Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Ol’ George #6: He Drinks His Spinach


 Notes on #6:

1. Popeye the Sailor Man entered the scene on January 17, 1929, (almost 96 years ago!)in a episode of Thimble Theater by Elzie Crisler Segar, hired by his future sweetie’s brother, Castor Oyl, to sail a ship carrying he, his stowaway sister, and her then-boyfriend Ham Gravy away from the men trying to capture his African Whiffle hen with lucky powers. That’s why  you come here, for comics trivia, right?

2. I thought “spinach saison” was a good joke, but it surely exists. A brewery in Derbyshire, England called Popeye’s made one called I Eats My Spinach. Although, if you scan the pics on Untappd, it’s an IPA called I Eats Me Spinach. Sometimes the beer appears to be green.

The whole spinach thing was not a part of Segar’s work. It was made up for the animated cartoons. Segar wrote Popeye’s laugh as Arf, Arf, Aff, though the voice actor rendered it as Ack, Ack, Ack! 

More comics trivia! You’re welcome!

3. The bird, by the way, was a gift to Castor from he and Olive’s uncle, Lubry Kent Oyl. Elzie Segar, cartoon genius!

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