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The early comic strips were indeed originally "comic" and, true to their populist roots, in the burlesque tradition. At left is an excerpt from Frederick Opper's Happy Hooligan (Art © Frederick Opper).

The early comic strips were indeed all "comic" and, true to their populist roots, rooted in the burlesque tradition. At left is an excerpt from Frederick Opper's Happy Hooligan (Art © Frederick Opper).

The early comic strips were indeed all "comic" and, true to their populist roots, rooted in the burlesque tradition. At left is an excerpt from Frederick Opper's Happy Hooligan (Art © Frederick Opper).

The early comic strips were indeed all "comic" and, true to their populist roots, rooted in the burlesque tradition. At left is an excerpt from Frederick Opper's Happy Hooligan (Art © Frederick Opper).

Wash Tubbs' optimism reflected the mood of the major role in the early development of the adventure strip was a series that actually first appeared in 1924 called "Washington Tubbs III" by Roy Crane. At the beginning, "Wash Tubbs,