Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History » (REV)

It's the rare comic character who can make people laugh for three-quarters of a century -- but it's a pretty rare cartoon hero who can boast of forearms as thick as his waist, who can down a can of spinach in a single gulp, and who faces the world with one eye squinted shut. E.C. Segar's gruff but lovable sailor man first tooted his pipe to the public on January 7, 1929, on the comics page of the New York Journal, as Segar's Thimble Theatre strip. Over the decades to come, Popeye was to appear in the longest running cartoon series in film history, and on radio, television and stage -- and even in a live-action feature film. This comprehensive and lavishly illustrated history is a thoroughly updated and revised edition of the highly acclaimed 1994 work ("no other book comes close" -- Big Reel; "comprehensive...dedicated Popeye fans will welcome it" -- Inks; "excellent" -- Pop Art Times). The different directions each studio took with the animated series and films are examined, as are the changing character designs of the Popeye family. Popeye's appearances in other media -- comics, books, radio, and a stage play -- are thoroughly covered, as are Robert Altman's 1980 live-action film and Popeye memorabilia.