From the exhibition
The Adventures of Johnny Mouse
· June 21, 1913
An early newspaper comic strip featuring a mouse protagonist in four sequential panels. The strip demonstrates the visual language that defined early comics: distinct panel borders, speech balloons, and a recurring character in escalating situations. Johnny Mouse encounters a cat, leading to physical comedy and chase sequences typical of the period. The artwork uses bold linework and high contrast against dark backgrounds. This strip exemplifies how newspaper comics of the 1910s adapted theatrical slapstick and vaudeville humor to the sequential art format, establishing conventions that would become foundational to comic books and animation.
Public domain, restored and presented by comicbooks.com public-domain
