywhere, much to the chagrine of their children. But many other memorable characters came out of the strip, including the genius moocher Wimpy, Li'l Swee' Pea and the evil Sea Hag.

Elzie Crisler Segar, who signed his name with an "S" made of smoke coming from a stogie, was the son of an olive oil (!) distributor. He had a relatively long career but short life, dying at age 44. More than any cartoonist of his time, he worked the environment of vaudeville/cinema into his comic strip. He also gave the world the words "jeep," after the dog-like creature Eugene that could disappear and reappear at will, and "goon," a weird, giant creature named Alice, who wore a delicate flowered hat. Afterwards soldiers took the vernacular for their "general purpose" vehicle that could go anywhere, "G.P.", and merged it into Jeep. And thugs hired to beat up union activists came to be known as goons.