Ruffles the Monk

This Sunday comic strip follows a recurring character, Ruffles, through four sequential panels that establish a complete gag: a stolen yacht trophy becomes the focus of mistaken identity and chaos at the American Yacht Club. The artist uses speech balloons, varied panel composition, and exaggerated facial expressions—visual techniques that became foundational to the medium. Characters respond with escalating panic across the panels, building narrative momentum through image and text. Published in newspapers as part of the Sunday funnies, strips like this one trained readers in the visual grammar of sequential art: panels flowing left to right, consistent character recognition, and comedic timing translated through layout rather than prose alone.