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Day #520: Slivvers Gets a Haircut on his Birthday

"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated June 20, 1926:


Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (DECEMBER 6, 2021):


So, my first question: When did the Princess learn how to drive?! - 1/13

My second question: When did Flip get command of the Slumberland band and the directorial power to put together an entire parade without the Princess knowing about it? - 2/13

Truthfully, the surprise of this whole strip is that the Princess is on the outs the entire time… it almost felt like a coup to me! - 3/13

Flip, the often outsider, seems to hold a power here that the Princess, an obvious often insider, is without in this strip. It's curious… and fascinating. - 4/13

All of this, though, leading Slivvers to a hair cut… that's kind of lame, I won't lie. - 5/13

I mean, it isn't like Slivvers had a massive beard or anything… there is not *dramatic* transformation… so what gives? - 6/13

Maybe this is my modern-day privilege speaking though… were hair cuts hard to come by in the 20s? I couldn't find much to suggest they were, but I won't discount it out of hand. - 7/13

Is it possibly because of Slivvers lower economic status? Maybe haircuts were a luxury Slivvers wasn't used to, which would make this a pretty good present from Flip. How sweet of him. - 8/13

Of course, after the last strip where he mistreated Impie so badly, I don't really wanna give him any credit. - 9/13

Even here, Impie is included in a "token" manner and even mistreated by the officer. Though his treatment isn't the worst… - 10/13

No, the racialized barbers assistant is a pretty egregious moment for McCay… not only is he presented doing the menial task of brushing off Slivvers, but he is faceless. - 11/13

I had to zoom in pretty far to be sure, but I was shocked… I mean… how could that happen? Not only is it racist, but it's just awful editing, too. - 12/13

This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #520. What's yours? - 13/13

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