"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated November 22, 1925:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (NOVEMBER 4, 2021):
I honestly got a pretty good laugh out of this one! - 1/16
Admittedly, I saw pretty early on that Flip and Slivvers were the turkey, so the "surprise" at the end didn't really catch me off-guard, but it didn't impede my enjoyment one bit! - 2/16
In fact, I might even say it *enhanced* my experience! I find this fascinating because there are few other mediums where the material conditions of it's existence impact experience in this way. - 3/16
Because I was reading the full-page, and saw the reveal at the end through mise en page I was prepared for the subtle jokes and little tricks above. - 4/16
Things like the guns having blanks in them, which might have perplexed me, were instantly an example of Flip and Slivvers' thinking ahead! Nemo's sly "don't be alarmed Princess" comment and his confidence in their safety was also great! - 5/16
It makes the pride that Pill and Figures feel, and the cheering for them by other Slumberlandians, hilariously hollow! It creates a special joke that is only shared between the reader and the gang! - 6/16
Obviously, this connection wouldn't be made quite so easily in a digital space where one had to scroll to read the reveal (it might not be immediately viewable and therefore would alter the experience). - 7/16
I'm really interested to hear about how you all experiences this moment. It'll be a very neat discussion, I think! - 8/16
I also want to bring attention to Morpheus' final lines… because I have no idea what to make of them. - 9/16
They reference "Nimrod" who is a complicated biblical figure. Nimrod was a King (sometimes associated with the construction of the Tower of Babel) and is often thought of as rebellious against God. - 10/16
Today, the term is more easily recognized as an insult demeaning ones intelligence. It seems as though the first recorded use of the word in this way was in a 1932 Looney Tunes cartoon. - 11/16
Nowhere in my quick Google perusal did I find a connection between Nimrod and elephants… - 12/16
So… what in the world is Morpheus saying here? Is he insulting Pill? He does begin by saying, "That's one on you, Doc!", which seems like a ribbing from one who finds the situation funny. - 13/16
If so, it would predate the Looney Tunes example by seven years. Take that, Bugs! - 14/16
But, I'm not sure that's what it is… if anyone else has any thoughts or ideas I'm eager to hear them! - 15/16
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #491. What's yours? - 16/16