Popeye Special

(Ocean, 1987-1988)
™ and © 1988 King Features Syndicate

E. C. Segar’s rambunctious, courageous and gregarious sailor returned to comics in this series from Ocean Comics. A veteran of newspaper comics, animated cartoons in theaters and on television, and of course Robin William’s live-action movie, this character is an icon of American humor.

Starting with his origin, (he was born), this title attempted to codify Popeye’s life as a series of heroic, (if lighthearted), adventures, rather than simply using the character as a foil for a humorous story. When his mother went to Zaire to introduce the sport of Roller Derby to the natives, Popeye joined the navy. There he met fellow sailors, Wimpy and Brutus and later Brutus’ identical twin, Bluto.

The art in this series is unique from other incarnations of the character. Although Popeye still displays the distinctively cartoony features of balloon-like forearms and the double-jaw, the characters are a step removed from the “big-foot” gag style. Ben Dunn, of Warrior Nun Areala fame, Gary Kato who inked Ms. Tree and Superboy’s Tom Grummett are some of the artists who contributed to Popeye’s decidedly heroic posture.

— George Haberberger

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Notes

Writer

Artist

#1

June, 1987
Cover Price: $1.75
1 copy available for $3.00

Ron Fortier

Ben Dunn

#2

September, 1988
Cover Price: $2.00
2 copies available from $3.00

Ron Portier

Ben Dunn