Popeye returns to comics in new series from IDW

One of the most famous comic-strip characters of all time appears in new comic-book adventures starting this week. Popeye the Sailor, created by E.C. Segar and first appearing in the comic strip “Thimble Theatre” in Jan. 1929, is starring in new comic-book stories from IDW Publishing.

The sailor with huge forearms, who gains incredible strength from eating spinach, is something of a forefather to the superheroes who became popular starting in the 1930s. The first IDW “Popeye” cover references this, as the design is in homage to the “Action Comics” No. 1 cover that introduced Superman. Popeye and Superman have

another historic tie — both were featured in cartoons from Max and Dave Fleischer’s Fleischer Studios. The Popeye cartoons began in 1933 and were produced through 1957. Popeye’s comic strip is still being produced today.

The writer of the new four-issue comic-book series is Roger Langridge. Langridge’s “Fred the Clown” was nominated for multiple comics awards, including the Eisner, Harvey, Ignatz and Reuben. Langridge recently wrote “The Muppet Show” for Boom! Studios and “Thor The Mighty Avenger” for Marvel. His humor series “Snarked” is published by Boom! Studios.

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