I just realized this is probably an anachronism. The term “hobo” (short for HOmeward BOund) was supposedly coined after WWI, to refer to all the soldiers just dumped in port cities who had to make their own way home somehow…and many never got there.
“According to etymologist Anatoly Liberman, the only certain detail about its origin is the word was first noticed in American English circa 1890.” From the wikipedia article on Hobo.
Depends on your source. Earliest English use of the term was in 1890, according to this essay (https://blog.oup.com/2008/11/hobo/).
(I am not a linguist or a hobo, so please take this with the “dude on the internet” salt grain it deserves.)
I’m not sure, but is that hobo-sign written on the fence in the first panel, or just artifacts from drawing, because I’m curious which set it is if it’s sign!
A few years ago, I was working on a research project, searching through newspapers from circa 1905, and read some of the most violent, sexist, and racist cartoons I had ever seen. Since you have been drawing Popeye, I’m not surprised you’ve come across similar ones in your research.
Another reminder that people have been horrible basically since forever.
Not a lot of sex, but plenty of violence. Yup, Holy Hell!
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I see some elements of traditional “Popeye” artwork in there.
I just realized this is probably an anachronism. The term “hobo” (short for HOmeward BOund) was supposedly coined after WWI, to refer to all the soldiers just dumped in port cities who had to make their own way home somehow…and many never got there.
“According to etymologist Anatoly Liberman, the only certain detail about its origin is the word was first noticed in American English circa 1890.” From the wikipedia article on Hobo.
Depends on your source. Earliest English use of the term was in 1890, according to this essay (https://blog.oup.com/2008/11/hobo/).
(I am not a linguist or a hobo, so please take this with the “dude on the internet” salt grain it deserves.)
I’m not sure, but is that hobo-sign written on the fence in the first panel, or just artifacts from drawing, because I’m curious which set it is if it’s sign!
A few years ago, I was working on a research project, searching through newspapers from circa 1905, and read some of the most violent, sexist, and racist cartoons I had ever seen. Since you have been drawing Popeye, I’m not surprised you’ve come across similar ones in your research.
This makes me think of Little Nemo comic!
“I must test my hickory’s hardness” is going to be my new chat-up line.