October 26th, 2018

Timeline – 2002 Part 1

by Mort Walker

Beetle Bailey Sunday page digital proof, June 16, 2002.

General Halftrack’s wife is named Martha. She has been a regular character in the strip for six decades.  As the “keeper of complaints” she never forgets a slight.

Here is one of her earliest appearances.

Beetle Bailey daily strip, December 1, 1961.

Soon after she was beginning to show her pushy personality.

Beetle Bailey daily strip, February 14, 1962.

The idea of what might happen if women ran the army was further explored in a Sunday page that ran the following month.

Beetle Bailey Sunday page color proof, March 4, 1962.

In this drawing from a 1962 model sheet, Martha is looking a bit more glamorous.

We continue to feature Mrs. Halftrack in the strip today.   The General may be in charge of Camp Swampy but at home she wears the pants in the family.

Our Timeline series in 2002 will continue next week so stay tooned.

– Brian Walker