"In the Land of Wonderful Dreams" dated November 09, 1913:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (August 3, 2021):
First off, just wanted to say a big thank you for all the well-wishes for my weekend off of #WelcomeToSlumberland! I'm excited to be back and looking forward to chatting about this strip! - 1/16
I had a good laugh reading this strip tonight because I was pretty surprised to find Flip playing a card game with some Antediluvians… I too played a lot of cards this weekend! - 2/16
It seems as though he is playing a trick-taking game (he calls trump in panel 4), but I'm not sure which one… I'd originally thought it was "euchre" (my trick-taking game of preference), but they are fighting over who played a "2" in panel 7. - 3/16
But, that can't be since 2's are not a factor in that particular game… Couple this with my uncertainty as to whether there were 3 or 4 players (Impie doesn't seem to be playing in panel 3, and there are 3 Antediluvians in panel 7)… - 4/16
…and it creates a tricky situation to decipher. I tried to look up some other trick-taking games but nothing seemed to match… is this a case of McCay not really caring for the rules? Or am I just not familiar with the game? Can anyone else figure this one out? - 5/16
I also find it quite funny that Flip's hot temper is literally put out by the Mastadon's soaking… I just love how Flip's cigar smoke is what brings them to the scene (no immediate danger from a fire), but the only fire that's doused in Flip's own! - 6/16
The saying "where there's smoke, there's fire" would be quite appropriate here (literal smoke and figurative fire haha).- 7/16
I do question whether Flip's gambling here is associated in some way to anti-Irish caricature of the time. I vaguely recall that gambling was a vice commonly associated with the Irish in the early 20th century as a prejudicial tactic, but I don't remember where I read that… - 8/16
I *did* find this article from the "Los Angeles Herald" published on April 30, 1913 (same year, just seven months earlier, as today's strip) that labeled gambling as the worst possible vice: - 9/16
Obviously, it is entirely within Flip's character to play cards and gamble. Similarly, it is absolutely in character for him to challenge his gambling rival to a fight. That said, it does demonstrate some of the concerns outlined in that article… - 10/16
On the "flip" side… there is no indication whatsoever that any "gambling" is actually taking place. Neither Flip, nor the Antediluvians that he is playing with, make reference to the exchange of moneys in this game of cards. - 11/16
Was it enough to suggest that playing cards necessitated gambling in the early 20th century? I don't think that association still holds today (we often play cards for fun rather than money), but it might have been there in 1913. Any thoughts? - 12/16
I'll end just by mentioning that I find it strange the Antediluvian playing cards against Flip knows who George Washington is, let alone that he "[couldn't] tell a lie"… - 13/16
It's a fun little allusion, but one that seems oddly placed. That said, it suggests that the Antediluvians are learned and highly intelligent (in spite of their simian features). - 14/16
Indeed, it strikes me that the fire station is pretty similar to other conceits found in "The Flintstone" cartoon by Hannah-Barbera… I'm starting to think McCay might have had some influence here, @Totter87. - 15/16
This is my reading of "In the Land of Wonderful Dreams" #408. What's yours? - 16/16