Obscurity of the Day: Professor Si N. Tific

 

Norman Ritchie (who signed himself just 'Norman') was the longstanding editorial cartoonist of the Boston Post. When comic strips became the new rage he was pressed into service to provide homegrown Sunday funnies for the paper as well. A few months ago we covered one of his earliest strip series, 1904's Exploits of Mama's Angel Pet, and I pointed out that he was still feeling his way with this new assignment, and that his grasp of how to construct a good comic strip gag was still in the early stages. 

Well, here we are less than a year later in 1905, and Norman Ritchie has figured out how to produce a good and proper Sunday comic. I won't say that Professor Si N. Tific is a lost masterpiece by any means, but I think it interesting to see just how fast an old pro like Norman Ritchie (he was about 40 at this time) was able to adapt to his new job. 

Professor Si N. Tific ran in the Boston Post Sunday comcs section from April 16 to September 24 1905.