This will be about old heroes – of the comic strip type and their values. The column will most likely prove that I am old, too, but that is another story. I read an article wherein it was wondered if anyone recalled Joe Palooka and his manager, Knobby Walsh. Well, naturally I do. He was a big strip in my childhood, although I could never figure out why they call a bad fighter a “palooka” – well they used to. Joe was the greatest heavyweight ever, and a “palooka” should be the best not a bum.
One of the advantages of the internet is that you can return to some of the “days of yesterday.” There are several web pages where you can see just about any comic strip presently being made or reruns of old ones. I belong to a couple of the services. Unfortunately, neither has Joe Palooka, but one has Big Ben Bolt who was another heavyweight champ – Palooka would have destroyed him.
However, every day I do read new (and old) adventures of the Phantom, Tarzan, Alley Oop, and Dick Tracy. There are also a bunch of old ones like Johnny Hazard, Jungle Jim, Rip Kirby, Gasoline Alley, and so forth. I might mention that some of my friends and neighbors say that the above is one of the reasons that I write weirdly at times. I beg to differ, as I consider them inspiration of the highest order. The old strips unlike what the young see today (note I said see, not read) gave moral direction to young kids. Heck, I learned to read by picking over comics.
Unfortunately, most kids today don’t bother reading the comic strips as they watch the noise on TV, or play video games. Both of these venues are much more violent than the old garden variety newspaper strip. I guess that noise and violence is easier than a decent story line. Even comic books aren’t really for kids anymore. Have you looked at the new ones lately? Yuck, I used to try and buy some for the grandkids, but I would have to go to an old comic book store to find some that are more than ten years old.
While I am in a confessing mood, I will admit that I like the old pulp magazines. One of the best was Doc Savage. He was 7 feet tall, as well as the smartest and strongest man around. His first name was Clark and he had a fortress of solitude long before Superman. When he captured bad guys, he sent them to his hospital in Canada where they were turned into respectable citizens. Today, they just blast the bad guys!
We must not forget the heroes who did double duty in the pulps and on radio. The shadow who was not really Lamont Cranston, the Green Hornet who was the great nephew of the Lone Ranger, and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy, are some examples. Then there was Frank Merriwell, and his brother Dick. Old Frank was the epitome of fair play and gentlemanly demeanor. He was also the world’s greatest athlete. If he were pitching a game (he could play any position) and a line drive went off his right shoulder, he would turn around and finish the game pitching left handed. Naturally, he was undefeated.
Ah, for the good old days of yesteryear. Will they ever return? Probably not – but we can dream can’t we!
Barry Evans writes about Life in The Villages for Villages-News.com.