Last Week's Sunday Comic Strip (June 11, 1939) - the artist got it right...Almost!
I really enjoy Artist Alfred Andriola's Sunday Comic Strips, which Rush "manually" changes each week (three cheers for Rush Glick)! If you like reading the Sunday funnies in your own newspaper, these were syndicated across America for almost 4 years (1938-1942)! So they'd be right there along with "Dagwood & Blondie," "Peanuts," "Sally Forth (uhg)," and other noted comics strips of the past.
Whenever I read the Chan Sunday comics, I unconsciously compare them to the novels. In last Sunday's Strip for June 11th, 1939 (posted by Rush on Sunday June 24th), the final cartoon balloon showed the entire family at the pier to wish Charlie "Bon Voyage." There was Mrs. Chan and...11 Children. Eleven! I was elated (doesn't take much) to see the amount of offspring correspond correctly to the novels: eleven, not fourteen as in the films. To me that says a lot about the artists attention to detail. Not many people can tell you how many there were in literature.
Yet, while he got the count correct, the ratio of boys to girls was wrong. The correct count is 8 Boys and 3 girl, for a total 11. Some other facts we know from the novels is that the first born is Henry Chan, and the last is Barry Chan. The oldest daughter is Rose (college age and "The flower of his flock"), and the next oldest girl is Evelyn age 15. The last daughter is Anna who writes asking him to "Hurry home, honorable father" in the 3d novel, Behind That Curtain. So in the novels six of the boys remained nameless (it's hell being in the middle!).
Still, congratulations to Artist Alfred Andriola for making the correct count. And to everyone, if you've gotten this far reading this you are probably as hooked as I am on Charlie Chan...Congratulations!
Re: Last Week's Sunday Comic Strip (June 11, 1939) - the artist got it right...Almost!
Dear Lou,
Our family was away on vacation for the last three weeks, so I just see your post now. Yes, I am sure that Mr. Andriola was influenced by the Biggers stories as well as the Chan films! Of course, he modeled Charlie Chan after Warner Oland's portrayal. Also, at the very start of the comic series, Chan's Number One Son was modeled after Keye Luke. We also catch a glimpse of young Barry Chan who looks a lot like Layne Tom, Jr. The number of the Chan children is probably something of a "blend" of the books and the movies.
Re: Last Week's Sunday Comic Strip (June 11, 1939) - the artist got it right...Almost!
It is a great thing, Rush! I read them on Sunday Evening or usually Monday Morning, depending on what's going on. And it is so cool how you can see bits-n-pieces of the films and novels.
Thanks for always posting them (even if it's just for one reader, me!)
Re: Last Week's Sunday Comic Strip (June 11, 1939) - the artist got it right...Almost!
Hey Lou,
Like you, I enjoy reading the Charlie Chan comics. And like you, and others, I can't help compare the comic strips to the books and the films.
Please be aware that during the Chan comics short run (1938-1942) that the "Blondie" strip was in the comic sections of national newspapers, but "Peanuts" comic strip was not.
"Blondie," created by Chic Young, premiered in print on September 8, 1930 and is still going strong today. "Peanuts," created by Charles Schulz, debut was on October 2, 1950.
The Chan comics are great fun to read. Thanks Rush for making them available to us by way of your website.
Re: Last Week's Sunday Comic Strip (June 11, 1939) - the artist got it right...Almost!
Ha! Steve, I just read your correction to my inclusion of "Peanuts" along with those other comics, when Charlie Chan was sleuthing around the newspaper comic strips! I stand corrected. Scratch one "Peanuts" and replace with...hmmmmm? How about "Little Orphan Annie? :grinning:
