Our Antediluvian Ancestors

F. Opper's single-panel gag strip presents cavemen in comedic peril, with prehistoric creatures pursuing a trio of bewildered ancients. One figure escapes upward while another proclaims human superiority over animals—a boast undercut by their obvious helplessness. The strip employs speech balloons, expressive linework, and sequential action across multiple zones to convey narrative and humor. Popular Sunday newspaper comics like this established the visual vocabulary of sequential art: panels showing cause-and-effect, dialogue containers anchoring character voice, and exaggerated anatomy for comic effect. Opper, a prolific cartoonist of the era, helped shape the form that would evolve into the comic book medium.