Stripper's Guide: The Long Slow Demise of Buster Brown, Part 12: January to March 1918

Here we are in 1918, the year which Outcault's obituary seems to indicate would have been his last involvement. Are they correct? Well, let's take a look....

We start out the year with an odd strip. That cat, which certainly has personality plus, doesn't look at all to me like Outcault or Ross. The old lady also seems like a different style. Buster and Tige, though, seem like Outcault work.

January 6 1918

January 13 pretty much looks like an all-Outcault production to me.

January 13 1918

Now here's an interesting strip. We get a visit from both Smithy and Eddie Loomis, but check out this kid who goes by the name Smiley Jones. If that isn't the Yellow Kid a few years older than we're used to, I'll eat my hat. This looks like an all-Outcault strip to me.

January 20 1918

January 27 is a real rush job, but I'm guessing still Outcault.

January 27 1918

After a long layoff, I finally see a little bit of Ross here on February 3. When those twins start to cry they seem to be drawn by Ross. Earlier on the page I never would have thought of them as being at all 'Rossy'.

Back to what seems to me to be an all-Outcault strip on the 10th

February 10 1918

Tige is the star in this strip, which to me seems like Outcault.

February 17 1918

The 24th looks like hurried Outcault to me until story panel 11, when Buster sure looks like he's drawn by Ross.


February 24 1918

I'm guessing that Ross did all the adult women in the March 3 strip, and maybe the man as well, and perhaps even some help with Buster and Mary Ann.

March 3 1918

March 10 is an odd one. The masthead, usually where Outcault puts in a lot of effort, is quite badly drawn. The cow looks like nothing I'd expect Outcault or Ross to draw. Otherwise looks like Outcault to me.

March 10 1918

Ross is definitely doing a lot of the work on the March 17 strip. It's also one of his favorite gags, where Buster dresses as a girl. Ross could not get enough of this theme.