King - Gasoline Alley - March 24 1939

This particular daily comic strip was published on March 24, 1939 and features three panels. The artwork area is approximately 20” by 6”. The strip is signed “King” in the final panel and is dated “3-24” in the first panel. The strip is © 1939 by The Chicago Tribune-N.Y. News Syndicate, Inc., as per the copyright notices in the fourth panel.

Great contrast of black and white and wonderful details by a true master of the form. Kings’s legendary feel for storytelling was married to a deft mastery of pen and ink. His technique is simply breathtaking. Strategically placed blocks of black ink and shading frame the action and story. Just brilliant. A superb pre-WWII example of King’s virtuoso writing and art, featuring Jessica and Gootch.

This daily is titled “Tag, You're it” in pencil to the left of the art. Jessica, Gootch's girlfriend (who always seems to get herself in trouble) parks Skeezix's and Gootch's car on the wrong side of the street and next to a fire hydrant. Of course she gets a parking ticket and of course she's offended at being issued a ticket. Great late 1930's strip featuring Jessica, the boys' jalopy and other late 1930s cars on the street. King's dialogue and feel for everyday conversation and life is simply dead on. His love of these wonderfully human characters pours through in every panel. Don't you love how shocked Jessica looks as she reads the ticket and how arrogant she looks when parking next to the hydrant. And you just know that this is going to lead to trouble for Skeezix and Gootch.