Gasoline Alley recently celebrated its centennial anniversary. Only the Katzenjammer Kids has had a longer run, starting December 12, 1897 and running until sometime into 2006 for over 108 years.
But a few more will soon reach their 100th year of new comic strips.
The first one less than a month from now.
Champs and Chumps by Robert Ripley appeared December 19, 1918.
The next year it became Believe It Or Not.
That December 19, 1918 date is confirmed by Ripley Inc. itself.
But 100 years later Art Lortie has found that it appeared four days earlier. Believe It or Not!
But that’s not the only comic strip nearing 100. Take Barney Google for instance.
The Barney Google and Snuffy Smith comic strip’s first appearance was June 17, 1919.
Though it would take until November 17, 1934 for Snuffy to show up.
Next year also sees 100 years since E. C. Segar’s Thimble Theatre debuted on December 19, 1919.
Popeye would take almost ten ten years to finally show up.
Then comes what could prove to be an interesting centennial anniversary.
Fritzi Ritz turns 100 on October 9, 1922, of course that strip morphed into today’s Nancy.
In a recent interview Olivia Jaimes was asked about her future on the strip:
Do you have a 30-year plan for “Nancy”?
I see myself doing it for a long time.
So if Olivia is still doing the strip in four years will she be amenable to a celebration?
After Nancy there is a gap of some years for the next group.
Blondie came on September 8, 1930.
Dick Tracy burst on the scene October 4, 1931.
Caveman Alley Oop began December 5, 1932.
Mary Worth began as Apple Mary on October 29, 1934.
The Phantom walked onto the comics pages February 17, 1936.
And Prince Valiant, like Gasoline Alley, debuted on a Saturday – February 13, 1937.
Those are the dozen comic strips that have lasted the longest,
though if a couple of those toward the end of the list falter
that little orphan Annie (1924 -2010) could replace them.
And let’s not forget our boy Ginger Meggs, est. 1921 and still kicking!
Jason, I must apologize for my U.S.-centricness. Ginger Meggs’ first appearance on November 13, 1921 puts it in the top five longest running comics.
I notice it is syndicated by Andrews McMeel ( http://syndication.andrewsmcmeel.com/comics/strip/gingermeggs ). Can you or someone from A-M tell me if it runs in any U.S. newspapers?
Also be noted that, while I mentioned Annie, Bringing Up Father ran new strips from 1913 to 2000 (87 years) putting it in the current top dozen longest running comic strips.
Yes, it’s running in North America, Central and South America.
Shouldn’t Little Orphan Annie already be on the list? It ran for 86 years, longer than Mary Worth, the Phantom, and Prince Valiant.