June 17th, 2018

Timeline – 1997 Part 2

by Mort Walker

Beetle Bailey Sunday page digital proof, November 9, 1997.

The Sunday page above features an event that doesn’t really happen every year.  The “Annual Cussing Contest” was created just to set up this gag.  Sergeant Bluster is also not a regular character in the strip.

Sarge is famous for his colorful language, most of which can’t be printed in a family newspaper.  We have to use special symbols to represent his swear words.

Mort Walker explained this technique in his 1980 book, The Lexicon of Comicana. We are hoping to publish a new edition of this classic book in the next few years.  We will keep you posted on how we are progressing with that project, so be sure to stay tooned.

– Brian Walker