Number 550


Li'l Abner meets the monster and the suicide bomber!


Li'l Abner was such a part of my life for so long it's hard to believe the strip officially shut down in 1977. I read it every day from the time I learned to read until it ended. It ran for more than enough time to establish it as a major cultural phenomenon. Among other things it introduced the Sadie Hawkins Day storylines, which played out year after year. Daisy Mae chased Abner futilely until she finally caught him in the early 1950s.

Like most great comic strips, creator Al Capp introduced themes that were re-done at intervals, and kept his readers coming back. Sadie Hawkins Day was also played out in real life on some college campuses.This particular Sadie Hawkins Day epic is scanned from Toby Press' Li'l Abner #74, from 1950. Toby Press was owned at least in part by Capp.

In light of events of the past few years, the part about a guy with dynamite strapped to him seems more creepy than funny.