Splinters by Steinigans

This Sunday comic strip follows a clown's misadventure with puppies and firecrackers. Across eight panels, the artist employs the visual conventions that defined early newspaper comics: sequential narrative, varied panel sizes, and physical comedy escalating toward slapstick climax. The clown's pointed hat and polka-dotted costume remain consistent markers across frames, anchoring a narrative readable without text. Steinigans captures motion through dynamic postures and impact lines, while the dogs' reactions drive the gag forward. Published in newspapers alongside editorial cartoons and illustrations, such strips formed the visual vocabulary later adopted by comic books—establishing how sequential art could tell stories through layout, character repetition, and sight gags rather than prose alone.