The Top o' the Mornin'

This Sunday newspaper strip by W. D. Nesbitt exemplifies the early 1900s comic page format: multiple narrative strips stacked vertically, each with sequential panels, speech balloons, and illustrated gags. The page includes titled sections like "An Alphabet of Ambition," "Padding," "Waste of Time," and "He Bumped Her," each developing a separate joke or scenario. The dense layout and variety of visual styles—from detailed crosshatching to simple line work—reflect how newspapers experimented with comic storytelling. These Sunday pages established the visual grammar of sequential art: numbered or arranged panels that guide readers through a narrative sequence, recurring characters in comedic situations, and reliance on typography and illustration working in concert. Such pages were essential precursors to the comic book, demonstrating how multiple short stories could be packaged together for a mass audience.