"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated April 15, 1906:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (June 23, 2020):
According to my research (aka Google), April 15, 1906 was Easter Sunday! … Shocking given this week's content, I know… - 1/27
Truthfully, there is only a couple elements of this strip worth discussing in my opinion, but I think they can still lead to some fruitful conversation. - 2/27
First, Popcorn introduces us to two new characters. We meet a conjurer, Presto, followed by a fairy queen, Spangle. - 3/27
The conjurer isn't all that interesting… and actually kind of the reason why this attempt at getting Nemo to the Princess fails. - 4/27
He's positioned as "the Great Conjurer, Presto of Slumberland"… but, if he's so great, so didn't he just conjure the rabbits and the carriage in the first place? - 5/27
It's the hatching that wakes up the sleeping policeman, so this is fully Presto's fault. Had he just skipped that step, it'd be smooth sailing for Nemo and crew. - 6/27
Spangle, however, is pretty fascinating. She is introduced to Nemo as "one of [Presto's] fairy queens…", which means that there are more than one FQ in Slumberland. - 7/27
Recall Cheecaumo, who we met way back in strip #5 (Nov. 12, 1905). Morpheus promised her that he'd make her Queen of the Fairy Ballet if she could get Nemo to Slumberland, so there's been some indication before. - 8/27 [INSERT IMAGE]
While we don't really learn which particular fiefdom of the fairy land Spangle is Queen of, we see her perform some very interesting magic in the third tier. Notice how she ends her command with the word "presto"? - 9/27
The use of this magic word may simply be a linguistic call-back to the character we just met, but I'm intrigued by this moment because I have always been a huge fan of another character whose magic is called upon by the utterance of another's name… - 10/27
In 1939, Fawcett Comics published "Whiz Comics #2" featuring a new superhero created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. That hero was the Golden Age, Captain Marvel. - 11/27 [INSERT IMAGE]
In order to transform into the hero, Captain Marvel, Billy Batson must speak the name of the Wizard who first gave him the powers: SHAZAM! - 12/27 [INSERT IMAGE]
I have been a huge fan of "The Big Red Cheese" for many years and so Spangle's use of Presto's name in this spell screamed at me from the page. - 13/27
It really isn't possible to tell if she is using it as an exclamation or as a beckoning to the conjurer since all of the text in #LittleNemo is handwritten in capital letters. As a result, there is an uncertainty between "Presto" vs. "presto". - 14/27
I vaguely remember reading about a history of heroes who used words of power, particularly calling out the name of another, for their heroic acts, but I can't remember where and failed to recall any by name [Help?]. - 15/27
All this to say that while it's surely a stretch to suggest that the Captain Marvel co-creators drew inspiration for their hero from this obscure moment in #LittleNemo (Beck hadn't been born yet; Parker was 7 yo), I find the tenuous connection fascinating nonetheless. - 16/27
Arguably, the most important element of this strip is the inclusion of the policeman. I've racked my brain for different ways to read this moment and I just can't reconcile this character with any possible dreamworld analogy. - 17/27
The immediate reading here for me is that this policeman (possibly a stand-in for the whole in 1906) is lazy, unprofessional, and so selfish that he is only willing to do his job when he is personally affronted (i.e. woken up). - 18/27
But there are other elements at play here: Why is there a policeman in Slumberland? Why is he the only character permitted to sleep? Is there a connection here with how the Police were perceived at the time? - 19/27
Another important question that must be interrogated is why he is the only one permitted to sleep in Slumberland. - 20/27
Maybe he is Freudian material seeping into the dreamworld through Nemo's subconscious and so the policeman (reality) must sleep so as not to disturb the world (surreality), thus waking Nemo. - 21/27
This reading would imply that Nemo has, perhaps, an irrational fear of police or of being caught doing something wrong. The final panel supports this and it's really a fairly reasonable worry for kids who know that police are supposed to enforce law and order. - 22/27
Beyond these intratextual readings, I think that the strip may also be positioned to present a new reading dependent upon our current socio-political moment as we grapple with truths and harsh realities about how those who protect and serve us use their power. - 23/27
This reading might suggest that the policeman is a recognized menace in Slumberland and that the easiest way to keep him out of the way or from bungling anything up is to let him sleep and have the Slumberlandians protect and serve themselves. - 24/27
A more menacing commentary about the state of police (generally) in early 1900s America (possibly also a sobering look at popular opinion surrounding them at this time, as well), this reading may be one that resonates more with today's readers in light of current events. - 25/27
All this to say that the Drowsy Policeman is a strange inclusion in the strip and likely has a meaning beyond what is on the page… while I'm not sure what McCay intended, I can certainly read the character's inclusion a few different ways. How about you? - 26/27
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #27. What's yours? - 27/27
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