Rupert, the Golliwog and today's mystery photo

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

A genuine icon, Rupert Bear has been running in British papers since 1920. I distinctly remember reading a collection of the strips as a youngster and loving the old-time flavor, with the captions outside the pictures (rather than as word balloons). The Golliwog is a bit controversial, but the interesting Wikipedia entry shows Golliwog dolls still on sale and the image still being used on product labels. As a kid, I sometimes came across the word in reading -- someone like T.H. White would write a phrase such as "he was so alarmed his hair stuck up like a golliwog's" -- but I didn't know what they really looked like until the internet flooded my head with information. This Rupert strip is from 1967, and shows the trouble caused when playing pieces from children's games can't get along.

And today's guest is excessively famous among comics fans. From 1978, just before his third marriage and a few years before his sudden death, this isn't the most flattering photo.. but his art remains as gorgeous and impressive as when it first saw print.

Comments

[mullon.insanejournal.com]

Hey, it's that annoying thing from The Black Dossier.

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

Didn't Rupert appear in the second LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN series? I seem to remember he was one of Dr Moreau's monstrous creations.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Yes, Rupert and IIRC Tiger Tim both appeared as Moreau-style monsters.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Nope, different Gollywog, IIRC that one is from a dutch story.

[ebailey140.insanejournal.com]

Wally Wood.

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

It is!

[sistermagpie.insanejournal.com]

I remember the first time I saw a gollywog--I think it was on a jar of jam. I was like...is that what I think it is?

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Yeah, Robinsons Jam's used the gollywog as their mascot for many, many years.

[dr_hermes.insanejournal.com]

Robertson's Jam has taken the Golliwog off its label, but evidently up until the 90s you could send in some labels and get Golly pins and stuffed dolls. There's quite a bit of discussion about this online. Of course it's a racist image but most commentators remark how much they loved their Gollies as children and wish they had kept them.

Quite a remarkable image, generations of little boys and girls carrying this bizarre character around and hugging it with the devotion children have for their cuddly dolls.

[sistermagpie.insanejournal.com]

I remember that was the view of the guy I was with at the time. I mean, I saw it and couldn't believe it, but to him it was just a familiar little trademark. Everybody loves the golly!

[whatistriestine.insanejournal.com]

That's me (not British) and my British husband. He thinks they're A-OK, I'm... less certain of it, let's just say.

[endis_ni.insanejournal.com]

I can understand this. Rationally I can't believe they were ever considered acceptable, but as a little lass I didn't know anyone who didn't eat Robinson's jam or marmalade, so the image of the smiling, friendly golly was all but programmed into us as a beloved avatar of sweetness and Mum making your sandwiches for you.

[whatistriestine.insanejournal.com]

You can still buy Gollywog toys in the UK. I took a photo of one when I was in the local shopping centre and I'd put it here but it's on my mobile and refuses to be sent to the computer.