Richard Felton Outcault (1863–1928), celebrated creator of The Yellow Kid and Buster Brown, was also the mind behind Pore Lil Mose — one of the earliest African American protagonists in American comics. Originally published between 1900 and 1902 in the Sunday “colored section” of The New York Herald, the series quickly captured readers’ attention with its bold humor and distinctive voice. Shortly after its debut, thirty-six of the cartoons were compiled into a volume published by the Grand Union Tea Company and subtitled His Letters to His Mammy. From that book, the present edition uses the same cover – though with a different color for the title lettering, border and spine –, as well as the author’s introduction and, of course, the cartoons. However, it adds the word “ALL” to the subtitle and reproduces every single cartoon from the series, including those long forgotten in the newspaper’s pages. Also featuring an insightful article by Richard D. Olson and a selection of beautiful extras, this volume is a landmark tribute to a neglected gem of early American comic art.
28 x 21 cm
Softcover
86 pages in color