The Last Ace Drummond Sunday Strip

Sorry Ron Goulart and Maurice Horn, I have to disagree with you. Both of these estimable gents claim that the "Ace Drummond" strip ended in 1940, but here is the episode of July 2, 1939 very clearly signaling the end of the run. Rarely do we get lucky enough that the creators are given the opportunity to write a definite end to a strip. In this case they take the quick and dirty way out - "It was only a dream!". Not the most original of endings but at least we know the end date for certain for a change. There's no wiggle room here, either - you can't see it on this image but on the footboard of the bed in the last panel it says "The End".* Oh, and by the way, the artist on the feature at the end of the run was none other than Royal King Cole - what a great name! Another by the way - can you imagine the fuss today if two guys were portrayed together in the same bed in a comic strip? Fetch the smelling salts Gertrude!

Sorry for the quality of the image. It is a scan of a photocopy of the microfilm of the Philadelphia Record. That's a 4th generation image! Original art, newspaper, microfilm, photocopy, scan! By the way, click on the image to see it at full (readable) size.*


* Note: image has since been upgraded to a much more legible one, courtesy of Art Lortie. Thanks Art!