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THE FORUM ARCHIVES(Page One) Below are the past postings to the Popeye's Poopdeck forum from December 9th, 2004 to April 28th, 2005

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Dec 9th, 2004
    Hi
    I'm trying to identify the font which is generally used in the popeye cartoons and on merchandise.
    I hope you can help. Thanks
    GB

    GB,
    The collective response to your question is an emphatic "We don't know." We asked and checked around and it appears that there is no specific font for the text on the Popeye merchandise and comic books. It seems that each manufacture and publisher was allowed to do as they saw fit. Early Popeye comics (as an example) had a different lettering style from latter versions. The Dells differed from the Charltons which differed from the Gold Key, etc.
    We aren't saying there is no designated font for the lettering. We were just unable to locate it. PP
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Dec 20th, 2004
    What kind of shirt did Classic Popeye wear. Old civilian sailor popeye. Not navy popeye. How would one make the blue and red top that he wore. Or is their anywhere one could buy it for costume purposes.     Thats all I can stands, I can't stands no more.   RD

RD,
    There is a ready made Popeye costume available. "Spinach Can Collectibles" in Chester, Ill. carries them. If you're interested their website is http: //www.popeyethesailor.com/shop/. We hope that's helpful. If not, let us know and we'll try again. PP
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Dec 20th, 2004
    Hi.
    I just ran across your new(?) website. Great biographical info on Segar with details I had never read anywhere before. I'm impressed. You must live in Chester to dig up these kind of details, yes/no? And thanks for the kind words about my Thimble Theatre site on your links page. Happy New Year! - B.

    B,
    Thanks for the kind words about the site. You're partially correct about living in Chester. This site is a collaboration of Popeye fans from (primarily) Texas, Illinois and Michigan and some of us do indeed live in Chester. The obscure (and we hope true) biographical details of Segar's life were taken from Chester newspaper clippings found in their public library. We also have some good info on Rocky Fiegle, Bill Schuchert and Doris Paskal (especially Rocky) which hasn't made it to the site yet but soon will.
    So far this website is a well kept secret as you can tell from our counter on the home page. We hope that will change as we add more info and more pages. If you wouldn't mind supplying a link to us on your site we'd appreciate it and have no doubt our traffic would increase. Of course, that's totally up to you and you shouldn't feel compelled in any way. Thanks again for the feedback. We appreciate it. PP

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January 15, 2005
    Hi,
    Great site. I wanted to know if you could direct me to finding the collected thimble theater books titled: the complete EC Segar Popeye Vls 1-4 from Fantagraphics. Are they available anywhere? Have you ever seen them?
    Thanks.   JM

JM,
Most of the Thimble Theatre comic strip reprints are still available as far as we know and can be ordered from any bookstore. Unfortunately, one or more of the volumes are now out of print. Volume one for sure and possibly others. To find the missing volumes your best bet (in our opinion) is eBay. Single volumes of the reprints are regularly put up for auction. Our suggestion is to try the bookstores first and the auction sites after that. We hope this helps. Good luck with your hunt. Volumes 1-4 are Segar's Sunday strips complete with the "Sappo" top piece and are well worth reading. PP

January 18, 2005

Thank you for responding so quickly! I've been looking for these volumes for quite some time, and having something to go on is great news. One question: I have tried Ebay, and have never found anything. Are there other auction sites that carry that sort of material? Perhaps I'm not wording my searches correctly. Anyway, I do appreciate your help, and keep up the great work. As an aside, is there anywhere you can recommend I can read the popeye strip of today? Either on the web, or in print?

Thanks again, JM

JM,
    We went to eBay and filtered for "Segar." There is a copy of Volume one on auction as of 1-19-05. We got 20 hits using "Segar" as a filter but most of them were for Bob Seger, the rock star.,
    We then filtered for "Fantagraphics and got 19 hits but none for the Popeye reprints. We THEN filtered for "Popeye" and got 1678 hits which we leave to you to sift through.,
    As far as auction sites other than eBay, there are several. There's Yahoo Auctions at "auctions.yahoo.com" and there's "Ubid" (get it?) at "www.ubid.com. To get a list of auction sites you can try "Google" (www.google.com) and filter for "auctions" or you can go to the "Internet Auction list" at www.internetauctionlist.com and get (obviously) a list of auction sites.
    As far as where to view the latest Popeye strips hot off the drawing board, King Features runs reprints of Bud Sagendorf daily strips and Hy Eisman's current Sunday strips at "www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/popeye/about.htm."
     We hope this helps. If not we'll try again. PP
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January 5th, 2005

    Hello,
    I'm a Segar/Popeye fan also, and I enjoyed your site very much. I have a question for you and your researchers:
    I understand, from an obscure source, that E C Segar was competing for an advertising campaign in the early 1920's in New York; that he lost out to another artist that he didn't know; that he found out that the winning artist's name was "Geezil"; and that Segar created his Popeye character Geezil on his mental image of the other artist who beat him for the lucrative ad campaign. The campaign was for Flit bug spray, and the artist who won the contract was Ted Geisel, who we know as Dr Seuss. The story goes that the two never met, but Segar felt that "Geezil" had done something underhanded to win the contract.
    Do you, or anyone connected with this site, know if there is any truth to this story? Would very much appreciate any information you may have.

Best regards, J.T.

    J.T.,
    WOW! Now that's an interesting theory. None of us has ever heard that one before and on the surface it definitely sounds plausible. However, after a little research of our own we've found that there are some problems with it:
    Theodor Geisel was born in 1904 (March 4th) and after graduating from Dartmouth in 1925 he went to England to study at Oxford. He returned in 1927 and got work as a cartoonist for "Judge" a New York publication. In one of his cartoons he had a medieval knight whose sleep was disturbed by a dragon in his bedroom. The caption was, "Darn it all, another dragon. And just after I'd sprayed the whole castle with 'Flit.'" As your letter stated, Flit was a popular bug spray at the time and was manufactured by Standard oil. Supposedly, someone who worked for the ad company which handled the Standard Oil account saw the cartoon and hired Geisel to illustrate future ads, which he did for the next 17 years.
     Based on this information (if accurate), that would mean that there was no competition for the advertising job. Geisel fell into it inadvertantly.
    Another incongruence is that George W. Geezil didn't appear in the Thimble Theatre until November 6th, 1932 over four years after Geisel's cartoon landed him the ad job. Plus Geezil didn't receive his name until May 14th, 1933 and even then he was called "Geezer" and not Geezil. He wasn't called Geezil until December 31st, 1933. If Geezil was named after Dr. Seuss, Segar waited a long time to vent his pique, almost five years. That's assuming all the above information about Geisel is accurate. It may be in error.
    So we're not saying the story isn't true. In fact, it would be a wonderful historical footnote if it was. We'll just withhold judgement until we see more evidence. We hope this helps. If you find out anything further please let us know. PP
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February 5th, 2005
    ahoy!
    HUGE Popeye fan. Is there any news on any new Popeye cartoons or projects? Any new Mezco figures in the works?
    Also, what did everyone think of the Popeye's Voyage: Quest For Pappy?   J. N.

    J.N.,
    As far as we know there are no rumors of new Popeye cartoons in the immediate future. It was said that the success of the recent animated Popeye film might inspire sequels or even a series. So far there has been no encouraging word from King Features Syndicate.
     The reviews for the computer animated show have been mostly positive. Some people were a bit uneasy with the way the characters were depicted physically. Some said Popeye's face wasn't quite right. A lot of people couldn't warm up to the voice characterizations, especially the voice of the Sea Hag. Viewers seemed unanimous in their dislike of her voice. If there's anyone who liked the way Haggy sounded we'd like to hear from them. On the whole though, most of the feedback we've heard about the show was good. People seem ready for more.
    For information on anything to do with present or future Popeye merchandise, the best bet is to go to the website for "Spinach Can Collectibles." This shop specializes in Popeye collectibles and if they don't know about any new merchandise it means there isn't any. The site is www.popeyethesailor.com or email them at spinach@neondsl.com. You can also phone them at (618)826-4567. PP
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February 13th, 2005      Hello, I am a totally popeye fan
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February 14th, 2005
     Recently I came across a Popeye storybook/comic that I can't identify. It measures 9 1/4" x 13" and carries no title other than Popeye on the cover. It is a heavy cardboard stock cover and pages. The full color cover features Wimpy, Olive, Swee-Pea Popeye and The Jeep. The back cover has Popeye, Swee-Pea and Wimpy. The interior copyright info states "Copyright 1919, 1929, 1936, 1937 by KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, Inc., New York, N.Y., All Rights Reserved Printed in U.S.A."
    The story starts with Popeye and Olive asking the Jeep if they should get married. While they wait, Popeye goes fishing catches a fish and Wimpy ends up stealing it. Popeye socks him one and eats the fish himself.
    I can scan the cover if it would help. Can you identify this for me?
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April 28th, 2005
    Who was the father of Sweet Pea? Who was the mother for that matter?
    Thanx
    dob

    Swee'pea first appears in the daily strip on July 28th, 1933. He has been sent to Popeye along with an anonymous note asking him to care for the baby but not explaining why. Popeye names him "Scooner" and legally adopts him.
    On September 19th, 1937, Swee'pea's real mother appears at Popeye's house to reclaim her son. She explains that she gave him to Popeye because he was in danger but gives no details. Neither does she give her name. She takes Swee'pea away. Swee'pea runs away from her and returns to Popeye. When his mother comes for him again he shows a preference for his adopted father and she gives him up and leaves, never to be seen in the strip again.
    On May 23rd, 1938 Popeye discovers that Swee'pea is the heir to the throne of Demonia. His grandfather, Elzo III had died making Swee'pea the King. From this we can assume that Swee'pea's father who is never named or seen in the strip, is dead. Swee'pea becomes king of Demonia but Segar dies before he can conclude the continuity. Swee'pea's real name is never given and "Scooner" quickly falls into disuse. We can speculate that Swee'pea was in reality Elzo IV. It's as good a name as any. Swee'pea first appears in the daily strip on July 28th, 1933. He has been sent to Popeye along with an anonymous note asking him to care for the baby but not explaining why. Popeye names him "Scooner" and legally adopts him.
    On September 19th, 1937, Swee'pea's real mother appears at Popeye's house to reclaim her son. She explains that she gave him to Popeye because he was in danger but gives no details. Neither does she give her name. She takes Swee'pea away. Swee'pea runs away from her and returns to Popeye. When his mother comes for him again he shows a preference for his adopted father and she gives him up and leaves, never to be seen in the strip again.
    On May 23rd, 1938 Popeye discovers that Swee'pea is the heir to the throne of Demonia. His grandfather, Elzo III had died making Swee'pea the King. From this we can assume that Swee'pea's father who is never named or seen in the strip, is dead. Swee'pea becomes king of Demonia but Segar dies before he can conclude the continuity. Swee'pea's real name is never given and "Scooner" quickly falls into disuse. We can speculate that Swee'pea was in reality Elzo V. It's as good a name as any.
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