Pre-Golden Age comics - Buster Brown

[thistleburr]

I was going to post these on the 30 Days of Winter series, but wasn't able to for various reasons. Anyway, here are a few scans from one of my favorite pre-Golden Age comics, Buster Brown!






Buster Brown is a newspaper comic strip created by Richard Felton Outcault in 1902. Most people seem more familiar with his other famous strip, The Yellow Kid.

Buster Brown is a usually well-meaning but always trouble-making young boy, with a talking animal companion (an American pit bull terrier named Tige,) whose words only he can hear, and whose sage advice he usually ignores. In a lot of ways, the strip reminds me of an early Calvin and Hobbes. Buster usually writes about what lessons he's learned at the end of each strip.

Buster often gets in trouble despite meaning well...






But sometimes he is quite bad.






Sometimes he even uses his trouble making skills for good ;)






The comic is now in public domain. You can read more Buster Brown comics, in black and white, here at the public domain comic resource Barnacle Press!

Comments

[jogadoresesquecidos.blogspot.com]

Very good. And thanks for the link, which tactfully states that "Buster’s mom is totally hot" ;)

BTW, I think he did a cameo on Alan Moore's LEG, as a complaining kid who was eventually killed by Moore himself.

[mcity]

I love the look on his face when he goes "It's all off, then."

[tacobob]

I think people probably know 'Buster Brown' more for the shoes than the strip. As for the Yellow Kid. Blade fought him more than a few times..Nasty fellow.

[icon_uk]

The "Now I'll have some nice little chickens" panel suggests that what we have here is a serial kiler in the making.

[misterbug]

I've actually held a copy of this while I worked at a second-hand bookshop. That kid did some strange stuff.

[punishermax]

LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH

[halloweenjack]

"If you fool with licker you must expect to get licked." Sounds good to me!

[psychopathicus_rex]

I like how Peck Bros. specifies that yes, you can THROW their eggs as well. Imagine if modern groceries were that candid.

'Aisle #5, Projectiles. Eggs, tomatoes, apples, kiwi fruit, and party balloons (water sold separately).'

[meatwhichdreams]

These golden age newspaper comics are always a delectable treat. Thanks for posting! I love rolling around in the lavish art and sheer unfettered weirdness.

[jlroberson]

Oh, yum, Buster Brown pages I haven't seen. I love this strip. He's such an utter little bastard. The obvious prototype for what would eventually become, say, Bart Simpson, Dennis the Menace, Calvin, lots others.

Outcault was such a freakin' master. I also love the color printing in this era.