"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated April 07, 1907:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (AUGUST 13, 2020):
I absolutely love how this strip demonstrates a full reversal in the pirate characters! They’ve gone from tough as nails scowling cutthroats to sniveling "boobies" (Flip's word) in the matter of four strips! - 1/17
It's a really excellent way to end the Pirate escapades and shows the reader just how formidable these three young people are! … well, at the very least, it shows how formidable Flip is! - 2/17
Flip's plan, though risky, is a really brilliant one. He has a knack for getting revenge on those who wrong him and this is no exception. Not only does he ensure that the Pirates are punished, but he also somehow manages to ensure that he and his friends are also rescued! - 3/17
The Princess, on the other hand, loses that cool and confident persona that I thought I noticed last week, becoming little more than a scared girl here… It's disheartening, because I enjoy seeing her as more of a strong-willed puppet master, but I can't read that here. - 4/17
She's second guessing Flip in nearly every panel even though she's seen just how in control Flip actually is. I would've much rather her be supportive and maybe even have Nemo be the one with doubts (it would be in character for both of them at that point, I think). - 5/17
For his part, Nemo remains completely silent the entire strip… why in the world is that? He's dressed as a knight, brandishing a sword, so why is our title character the least active of the three in this particular strip? - 6/17
It seems an odd choice to me… I can't recall if there have been any other strips prior to this where Nemo did not speak at all… and it isn't like there weren't opportunities? This is a dialogue heavy strip already. - 7/17
The Slumberland Navy is a fun and interesting inclusion. They come in their massive battleship and (in panel 5) let loose a torrent of cannonballs that is so ridiculous that it makes one laugh at seeing it. - 8/17
No ship in the history of the world could fire that many cannonballs (and that's a generalization I feel pretty safe in making)… visually, the Navy ship is completely blotted out by the incoming cannon fire (visual hyperbole). - 9/17
The question of how the H.M.S. Morpheus is able to reach the ship after that (or how it's still floating) isn't really the point… I like the visual surrealism that is meant to emphasize (through visual exaggeration) the power and might that the King of Slumberland has… - 10/17
Not only that, but it emphasizes the REACH of his power… Remember, this is a newly formed ocean they're sailing on! On top of that, there is also the question of how the Slumberlandians knew that the trio was on the ship? - 11/17
Is someone feeding Morpheus information? Can he simply see everything in his realm? Either way, the Princess' "I wonder if they know we are here?" is pretty quickly answered when Pirate King/Flip stands up to talk to them… - 12/17
As they get into the life boat, the Slumberlandian says, "We knew we'd save our Princess, though!"... How could they be so confident with the torrent of cannonballs they lobbied at the Pirates? I don't know but, for some reason, I'm willing to take them at their word. - 13/17
I think I forgive it because I've already accepted that the volley of cannonballs didn't sink the ship or kill our heroes, so is it that much harder to accept that they knew the kids would be ok? - 14/17
Finally, McCay ends the strip with another new demonstration of the blurring between dreaming and waking. As Nemo is lifted from the destroyed pirate ship, we shift to his bedroom for the final panel where his father is lifting him out of bed. - 15/17
That the dream melts into reality in this way is just another fun example of how McCay uses that liminal space between dreaming and waking in a playful manner. Personally, I enjoy it more than I like the "gag" moments where he wakes up roughly. - 16/17
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #78. What's yours? - 17/17