The Yellow Kid and Pore Lil Mose

 

The Yellow Kid has been called America's first popular newspaper-cartoon character.

In the following October 25, 1896 cartoon, R. F. Outcault, created a multiple panel cartoon for his Yellow Kid character featuring the "New Phonograph" and introduced speech balloons into the series. This cartoon is often cited as the "official birth of comics" even though, as the Lambiek Comiclopedia notes "the kid's dialogue is still printed on his gown most of the time he does use speech balloons here and there..."

 

The New Phonograph

New York Journal, Sunday, October 25, 1896

 

The Talking Clock

New York Journal, Sunday, February 14, 1897 (Courtesy San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library). Click Cartoon for larger version.

 

 

New York Journal, Sunday, October 25, 1896 (and above copy, courtesy San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library)

 

 

"This really happened..." by Richard Outcault, New York Herald 1901-08-18

(Credits: San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State University, Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum)

 

 

Pore Lil Mose - The New York Herald, by R. F. Outcault, 1901. (PM-0531)

Disclaimer

 

For a history of the Yellow Kid and eighty-eight Yellow Kid digital tear sheets visit the San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, The Ohio State Univeristy Cartoon Research Library.