In February of 1935, Popeye, Olive, Wimpy and Castor Oyl, in his next to last appearance
in a Segar continuity, are stowed away on the "Black Barnacle," the Sea Hag's ship. Castor,
in his capacity as a world famous detective, has been hired by a wealthy client named Mr.
Gizzik to locate the "Pool of Youth," a pool which (obviously) restores youth to whoever
drinks from it. To find the pool they must find the Sea Hag's sister. To find the Sea Hag's
sister they must locate the Sea Hag. Thus, they secrete themselves in the hold of the
Hag's ship, which just happens to be anchored a few miles down the coast.The Hag soon discovers their presence, but instead of trying to kill them she actually welcomes them as her guests. She even prepares their beds for them. The stowaways soon find out that the Hag, for once in her life, is afraid. Castor and his group are not the only stowaways on board. The Hag's sister is also on the ship and she has not come alone but has brought a slave with her. And this is no ordinary slave. The Hag can hear him walking the decks and growling in the night. She brings Olive to her cabin to keep her company.
Castor, noticing Olive missing and also hearing the heavy footsteps and the growling, goes on deck to investigate. On February 7th, 1935 he sees who or what is causing all the racket. It's a man but not an ordinary man. He's taller than Alice the Goon, bigger than Jabbo and Bluto combined, bald with two fangs protruding up from his lower jaw and muscular arms that reach nearly to his shoe tops. He says that his name is Toar. February 7th would be his first appearance in the "Thimble Theatre."
Toar is a prehistoric man, 20,000 years old; who has stayed alive all these centuries by drinking from the Pool. The Hag's sister claims the pool for herself and jealously guards it, denying access to others. Toar is her main weapon in enforcing the ban.
When Castor demands to know what Toar did with Olive, he's sent flying the length of the ship with a single punch. This is why the Sea Hag is suddenly friendly to Popeye. She fears Toar and chooses to ally herself with Popeye to battle their common enemy. Popeye is happy to oblige.
On March 12, 1935 the Hag's sister (whose name is never given in the story) appears and orders Toar to kill everyone aboard the ship. Toar dutifully asks if he is expected to kill himself and his master also. Receiving clarification, he attacks. He sends everyone scattering until Popeye stops him, saying "I sez yer not goner murder me fren's." Toar replies, "I kill you quick."
When Popeye hits him Toar is knocked from his feet much to his surprise. Popeye asks, "First time ya was ever knocked down, eh? How ya like it?" Toar says "No like! Ouw! Little man hit too hard. Oh, my! Now I kill you good."
Toar grapples with Popeye and grabs him by the throat. He swings him like a New Years Eve noisemaker breaking his neck and says "You be dead now." But when he lets Popeye go, instead of dying or even falling down Popeye knocks Toar to the deck again then calls to Castor for a broom to use as a makeshift neck brace. After tying the broomstick to his neck Popeye continues the fight but is careful to not let Toar get his hands on him again. Popeye suggests that he and Toar go ashore where there will be, "more room an' we kin kill each other better." Toar agrees.
Once on the beach of a nearby island Popeye makes short work of it, hitting Toar with smashing blows to the body and face, knocking him down again. Toar admits defeat, saying, "No fight crazy fool like you! Ugh!" Popeye says there are no hard feelings despite having his neck broken and offers to be Toar's friend. Toar Gladly agrees and from that day becomes devoted to Popeye.
Toar would appear regularly in the strip over the next five months and then would virtually disappear without fanfare. From his debut on February 7th until the end of the Pool of Youth continuity he would be in approximately 50 strips. In Popeye's next adventure, "Popeye's Ark," he would play a prominent role through the first half, appearing, again, in approximately 50 strips, the last one being on November 21st, 1935. In total, Over a period of nine months Toar would be in over 100 daily strips. From that point until Segar's death 35 months later he would appear in less than 40, his last appearance in a Segar strip being on July 21st, 1938.
What was the reason for Toar's apparent fall from grace? We can only speculate. Part of the reason may have been his size. He was definitely not as "portable" as Eugene or Swee'pea. In fact, the main source of Toar's humor was his size, which was admittedly limiting. Perhaps his ability to speak was his handicap. Eugene, Alice the Goon and Swee'pea (at the time) were all mute.
Whatever the reason, Toar was relegated to the backseat and never played a prominent role in another Segar storyline.
This essay is reprinted from the official Popeye Fan Club News
magazine. To learn more about the club click on the LINK.
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