J.R. Williams - 1929 Out Our Way Panel - Tough Subject Matter

This is the first J.R. Williams Out Our Way artwork that I've owned. There are plenty of examples out there, but I wanted an early one and 1929 is a good year for the strip. I did dither a bit about buying this one, as I do own dogs, but ultimately I found it to be a powerful example of a different time, when dogs weren't necessarily pets and there were no humane societies to take unwanted animals to. I also like the focus of the characters in the strip: the daughter is smitten with the puppies. The parents can't really be bothered with them. Having the father looking at his watch is a particularly nice touch. And the poor son is the one who has to live with doing the dirty deed. The pen work is quite wonderful, with a nice variation of textures and tones. And as usual, Williams' figure work is wonderful and slightly awkward, but in a good way.