"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated August 03, 1924:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (AUGUST 18, 2021):
After ten years and a return to McCay'sold stomping grounds at the New York Herald (which, by this point, had been swallowed by the Tribune to become the "New York Herald Tribune"), #LittleNemo dreams again! - 1/18
Though the reproduction quality isn't nearly as high here as it has been in the past, we can clearly see that the brilliance of the Herald's colouring department hasn't faded much over the nearly fifteen years since Nemo was last published there. - 2/18
I actually think this strip is really good re-introduction to the characters. *We* certainly don't feel like we need a refresher, but after 10 years, McCay's contemporary readers sure would. - 3/18
And, unlike his starting point with #InTheLandofWonderfulDreams, McCay brings the whole gang back here! - 4/18
The Princess, Flip, Impie, Dr. Pill, and Professor Figures are all here! Truthfully, the only ones missing at this point are Morpheus, Splinters, and the Candy Kid, really? - 5/18
It's nice to see the entire group come together here to celebrate the strip's return. Even if it does so in the very basic and formulaic narrative structure of the past. - 6/18
I really love the way that Nemo's bedroom melts away into the dreaming… his room slowly transforms into the lake that serves as playground in this particular dream sequence leaving the gang capable of boating right up to Nemo's bed. - 7/18
This is one of the most explicit connections to dreams and dreaming that we've seen since the last #LittleNemoinSlumberland was published. McCay's work at the NY American was never as interested in the notion of dreaming… - 8/18
It also brings back the whimsy and surrealism that defined Nemo's past exploits. Sure, there were elements of this in Antediluvia and (much less so) in Lilliput, but the simple inclusion of mermaids here strikes me as very different. - 9/18
As the gang makes their way into Nemo's greeting is interesting. He says, "Well looks who's here" and it makes me wonder about what's been going on for the past ten years in Nemo's waking life. - 10/18
Obviously, the answer is nothing; not only is he fictional, but he also has not visibly aged at all in the ten years of stasis… but the way he comments upon seeing them makes me *feel* as though he hasn't seen them for a time. - 11/18
So, if there has been a bit of a pause in between his experiences with his friends, it remains unexplained. Of course, it's always possible that I'm simply projecting that feeling of temporal distance because of what I know about the historical situation. - 12/18
Some things certainly never change though. As a result of Impie's mischief (or possibly just excitement at seeing Nemo again?) Dr. Pill and Professor Figures are tossed overboard, while Nemo is sent from his bed to the boat. - 13/18
So, while Nemo is changing into his traditional Slumberland duds, Flip and the Princess drain the water (worrying the mermaids in the process…) but revealing Pill and Figures trapped in the foliage and Impie being chased by a previously hidden lobster… - 14/18
As Impie turns away to run, concerned about the now revealed lobsters terrifying claws, Nemo encourages him to run so as not to be caught by it! I also enjoy the lifeline that Flip has tossed Impie, which is frozen in midair presumably on it’s way to lasso and save him. - 15/18
While I'd rather we had left McCay's penchant for placing Impie in dangerous situations back at the NY American, much of the rest of this strip is really enjoyable. - 16/18
It makes for a pretty exciting return and, after a pretty disappointing stint with Hearst, creates some excitement that what made Nemo special might be back. We'll have to wait and see! - 17/18
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #422. What's yours? - 18/18