The New Yorker covers: November 12, 1927

The New Yorker isn’t Sports Illustrated, of course. But a fair number of sports, from basketball and baseball to golf and hockey, have graced the magazine's covers in one form or another since its founding in 1925.

Theodore Haupt
(covers untitled until February 1993)

And now, a few words from . . . G. H. Hardy

Archimedes will be remembered when Aeschylus is forgotten, because languages die and mathematical ideas do not.

"What is art but a way of seeing?" Saul Bellow

"Pumpkin March," 1974, Jamie Wyeth

Movie Posters, 1921: Two adults, please, and a large popcorn!

Today in the history of the American comic strip: May 6

American cartoonists and writers may not have invented the comic strip, but some argue that the comics, as we know them today, are an American creation. Clearly, the United States has played an outsize role in the development of this underappreciated art form.

5.6.1919: L. Frank Baum, who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels, dies in Hollywood, California, at 62. He also wrote a comic strip, illustrated by Walt McDougall, entitled Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, to promote one of the Oz books.

5.6.1961: Willie Lumpkin, a strip about a small-town mailman, ends its short run, which began in 1959. Created by Stan Lee and Dan DeCarlo, the character later resurfaced as a bit player in comic books published by Marvel Comics.
 

5.6.2007: My Cage debuts. Created by Melissa DeJesus and Ed Power, it is considered the first manga-inspired comic strip.

My Cage

Most of the information listed here from one day to the next comes from two online sites -- Wikipedia, and Don Markstein's Toonopedia -- as well as 100 Years of American Newspaper Comics, edited by Maurice Horn. Note that my focus is on American newspaper comic strips (and the occasional foreign strip that gained popularity in the United States). Thus, comic books and exclusively online comics are not included here.

That is, like, awesome!

Liz and I bought a car recently, and the dealership signed us up for a loan from a local financial institution. A few days later, I got a call from a very pleasant young man employed by the lender, who needed to confirm some basic information about us.

“Is (such and such) your email address?” the man asked.

“Yes.”

AWESOME!”

And is (such and such) your mailing address?”

Yes.

“AWESOME!”

And is (such and such) the correct spelling of your name?”

Yes.

AWESOME!”

I think there were a few more questions along those lines, but by this point I was so puffed up by my obvious awesomeness that I began to feel giddy, so I can’t be sure what happened next.

If “AWESOME” is now the correct way to describe the most matter-of-fact statement, how should we react to something truly awesome when we encounter it? I suppose supercalifragilisticexpialidocious would work. It is an awesome word, after all. A bit long-winded, though.

The New Yorker covers: June 29, 2020

Merriam-Webster defines a garden as “a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated,” but the dictionary’s definitions also include this: “a container (such as a window box) planted with usually a variety of small plants.” Houseplants and cut flowers may not meet either definition, but I think they come close.

Diana Ejaita
"A Family Blooms"

And now, a few words from . . . Primo Levi

Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act.

"What is art but a way of seeing?" Saul Bellow

“Landscape at Les Pâtis, Pontoise,” 1868, Camille Pissarro