"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated December 16, 1906:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (JULY 28, 2020):
I don't like to disappoint… but I don't have much to say about this strip if I'm being honest… - 1/13
It plays with the same two tricks that've taken up much of the last two (object transformation and Granny Hag-Rose transformation) and doesn't offer much else (beside a pump-fake Santa before we meet the real one next week). - 2/13
I suppose it's interesting to see that the object transformation has moved from flower to dead animal (#60), tree to living animal (#61), and now bush to human (#62). - 3/13
I particularly like that this "illusion" or "simulacrum Santa" can speak and even has a conversation with Flip! - 4/13
The Princess mentions that Flip has no idea that he isn't the real Santa and we see that this is true as he has a conversation with him about their journey/his new role as the Princess' playmate. - 5/13
I guess this is a bit humorous; Flip has, indeed, become the Princes's playmate (maybe play "thing" is a better term), but definitely not in the way that he had intended… - 6/13
The all black sky and the snowy white mountains make for a beautiful backdrop that I really enjoy. They help to set the peaceful and serene atmosphere that makes Flip's toss into the snow more dramatic. - 7/13
Finally, there is an interesting discrepancy between the CSL and Taschen versions of this strip. Notice the final panel of the CSL version begins with: "Gee Whizz!"… that isn't present in the Taschen: - 8/13 [INSERT IMAGE]
Generally speaking, I lean on the Taschen as the most comprehensive reproductions available (I said as much two strips back…), so this was interesting to me… - 9/13
Here's my (purely speculative and in no way factual) theory… Knowing what we know about McCay's laissez-faire approach to lettering, is it possible that he had something there, removed it, and just left the balloon as it was for publishing with the large blank space? - 10/13
Now future publications might want to fill that empty space in with something like "Gee Whizz!"… That said, Alexander Braun wouldn't include something that wasn't McCays though, thus explaining why it was published the way it was in the Taschen… whaddya think? - 11/13
It's an interesting question and might be one worth getting in touch with Braun himself about… I'll ponder that. Suggestions and other theories are welcome! - 12/13
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #62. What's yours? - 13/13