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A Look Back at January 10, 1926: The Day Sunday “Toppers” Began

Hey Comics Kingdom fans,

Today, we’re rolling back the calendar to Sunday, January 10, 1926—a turning point in Hearst comics. Until then, each Sunday strip took up about four-fifths of a page, with a single-panel “header” on top. But on this particular Sunday, that wide header gave way to a smaller second strip, effectively giving readers two-for-one—and letting syndicates call it “two separate features” in their sales pitch.

Franklin Osborne Alexander, a cartoonist who worked for The Ledger Syndicate, once recalled that after Hearst’s new format gained steam, he was forced to add an extra comic (Hairbreadth Harry) to his Sunday page for no additional pay. We’d like to believe King Features had a friendlier approach, but this “new layer” of content clearly helped them market more titles.

Many of these early “topper” strips didn’t last long—probably because creators had to scramble for quick ideas. Some, like James Swinnerton (who brought back Mr. Jack to pair with Little Jimmy) and E.C. Segar (who revived Sappo to join Thimble Theatre), succeeded by dusting off familiar faces. Other strips introduced their toppers in the months to come.

Let’s check out a few short-lived toppers that debuted that day:

Bertha, the Siberian Cheesehound, stuck around until Bill kicked her out on July 11.

Hotsy-Totsy, a sort of “Dumb Dora” clone, hung on until April 25 before being replaced by It’s Papa Who Pays.

Jungle Bed-Time Stories, a chatty Knerr creation, gave way to Herr Dinglehoofer on May 16 (though there was a one-shot called Naughty! Naughty! on May 9).

Kitty Change-Her-Mind ended on March 14; Tillie’s page made room for The Van Swaggers and Aunt Min later.

No Brains, But– by McManus wrapped up on May 16. From May 16 to June 6, it was replaced by Good Morning, Boss, and then Rosie’s Beau finally returned on June 13.

Our Antediluvian Ancestors ran with Opper’s various characters until May 16, giving way to And her name was Maud.

“Useless” lasted exactly one week before Bughouse Fables replaced it.

Although many of these toppers were short-lived, they paved the way for a new approach to Sunday comics—a format that gave readers more variety and gave creators a space (even if temporarily) to try something fresh. Here’s to the inventive spirit that sparked these classic strips!

Ask The Archivist

Ask the Archivist: How January 10, 1926, Changed Hearst’s Sunday Comics Forever