This Week In Cigar History August 25 - 29

Whether chomping a cigar or admonishing the naughty boys, the hefty sailor "Der Captain" of the beloved "Katzenjammer Kids" comic strip, hit shore this week on August 31, 1902.

Der Captain has thrown his weight around as a ship wrecked boarder in Mama's house for over a century now. In the Katzenjammer Kids...and the competing series drawn by the originator Rudolph Kirk and his son, John -- "The Captain and the Kids"...he acts as a loveable but stern surrogate father for mischievous twin boys whose global adventures still amuse.

Cigar smoking characters in the funnies were and are natural by-products of their stogy loving illustrators. Additionally, they often reflect American society's authority figures (the saintly and corrupt) such as the businessman, politician, the über wealthy, and sinister villains…plus enliven the plotlines that reflect what's going on in everyday life. For example, the Katzenjammer Kids -- inspired by the German children's tale "Max und Moritz" -- spoke in a somewhat comical German accented English-attracting swarms of loyal readers among the newly arrived European immigrants in the early 20th century. Orphan Annie's rich benefactor Daddy Warbucks, Dagwood Bumstead's boss, Mr Dithers, Brenda Starr's editor, Mr. Livwright, and Spiderman's enemy J. Jonah.Jameson -- are four more examples of cigar puffers with clout.

Arguably, the most famous male comic strip stokers are the forever horse bettin' Augustus Mutt of the hapless Mutt and Jeff series, and the hen-pecked sweepstakes winning husband, the bricklayer Jiggs, and his rolling pin swatting bride, Maggie.

No wonder the once weekly Sunday comics became dailies.

This Week in Cigar History

8/25/08

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