Staff Picks (November 12): Classic Popeye #6

I was not a Popeye fan growing up. As a kid, I didn’t understand what was so appealing about his weird arms, weird voice, or weird girlfriend. So I was completely taken by surprise this summer when I picked up Classic Popeye #1, opened to a page at random, and found myself laughing out loud.

My childhood convictions were at least partially right. Popeye is weird! He’s absurd and zany and a little bit ironic. When Popeye finds his Pappy in bed eating a mountain of sweets for “lunch,” or when Swee’ Pea bursts through a door to pop a traveling salesman in the nose, it’s truly, visually funny. This book is full of great visual punchlines that take full advantage of the graphic storytelling format, beautifully reproduced on quality paper stock. Editors Craig Yoe and Ted Adams clearly care about this project, and so will you. Former serious kids of the world, skip your therapist this week and pick up this book. Popeye is tons of fun.

~ Heather Wiegand