October 15, 2015 (Thursday)
I saw a TV program a couple of days ago and heard one of the characters call a boy, “Freckles.” I immediately thought of an old comic strip named, “Freckles and His Friends.” I don’t recall reading it; I just remember the name. And I can see in my mind the face of that boy named “Freckles.”
I then got to thinking about the comic strips of my boyhood. I always loved the comics, even before I could read them for myself. As a kid of 5 I sat by the radio on Sunday morning and heard a Houston radio announcer read the “funnies.” Mayor LaGuardia of New York used to do that–he was beloved for it.
When I finally knew how to read, I loved “Dick Tracy” and all the crazy characters that were part of his life. Remember B.O. Plenty and Gravel Gertie, with Sparkle Plenty? I was crazy about his 2-way wrist radio.
I loved Lil Abner and Daisy Mae, Mammy and Pappy Yokum, Available Sam and Joe Bfstlx. I looked forward to Alley Oop, Dagwood and Blondie, Nancy and Sluggo, Popeye, The Katzenjammer Kids, and a host of others.
All those I’ve mentioned were in the newspapers in the 1930’s. More followed in the 1940’s, 1950’s, and every decade since. I’ve learned to enjoy many of them. I love B.C., The Wizard of Id, Rhymes with Orange, The Far Side, and many, many others.
There are days when I tire of Predestinarianism, Hermeneutics, theological terms, presuppositional apologetics and other profound doctrinal hypotheses, and just want to relax with my friends in the comic strips. I think God understands. He may have a few framed autographed Peanuts strips on His wall. Many of them were about Him, you know. Remember the book, “The Gospel According to Peanuts?”