The Top o' the Mornin'

W.D. Nesbit's Sunday newspaper strip demonstrates the formal vocabulary that shaped early comics: distinct panels with sequential action, speech balloons advancing narrative, and recurring characters in varied scenarios. The page juxtaposes multiple joke formats—domestic humor, slapstick situations, and observational gags—each using layout and drawing to guide reader attention. Early Sunday comics like this occupied full pages in newspapers, blending illustration, typography, and visual storytelling in ways that directly preceded the comic book format. The strip's reliance on visual gags and character consistency established conventions that became foundational to the medium.