"WEE PALS": FIVE ORIGINAL DAILY COMIC STRIP ART WORKS by the pioneering African American cartoonist MORRIE TURNER, each signed by him, including one in which Oliver tells Mikki that "Necessity is the mother of invention?" to which Mikki responds that her grandfather told her that "Necessity is the mother of tension".

Turner, Morrie (1923-2014). Pioneering African-American cartoonist.

Published by Creators Syndicate, 1998-2007. 1998-2007., 1998

Creators Syndicate, 1998-2007., 1998-2007. Fine. - Five original pen & ink drawings consisting of panels drawn on white art card stock. The first strip is drawn on 5-1/2 inch high by 16-3/4 inch wide stock, the second on on 5-1/2 inch high by 15-3/8 wide stock, the next two on 4-5/8 inch high by 14-3/8 inch wide stock and the last one on 4-5/8 inch high by 14-7/8 inch wide stock. The earliest strip. in three panels, is from 1998 and portrays Oliver asking Mikki if she knows that "Necessity is the mother of invention?" to which Mikki replies that "My granddaddy once told me that. . necessity is the mother of tension, Oliver". Boldly signed "Morrie" at the bottom right of the middle panel with the date "5-13" penned at the bottom left of that panel. Creators syndicate's credits are penned vertically along the left edge of the middle panel. The next strip, in four panels, is also from 1998. In this strip, Ralph is swinging punches toward the TV. When Randy walks in, Ralph explains that "It's tough watching 'The Jerry Springer Show'. .Without wanting to join in!" Boldly signed "Morrie" at the bottom right of the second panel with the date "6-9" penned at the bottom of the last panel. Creators Syndicates' credits are penned vertically along the right edge of the second panel. The next strip, in 2 panels, is from 2005 and portrays Mikki & Trinh asking the wheel chair bound Charlotte where she is going. Charlotte replies the she's going to "volunteer at the homeless shelter". When Mikki asks if that makes her happy, Charlotte replies that "It's not the sugar that makes the tea sweet, it's the stirring!" Charlotte and her wheelchair are drawn in black ink on stock cut out and pasted onto the panel. Boldly signed "Morrie" at the bottom of the last panel and "dated "2-14" at the left of that panel. Creators Syndicate's credits are penned vertically along the left edge of the last panel. The fourth strip, in 3 panels, is also from 2005. The strip depicts Mikki and Trinh asking Charlotte "What's an obstacle Charlotte" to which Charlotte replies that it's "Something that people see. .when they take their eyes off the goal!" Boldly signed "Morrie" at the bottom of the middle panel and the date "9-26" is penned at the bottom right of the first panel. Creators Syndicate's credits are penned vertically along the left edge of the middle panel. The last strip, in 3 panels, is from 2007. Ralph asks Connie "When you grow up, what would you like to be called, Connie" "'Miss' or 'Ms'" to which Connie replies "Neither Ralph . 'Your Highness'". Boldly signed "Morrie" in the middle of the last panel with the date "2-22" at the bottom left of the first panel. Creators Syndicate's credits are penned vertically along the right edge of the first panel. There are annotations lightly penned at the top margin of the strip. All are in very good condition. The pioneering African-American cartoonist Morrie Turner (1923-2014) broke the color barrier with "Wee Pals", the first syndicated strip to feature an integrated cast of characters. Turner served with the Tuskegee Airmen during the second World War, contributing illustrations to Stars & Stripes. He later created the strip "Baker's Helpers" while working for the Oakland Police Department. One of 6 cartoonists selected by the National Cartoonist Society, Turner spent 27 days in Vietnam during the war, drawing caricatures of service people on the front lines and in hospitals. Urged by his mentor "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz, Morrrie Turner first created the comic strip "Dinky Fellas", but the all black strip was only picked up by one newspaper. This did not stop Turner who reworked the strip, renaming it "Wee Pals". Although the new strip, featuring an integrated cast of characters, was only published in 5 major newspapers at first, over a hundred newspapers chose to publish the strip following Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. Seller Inventory # 99098

Bibliographic Details

Title: "WEE PALS": FIVE ORIGINAL DAILY COMIC STRIP ...
Publisher: Creators Syndicate, 1998-2007. 1998-2007.
Publication Date: 1998
Condition: Fine
Signed: Signed by Author(s)