Monday, August 22, 2022
Toppers: Cicero
When toppers came in style, Mutt and Jeff dutifully added theirs, a one tier strip that almost always featured Mutt's kid, Cicero. So faced with having to document it, a name had to be chosen. I considered Mutt's Bald Progeny, Minor Gags in One Tier, and even, just for the heck of it, Captain Thunderbolt's Mighty Rangers of Destiny. But y'know, with great power comes great responsibility and all that. So taking my cue from Mary Kondo, I chose a name that offers order and simplicity: Cicero. You're welcome.
The untitled Cicero topper debuted on October 17 1926, while Ed Mack was likely the ghost on the strip. It ran for over seven years, until finally being replaced by an actual titled topper, Cicero's Cat, on December 3 1933. By that point Al Smith had been at the anonymous helm for something like two years.
Tempted to make something of Cicero looking so much like Jeff, especially since Jeff often seemed to be in residence in the Mutt household. In the strips running at Comics Kingdom the domestic situation is pretty vague, with the boys sometimes sharing a bed, Mrs. Mutt's design changing, and Mutt occasionally acting like a bachelor on the make. The strip often crams two or three vaudeville gags into each weekday, with no interest in consistency.
Can't remember the last appearance of Cicero or his cat (Maybe they're in the future?).
