The year 1964 was
a momentous one in the storied history of
Gasoline Alley—it's when
Frank King officially handed the inkpot to Dick Moores. King
continued to help plot the strip but it's Dick Moores who takes
center stage. More so than any other newspaper strip,
Gasoline Alley
is
renowned for its strict continuity and this is our chance to see
Moores—who continued writing and drawing the strip until
1986—make it his own.
Gasoline Alley Vol. 1: 1964-1966
by Frank King and Dick
Moores
Edited by Dean Mullaney. Designed by Lorraine Turner. Introduction
by Rick Norwood.
Forty-plus years earlier, Walt Wallet found
baby Skeezix in a basket on his doorstep and in the 1964-1966
strips reproduced in this volume. Skeezix is now middle-aged and
has a family of his own. For the first time since they appeared in
newspapers fifty years ago, readers can enjoy these classic strips
featuring Walt and his wife Phyllis, Skeezix and his wife Nina,
Corky, Clovia, Slim, Avery, Mr. Pert, Joel, Rufus, and a whole cast
of familiar characters. Reproduced from syndicate proofbooks and
featuring an enlightening introduction by Rick
Norwood.
Oversized 11" x 8.5"
hardcover, 320 pp.,
$49.99.ISBN: 978-1-61377-440-3.
Dick Moores served as a journeyman artist/writer for decades before he came to Gasoline Alley and found fertile ground for creating his masterpiece. He began his cartooning career as an assistant to Chester Gould in the 1930s, then created his own strip, Jim Hardy. He later joined the Disney comics division, drawing Mickey Mouse, Brer Rabbit, Scamp, Goofy, and many other characters. He left Disney in 1956 to become Frank King's assistant on the Gasoline Alley daily.
“Dick Moores has
a uniquely compassionate, kindly view of human relationships and he
is able to satirize the small meannesses and foolishnesses of daily
life without in any way losing the whimsy and good humor that
pervade his vision of a contemporary American small town. There are
very few people who can write as gracefully as Dick.”
—Garry Trudeau."