ComicBook Experience

From the exhibition

Kitty Khaki

· November 9, 1917

Kitty Khaki
This Sunday strip follows Kitty Khaki and her Girl Scout unit through military-themed adventures. The comic employs the standard newspaper page grammar of its era: multiple tiers of panels arranged left-to-right, dialogue in speech balloons, and a central tall panel anchoring the narrative. The gag structure contrasts proper Girl Guide saluting protocol with the girls' chaotic execution—a recurring tension in early comic strips between instruction and slapstick. Published during World War I, the strip reflects contemporary interest in youth mobilization and civic duty. The art style—bold cross-hatching, expressive character silhouettes, and dynamic composition—is typical of the 1910s Sunday funnies that established visual storytelling conventions later codified in comic books.

Public domain, restored and presented by comicbooks.com public-domain