The year 1932 was a significant period in the early development of American comics, primarily defined by the robust landscape of newspaper comic strips. While the Golden Age of comic books was still several years away, this era saw the continued growth of established popular features and the introduction of new strips that would become enduring classics. Amidst the Great Depression, comic strips served as an important source of entertainment and escapism, becoming a staple in daily and Sunday newspapers across the nation.
Key Events
-
New Comic Strips:
- December 5: V.T. Hamlin's iconic prehistoric adventure strip, Alley Oop, debuted. Set in the fictional kingdom of "Moo," the strip uniquely blended humor, adventure, and elements of science fiction (particularly with its time travel later on), securing its place as a long-running and influential feature.
- The Nebbs by Sol Hess and Wallace Carlson also premiered, focusing on the humorous everyday life of a middle-class American family.
-
Industry & Context:
- Dominance of Newspaper Strips: Comics were almost exclusively found in newspapers, distributed through powerful syndicates like King Features Syndicate, Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, and United Feature Syndicate. Sunday newspaper sections, often in color, were especially popular.
- Impact of the Great Depression: The economic hardship of the Depression affected the newspaper industry, leading to tighter budgets. However, comic strips were often considered essential features that helped maintain readership, leading many papers to prioritize them even when cutting other content.
- Rise of Adventure Strips: The trend of serialized adventure strips, following the success of features like Tarzan and Dick Tracy, continued to gain momentum. These strips featured daring heroes, exotic settings, and suspenseful narratives, laying foundational elements for future action and superhero genres in comic books.
- Popularity of Humor Strips: Alongside adventure, humor strips remained immensely popular, providing lighthearted relief and satire reflecting contemporary life.
Notable Ongoing Comic Strips Active in 1932
Many iconic comic strips that had debuted in previous years continued their popularity and development throughout 1932:
- Blondie by Chic Young (debuted 1930)
- Bringing Up Father by George McManus (debuted 1913)
- Dick Tracy by Chester Gould (debuted 1931)
- Gasoline Alley by Frank King (debuted 1918)
- The Gumps by Sidney Smith (debuted 1917)
- Krazy Kat by George Herriman (debuted 1913)
- Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray (debuted 1924)
- Mickey Mouse (comic strip) by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks (strip debuted 1930)
- Popeye (part of Thimble Theatre) by E.C. Segar (Popeye character debuted 1929)
- Tarzan by Hal Foster (debuted 1929)
Key Creators Active in 1932
- V.T. Hamlin (Creator of Alley Oop)
- Chester Gould (Creator of Dick Tracy)
- E.C. Segar (Creator of Popeye in Thimble Theatre)
- George Herriman (Creator of Krazy Kat)
- Harold Gray (Creator of Little Orphan Annie)
- Hal Foster (Artist for Tarzan comic strip)
- Chic Young (Creator of Blondie)
- Walt Disney (Overseer of the Mickey Mouse comic strip)
See Also
- History of American comics
- Newspaper comic strip
- 1930s in comics