From the exhibition
Boob McNutt
· Washington Times, July 4, 1920

This Sunday page from *Boob McNutt* demonstrates the visual conventions that shaped early comics: multiple panels arranged in a grid, speech balloons advancing narrative action, and a recurring protagonist navigating slapstick situations. The strip follows McNutt through a seaside misadventure involving dock workers and maritime chaos. By 1920, newspaper comic sections had become essential features of Sunday editions, employing serialized humor to build reader loyalty. The panel-based format and character-driven storytelling established here became foundational to comic strip and eventual comic book design, creating a visual language that prioritized sequential clarity and comedic timing across discrete frames.
Public domain, restored and presented by comicbooks.com public-domain