Marc Deckter Challenge Bonus Round

This past weekend, a few more great supporters stepped up to bat to help us buy hard drives to back up the digital treasures we've collected over the past couple of years. The Marc Deckter Challenge is officially over until the next fundraising drive in the Spring, but I cajoled Marc into sharing some more wonderful comic strips from his collection with us to celebrate the support of the following great folks... our new Archive Hero, Barbara Miller, Cameron Bowes, Amir Avni, Keith Fuselier, Michael Bunker, Patrick Sevc, and Lou Copeland. Thanks for your help! It's greatly appreciated.

SALESMAN SAM
By C. D. Small
Created in 1921 by cartoonist George Swanson, Salesman Sam chronicles the life of Sam Howdy, a salesman at the J. Guzzlem General Store. The strip pioneered the screwball school of cartooning that gave birth to Milt Gross' Dave's Delicatessen and Bill Holman's Smokey Stover. Swanson refined the cartoon "take", a device later taken to extremes at MGM by cartoon director Tex Avery. It's likely that Avery was a fan of this strip, because it also includes another favorite Avery comic device, the sign in the background wryly commenting on the action.

In 1927, the popularity of Salesman Sam led King Features Syndicate to hire Swanson away from the Newspaper Enterprise Association. NEA continued the strip after Swanson's departure with magazine cartoonist, C. D. Small. This is one of the rare examples of an artist picking up another artist's creation and actually amplifying and improving it. Archive supporter, Mike Fontanelli speculates that perhaps the reason that this strip isn't as well known is because of comic fans' natural aversion to strips being continued by syndicates without the original creator involved. Thanks to Marc Deckter and the contributors to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, now the true story can be told.










MILT GROSS DAILIES
Around 1931, Milt Gross took an unique approach to his daily newspaper comic strip. Instead of establishing a title and set of characters, he established several titles and several sets of characters. The Meanest Man featured a mysterious little man in black who secretly sabotaged people in everyday situations. I Did It And I'm Glad starred a little milquetoast whose frustrations erupt in violence. Draw Your Own Conclusion set up a comic situation and left the payoff to the reader's imagination. Banana Oil coined a phrase which meant pretty much the same thing as "hogwash" or "hooey". Here's a heaping helping of prime daily Gross...













Thanks again to all of the great folks who supported the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive during the Marc Deckter Challenge. We promise to give you more than your money's worth over the next six months.

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Marc Deckter Challenge Day Seven

Many thanks to Alex Vassilev for sponsoring this comic.

A PERSONAL WORD
There's power in numbers. At the beginning of this fundraising drive, I announced that the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Blog had just logged its two millionth unique visitor. If every one of those readers contributed the token amount of one dollar to the cause, we would be cutting the ribbon on a brick and mortar museum of animation today. But unfortunately, that isn't the way the world works.

There are a precious few individuals in this world who feel strongly about what they believe in- strong enough that they support their cause for everyone's benefit, not just their own. Over two million people have benefitted from the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, but these 14 people are the ones who feel what we are doing here is important enough to turn their appreciation into action during this week's fundraising drive...

Will Finn, Sherm Cohen, Dino's Pizza, Matthew DeCoster, Frank Hutchinson, Paul Higgins, Chappell Ellison, Brian Homan, Max Ward, Dennis Hyer, Brian Horst, Adam Caldwell, Alfredo Guisepp Castelli, and Vipin Sharma

Along with Marc Deckter, who made this challenge possible, and the faithful assistance of the handful of dedicated volunteers and supporters listed in the sidebar, these individuals are enabling us to bring the riches of a century of cartooning to you for FREE.

You've heard people referred to as "one in a million"... The people who support the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive truly are that kind of person.

TODAY'S CONTRIBUTOR
Dennis Hyer contributed earlier in the week, and decided to contribute again. Thanks, Dennnis!








IF YOU VALUE THE ASIFA-HOLLYWOOD ANIMATION ARCHIVE, SUPPORT IT
I hope you will keep this in mind in the six months until our next fundraising drive. If you can help us, please do. Many thanks to those who added the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive to the blogroll on their site this week.

Thank you
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
.

Stumble It!

Marc Deckter Challenge Day Six

Many thanks to Vipin Sharma for sponsoring this comic.

THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE.
DON'T LET US DOWN!
Today marks the sixth day of our bi-annual fundraising drive. We've caught up with our backlog of comic page sponsorships, so it's up to you to support us today for tomorrow's final day of Sunday page treats. There's still one more chance to do your part and contribute to help us purchase hard drives to carry us through the next six months of digitization. Here's how it works...

THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE
One of our most steadfast supporters is Marc Deckter. Marc is allowing us to digitize hundreds and hundreds of rare 1930s Sunday pages from his extensive collection. Last year, Marc issued a challenge to readers of this blog. Today, he is challenging you to help again.

Contribute $20 to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive through the PayPal link below, and Marc will provide us with a vintage Sunday page to publish here on the website. Donate $50 and he will share three of them... donate $100 and he will allow us to post eight pages. Purchase one of these hard drives and have it shipped to the Archive, and Marc will post FORTY rare Sunday pages! Marc has classic Otto Messmer Felix the Cat, Chic Young's Blondie, Cliff Sterrett's Polly and Her Pals, Milt Gross Count Screwloose and other great pages ready to go. All you have to do to see them is contribute. As the total rises, Marc is prepared to throw in some extra treats, like he did last year. When you contribute, everyone benefits.

IT'S TIME TO SUPPORT THE ARCHIVE

TODAY'S CONTRIBUTORS
Archive volunteer and all-around great guy, Max Ward brings you these great Milt Gross pages...




Our good friend, Will Finn started the ball rolling on the Marc Deckter Challenge last week, and today he comes back to sponsor more great comics. Thanks, Will!








Marc Deckter pitched in this early Gross Nize Baby strip just because he's feelin' philanthropic today!


WANT TO SEE MORE?
You've got one more chance to participate in the Marc Deckter challenge. Tomorrow we will be posting the last set of Sunday pages for those who feel strongly enough about this project to support it. If this site has provided something of value to you through the hundreds of articles we've posted over the past couple of years, this is your opportunity to give something back. Every day for the next week or so, I'll post the names of the folks who are contributing to make this site possible along with the Sunday pages they sponsor. Please consider joining in and doing your part. If you believe in what we're doing at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive and you have benefitted from our posts in the past, you'll want to contribute so we can bring you even more.

If you can, link to this post from your website or blog. Encourage your friends to join in the challenge. Let's all pull together, and take this project to the next level.

Thanks!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Marc Deckter Challenge Day Five

Here's a special treat brought to you by Joseph "JoJo" Baptista.

Today marks the fifth day of our bi-annual fundraising drive. Two great supporters stepped up to bat today, so there's a lot of exciting things to see- so much in fact, that I'll be rolling over a couple of contributors' comics until tomorrow. There's still time to do your part and contribute to help us purchase hard drives to carry us through the next six months of digitization. Here's how it works...

THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE
One of our most steadfast supporters is Marc Deckter. Marc is allowing us to digitize hundreds and hundreds of rare 1930s Sunday pages from his extensive collection. Last year, Marc issued a challenge to readers of this blog. Today, he is challenging you to help again.

Contribute $20 to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive through the PayPal link below, and Marc will provide us with a vintage Sunday page to publish here on the website. Donate $50 and he will share three of them... donate $100 and he will allow us to post eight pages. Purchase one of these hard drives and have it shipped to the Archive, and Marc will post FORTY rare Sunday pages! Marc has classic Otto Messmer Felix the Cat, Chic Young's Blondie, Cliff Sterrett's Polly and Her Pals, Milt Gross Count Screwloose and other great pages ready to go. All you have to do to see them is contribute. As the total rises, Marc is prepared to throw in some extra treats, like he did last year. When you contribute, everyone benefits.

IT'S TIME TO SUPPORT THE ARCHIVE

TODAY'S CONTRIBUTORS
Today, I have two new Archive Heros to introduce to you. The first is Chappell Ellison, who visited the archive recently to see the Grim Natwick exhibit. Here's a batch of great Otto Messmer Felix the Cat Sunday pages!








Next up is our new Archive Hero, Brian Homan. For Brian, Marc has selected a variety of Sunday pages... potpourri!







WANT TO SEE MORE?
If this site has provided something of value to you through the hundreds of articles we've posted over the past couple of years, this is your opportunity to give something back. Every day for the next week or so, I'll post the names of the folks who are contributing to make this site possible along with the Sunday pages they sponsor. Please consider joining in and doing your part. If you believe in what we're doing at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive and you have benefitted from our posts in the past, you'll want to contribute so we can bring you even more.

If you can, link to this post from your website or blog. Encourage your friends to join in the challenge. Let's all pull together, and take this project to the next level.

Thanks!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Marc Deckter Challenge Day Four

This great Milt Gross Sunday page is brought to you by a contribution by our friend in Milan, Italy, Alfredo Guisepp Castelli.

Today marks the fourth day of our bi-annual fundraising drive. We had great response today, so there's a lot of exciting things to see- so much in fact, that I'll be rolling over a couple of contributors' comics until Tuesday. The material Marc Deckter is sharing with us here is truly remarkable, and your contributions are greatly appreciated. There's still time to do your part and contribute to help us purchase hard drives to carry us through the next six months of digitization. Here's how it works...

THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE
One of our most steadfast supporters is Marc Deckter. Marc is allowing us to digitize hundreds and hundreds of rare 1930s Sunday pages from his extensive collection. Last year, Marc issued a challenge to readers of this blog. Today, he is challenging you to help again.

Contribute $20 to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive through the PayPal link below, and Marc will provide us with a vintage Sunday page to publish here on the website. Donate $50 and he will share three of them... donate $100 and he will allow us to post eight pages. Purchase one of these hard drives and have it shipped to the Archive, and Marc will post FORTY rare Sunday pages! Marc has classic Otto Messmer Felix the Cat, Chic Young's Blondie, Cliff Sterrett's Polly and Her Pals, Milt Gross Count Screwloose and other great pages ready to go. All you have to do to see them is contribute. As the total rises, Marc is prepared to throw in some extra treats, like he did last year. When you contribute, everyone benefits.

IT'S TIME TO SUPPORT THE ARCHIVE

TODAY'S CONTRIBUTORS
Today's contributors also happen to be good friends of mine. First is cartoonist Sherm Cohen. For Sherm, Marc has picked a real rarity... Salesman Sam. Dating from 1930, these dailies by C. D. Small are not well remembered. But they sure are great! I'll have more on this pioneering strip in the near future.







The next batch of classic Felix strips is sponsored by our new Archive Hero, Dino's Pizza. Located just a few blocks down Burbank Bl at Hollywood Way, Dino's is my favorite lunchtime hangout. They make the best pizza in town. Thanks, Dinos for your support (and your great salads too!)










Here are two treats from Marc as an extra bonus for these good friends...




WANT TO SEE MORE?
If this site has provided something of value to you through the hundreds of articles we've posted over the past couple of years, this is your opportunity to give something back. Every day for the next week or so, I'll post the names of the folks who are contributing to make this site possible along with the Sunday pages they sponsor. Please consider joining in and doing your part. If you believe in what we're doing at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive and you have benefitted from our posts in the past, you'll want to contribute so we can bring you even more.

If you can, link to this post from your website or blog. Encourage your friends to join in the challenge. Let's all pull together, and take this project to the next level.

I'll be back in the Archive on Tuesday preparing a batch of great vintage comic strip Sunday pages courtesy of our latest Archive Heros, Chappell Ellison and Brian Homan.

Thanks!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Marc Deckter Challenge Day Two

This great Sunday page was sponsored by Adam Caldwell. Three cheers for Adam!

Today marks the second day of our bi-annual fundraising drive. Today, two readers stepped up and contributed to share some great vintage Sunday pages with you. There's still time to join in yourself and contribute to help us purchase hard drives to carry us through the next six months of digitization. Here's how it works...

THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE
One of our most steadfast supporters is Marc Deckter. Marc is allowing us to digitize hundreds and hundreds of rare 1930s Sunday pages from his extensive collection. Last year, Marc issued a challenge to readers of this blog. Today, he is challenging you to help again.

Contribute $20 to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive through the PayPal link below, and Marc will provide us with a vintage Sunday page to publish here on the website. Donate $50 and he will share three of them... donate $100 and he will allow us to post eight pages. Purchase one of these hard drives and have it shipped to the Archive, and Marc will post FORTY rare Sunday pages! Marc has classic Otto Messmer Felix the Cat, Chic Young's Blondie, Cliff Sterrett's Polly and Her Pals, Milt Gross Count Screwloose and other great pages ready to go. All you have to do to see them is contribute. As the total rises, Marc is prepared to throw in some extra treats, like he did last year. When you contribute, everyone benefits.

It's time to support the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive...

TODAY'S CONTRIBUTORS
Frank Hutchinson lives on the other side of the planet from the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive, but he still gets a lot out of what we do here. Frank is generously sponsoring these great comics for you to enjoy today...







To thank Adam and Frank for their support, Marc Deckter is kicking in this special treat...



DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE?
There's a LOT more where these came from! Every day for the next week or so, I'll post the names of the folks who are contributing to make this site possible along with the Sunday pages they sponsor. Please consider joining in and doing your part. If you believe in what we're doing at the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive and you have benefitted from our posts in the past, you'll want to contribute so we can bring you even more.

If you can, link to this post from your website or blog. Encourage your friends to join in the challenge. Let's all pull together, and take this project to the next level.

Thanks!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Marc Deckter Challenge Day One

This great Sunday page was sponsored by Dennis Hyer. Thanks, Dennis!

Today was the first day of our bi-annual fundraising drive. Several readers stepped up and contributed to share some great vintage Sunday pages with you. There's still time to join in yourself and contribute to help us purchase hard drives to carry us through the next six months of digitization. Here's how it works...

THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE
One of our most steadfast supporters is Marc Deckter. Marc is allowing us to digitize hundreds and hundreds of rare 1930s Sunday pages from his extensive collection. Last year, Marc issued a challenge to readers of this blog. Today, he is challenging you to help again.

Contribute $20 to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive through the PayPal link below, and Marc will provide us with a vintage Sunday page to publish here on the website. Donate $50 and he will share three of them... donate $100 and he will allow us to post eight pages. Purchase one of these hard drives and have it shipped to the Archive, and Marc will post FORTY rare Sunday pages! Marc has classic Otto Messmer Felix the Cat, Chic Young's Blondie, Cliff Sterrett's Polly and Her Pals, Milt Gross Count Screwloose and other great pages ready to go. All you have to do to see them is contribute. As the total rises, Marc is prepared to throw in some extra treats, like he did last year. When you contribute, everyone benefits.

It's time to support the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive...

TODAY'S CONTRIBUTORS
We can all thank Matthew DeCoster, our latest Archive Hero for this mother lode of great Milt Gross and Otto Messmer pages...









To thank Matthew for his extra generous support, Marc Deckter is kicking in this special treat...


Next up is Archive supporter, Paul Higgins contributing to bring you these great Dave's Delicatessen strips...







And here's a special thank you to Brian Horst...



NOW IT'S YOUR TURN
Every day for the next week or so, I'll post the names of the folks who are contributing to make this site possible along with the Sunday pages they sponsor. Please consider joining in and doing your part.

If you can, link to this post from your website or blog. Encourage your friends to join in the challenge. Let's all pull together, and take this project to the next level.

Thanks!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Another Milestone: Time For The Marc Deckter Challenge!

OVER 2,000,000 SERVED!

Every day, web surfers from all over the world take advantage of the amazing resources we present here. Great things are being accomplished. The word is getting out thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and contributors, as well as the hard work of our volunteers. Over the weekend, our hit counter clicked over the two million mark on unique visitors. That's a remarkable achievement that we can all feel proud about.

However, right now, the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive is facing a challenge. We've filled up all of our available hard drives and we desperately need more to continue with this important project. We need six 1.5 TB hard drives to house the material we will be digitizing over the next six months.

Twice a year, I take time out from my regular posting schedule to ask you, the readers of this blog, to support our efforts. Two million people, each contributing a small amount, can move mountains. Unfortunately, not everyone on the internet is willing to give back for the riches they receive. The precious few who will step up to the plate to support the causes they believe in are the ones who make a difference for everyone. For the next week or so, I'm calling on those of you who feel strongly about what we are doing here to reach into your pocket and contribute to help us purchase the hard drive space that makes all of this possible.



THE MARC DECKTER CHALLENGE
One of our most steadfast supporters is Marc Deckter. Marc is allowing us to digitize hundreds and hundreds of rare 1930s Sunday pages from his extensive collection. Last year, Marc issued a challenge to readers of this blog. Today, he is challenging you to help again.

Contribute $20 to the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive through the PayPal link below, and Marc will provide us with a vintage Sunday page to publish here on the website. Donate $50 and he will share three of them... donate $100 and he will allow us to post eight pages. Purchase one of these hard drives and have it shipped to the Archive, and Marc will post FORTY rare Sunday pages! Marc has classic Otto Messmer Felix the Cat, Chic Young's Blondie, Cliff Sterrett's Polly and Her Pals, Milt Gross Count Screwloose and other great pages ready to go. All you have to do to see them is contribute. As the total rises, Marc is prepared to throw in some extra treats, like he did last year. When you contribute, everyone benefits.

It's time to support the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive...

OUR FIRST CONTRIBUTOR
Will Finn is one of this project's most faithful supporters. Just as he did last year, Will is the first to kick in to get the ball rolling. Thanks, Will!







NOW IT'S YOUR TURN
Every day for the next week or two, I'll post the names of the folks who are contributing to make this site possible along with the Sunday pages they sponsor. Please consider joining in and doing your part.

If you can, link to this post from your website or blog. Encourage your friends to join in the challenge. Let's all pull together, and take this project to the next level.

Thanks!
Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Comics: Felix Answers The Deckter Challenge

This post is just the tip of the iceberg... see reason number 2 on our The Top Ten Reasons To Support The A-HAA for links to more great posts about print cartoonists.


Here are more great Sunday pages from the collection of Marc Deckter. This sequential run of Otto Messmer's Felix the Cat was brought to you through the generosity of Archive Supporters B. Paul Husband and Christopher Peterson.


Many thanks to everyone who has gone out of their way to support the archive this year. We're making great strides, and it's all because of you.















For more great comic strip action, see... Otto Messmer's Felix The Cat 1932 and Felix In Mother Goose Land; Milt Gross Sunday Pages and Dailies Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four and Part Five and Part Six; Chic Young's Blondie, Rube Goldberg's Side Show; George Lichty's Grin and Bear It, Cliff Sterrett's Polly & Her Pals Part One, Part Two and Part Three; and Harrison Cady's Birds' Eye Views

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Comics: Felix The Cat In Mother Goose Land

This post is just the tip of the iceberg... see reason number 2 on our The Top Ten Reasons To Support The A-HAA for links to more great posts about print cartoonists.


Recently, Marc Deckter shared his collection of Milt Gross Sunday pages with us. That gift just keeps on giving... the back sides of the Milt Gross pages featured Otto Messmer's classic Felix the Cat!


You might also remember our recent posting of 1932 Felix The Cat Sunday pages. Messmer was one of the most influential cartoonists of all time, in both comics and animation. John K called Messmer "the founding father of the American style of animation".


Here's a batch of Sunday pages from late 1930 and early 1931. They deal with Felix's visit to Mother Goose Land. Enjoy!









Many thanks to Marc Deckter for sharing his great collection with us! There's a great book packed with Felix strips... It's called Nine Lives To Live: A Classic Felix Celebration. Pick it up at Amazon. You'll be glad you did.

For more great comic strip action, see... Otto Messmer's Felix The Cat 1932; Milt Gross Sunday Pages and Dailies Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four and Part Five and Part Six; Chic Young's Blondie, Rube Goldberg's Side Show; George Lichty's Grin and Bear It, Cliff Sterrett's Polly & Her Pals Part One, Part Two and Part Three; and Harrison Cady's Birds' Eye Views

If you enjoyed these comics, you owe it to yourself to check out Digital Funnies. Jonathan Barli is hard at work on an important project- documenting and restoring early cartoons and comics in digital form. He offers a wide variety of fascinating material for sale on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. Please take a moment to visit the Digital Funnies website, and let him know that the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive sent you.

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!

Comics: Otto Messmer's Felix The Cat 1932

This post is just the tip of the iceberg... see reason number 2 on our The Top Ten Reasons To Support The A-HAA for links to more great posts about print cartoonists.


You might remember our earlier posts featuring the work of Jonathan Barli at Digital Funnies... Dudley Fisher's Right Around Home and Harrison Cady's Boys Life Bird's Eye Views. Jonathan was kind enough to donate a large portion of his collection of meticulously restored scans of vintage comic strips to the Archive, and many of them are for sale on CD-ROM at his website. I encourage you to scoop up all of his collections. He's got a treasure trove of great comics!


Today we feature the depression era comic strips of Otto Messmer. Felix the Cat was the first really famous cartoon star and his popularity is due in large part to Messmer's creativity and craftsmanship. Messmer was a quiet man who eschewed the limelight. For many years, Pat Sullivan took the full public credit for Messmer's work. After Sullivan's death, Messmer quietly continued to pen the Felix strip until 1954.


John Canemaker wrote an excellent book on the history of Felix titled, Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat. It's currently out of print, but if you see it in a used book store, snap it up. It's one of the best books on animation history.

Here are a selection of Felix Sunday pages from 1932...







These fabulous scans of original Sunday pages were provided to the Archive by Jonathan Barli of Digital Funnies. Jonathan is hard at work on an important project- documenting and restoring early cartoons and comics in digital form. He offers a wide variety of fascinating material for sale on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. Please take a moment to visit the Digital Funnies website, and let him know that the ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive sent you.

Read how Felix the Cat became a Cultural/Historical Landmark in Los Angeles this week.

Stephen Worth
Director
ASIFA-Hollywood
Animation Archive
.

Stumble It!