"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated April 04, 1926:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (NOVEMBER 24, 2021):
I think what strikes me most about this strip is that I have so many more questions than answers… - 1/20
For starters… what is going on here? Why does Nemo forget Slumberland? - 2/20
One possible theory is that this is how Nemo arrives in Slumberland? Maybe he's lucid dreaming and he's never quite remembered *how* he arrives? - 3/20
It isn't uncommon to be "dropped into" a dream and not know how you got there… maybe this represents that liminal space between falling asleep and dreaming? - 4/20
But it is also meant to be an Easter strip. Is there some religious allegory here? - 5/20
McCay's religious beliefs have always been a point of interest for me. We know that he was a Freemason and, by virtue of membership in that fraternity (which maintains theism as one of its tenants of brotherhood) McCay was likely at least somewhat theistic. - 6/20
Though, it's also well known that he considered himself to be agnostic (uncertain about the existence of a divine being/certainty is unknowable). - 7/20
I'm not entirely sure how agnosticism fits into Freemasonry, but might suppose that since Agnostics do not outright deny the existence of a divine being, it might be accepted? - 8/20
So… is there something here about the dying and rising of Jesus? Is Nemo's dream journey here an allegorical stand-in for Christ's journey after death? - 9/20
For whatever reason (my Catholic upbringing or Nemo's waking in a "cold dark and dismal place") I couldn't help but think of the Harrowing of Hell: - 10/20
In Christian theology, the Harrowing supposedly occurred sometime between Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection. It is claimed that upon his death, Jesus arrived at the gates of Hell and threw them open providing salvation to all the good souls that had suffered as a result of original sin. - 11/20
I truly don't know that it maps well onto this strip, but I couldn't help but ask it… - 12/20
There is also the questions of the three slivers of moon giving way to the bright and luminous sun… could it represent the three days prior to Jesus' resurrection? - 13/20
He arrives in Slumberland much like a King… the presentation in the third tier screams royalty almost, to me. - 14/20
The wordless panels (6 & 7) are especially powerful, I think. I swear I can almost hear the music be played to harken his arrival. It's wordless, motionless, soundless, and yet they are so alive. - 15/20
I just can't make sense of it… why this strip? Why now? - 16/20
Had this strip begun the revival series, I might've understood better; I mean, this would be a great way to reintroduce us to Nemo after a 10-year absence. - 17/20
But there is no extended absence between the last week's strip and this one… so what gives? - 18/20
I can't wait to hear what you all think about this one! - 19/20
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #510. What's yours? - 20/20