Outbursts of Everett True

This strip follows Everett True, an irascible character who takes violent exception to minor social infractions. In the top panel, True confronts a cyclist on the sidewalk; below, his response escalates into physical mayhem—a signature device of the series. The comic employs sequential panels with speech balloons to build narrative momentum from provocation to explosive reaction. *Outbursts of Everett True* ran in newspapers from 1905 onward, establishing the recurring-character format that would define comic strips. Artist James Swinnerton pioneered the visual language of panel sequencing and exaggerated body language that became foundational to twentieth-century comics, influencing how artists would depict action and emotion for decades.