Several really old strips today, even one from 1979. It’s fun for me to see the old stuff because I don’t always remember them, and I can kind of experience them the way readers did back then. Sometimes that’s fun and sometimes it’s really embarrassing, as you’ll see in the commentary.

August 31, 1980

I don’t know if this one’s a goodie, but it’s definitely an oldie! I was definitely feeling my way along then.

August 31, 2003

I like how the cushion on his chair is a bit saggy. I should draw it that way all the time.

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Here are a few original Drabble strips for the weekend!

August 28, 1980

This was drawn right about the time I was trying to grow my first mustache. I was told that girls liked mustaches, but I had no evidence of that. It came in ok, though.

See?

August 28, 1983

August 28, 1992

When I showed you the beginning of this story line on Monday, I couldn’t remember how it turned out. I’m glad I still had this original!

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This week has traditionally been the start of the holiday season in our home. Really! One of our kids has a birthday this week. Another one has a birthday 3 weeks later. Another has a birthday a month after that. Then two weeks later it’s Halloween. Three weeks later it’s Thanksgiving, then Christmas! It all goes so fast.

Actually the holiday season now begins even earlier with grandkids having birthdays in June and July. Also, I’ve already drawn some Halloween cartoons!

Come to think of it, everything seems to go by fast at my age.

August 24, 1980

August 24, 2003

August 25, 1980

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I had a frustrating day yesterday. relate to. I had Ralph and Norm in a fast food fried chicken restaurant. I wanted to give the place a funny, chicken-related name, like Cluck’s Chicken, or Coop’s Chicken. I have to be careful because there might actually be a place with that name and I don’t want any legal hassles. So I Googled each name I came up with to make sure. I probably went through 20 names, each one was a real place somewhere! I finally settled on a not so clever name, but at least no one else was using it! I can’t believe how much time it took, first to think of the name, then look it up.

I don’t mean to complain. I still wouldn’t switch jobs with anyone!

Here are our strips for the weekend, with some commentary…

August 21, 1980

August 21, 2023

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Some pictures today of the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards in Columbus, Ohio.

But first, our strips for the week!

August 17, 1980

August 18, 2002

August 19, 1990

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I attended the National Cartoonist Society’s Rueben Awards weekend in Columbus Ohio last week. It was the first time I’ve attended in 27 years. It was fun! Our paid subscribers will see the pictures on Monday.

Now for our strips for the weekend…

August 14, 1980

For a guy who can’t seem to find a girl, Norm sure finds a lot of them!

August 14, 2008

August 14, 2023

August 14, 2024

August 15, 1980

August 15, 2008

I miss the mall cop humor. For that matter, I miss the malls!

August 15, 2023

August 16, 1980

August 16, 2008

August 16, 2023

A goof in the lettering in the last box. It was corrected on the computer.

August 16, 2024

Thanks for reading. See you on Monday!

—Kevin Fagan

In addition to strips about Ralph and Wally, today we have 46 years of Norman striking out with girls. Fortunately, Patrick keeps score. I hope you like ‘em!

August 10, 2003

August 10, 2024

August 11, 2002

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I’ll show you one of my favorite storylines today, right after we see our original strips for the weekend!

August 7, 2023

August 7, 2024

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Please check out my strips every day this week in your newspaper or at www.gocomics.com/drabble

It was a fun week to draw!

August 3, 1980

August 3, 2003

Not much of this strip was made up!

August 3, 2023

I had forgotten about this strip and it was only 3 years ago. I don’t know why I forgot it. When I saw it again, I liked it!

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I hope this batch of funnies helps get your weekend off to a good start!

July 31, 1980

July 31. 1983

I wish this was still a common thing!

July 31, 2023

In box 3, it looks like I made a goof on the word “to.” It was corrected after it was scanned into the computer (I hope).

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There are two different storylines in this batch of originals. From 2021, Ralph takes a job as a park ranger, and from 2023, Norman takes a job as a lifeguard. We also have some random gags from 1980.

Don’t forget you can read a new Drabble strip every day at www.gocomics.com/drabble. Soon you’ll even be able to order Drabble merchandise there!

July 27, 1980

July 26, 2021

I see I goofed up the house flag a little. Instead of White Out, I erased the goofs once it was scanned into the computer.

July 27, 2023

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Life is full of amazing coincidences. Today I’ll tell you a personal story about my life-long connection to Charlie Brown’s sister Sally. First, let’s look at our strips for the weekend.

July 24, 2023

July 25, 1980

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A few golf-related strips today. Maybe I used to play a lot of golf in the early summer and get ideas. I haven’t been able to play for a few years because of back problems. Now get ideas from doctors and physical therapy!

July 20, 1994

July 20, 2023

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Just a reminder that you can read Drabble every day at www.gocomics.com/drabble

Here are our original strips for the weekend…

July 17, 1980

July 17, 1983

July 17, 2023

July 17, 2024

July 18, 1980

July 18, 1994

July 18, 2023

July 18, 2024

July 19, 1980

July 19, 1994

July 19, 2023

Thanks for reading. See you on Monday!

—Kevin Fagan

Here are a some Drabble original strips from the above dates to get your week off to a good start (I hope).

July 13, 1980

July 13, 1994

July 13, 2023

Ralph looks better than a few of our originals today!

July 13, 2024

July 14, 2024

This original was poorly drafted, poorly photographed, and not quite as funny as I thought. Other than that it was great!

July 15, 1980

I must like the name Brian. It has popped up in a few early strips, and later I named my son Brian!

July 15, 1990

July 15, 2023

July 16, 1980

I was proud of the idea to have Wendy’s word balloon covering Norman’s face. My syndicate editor didn’t understand it, and called to tell me we couldn’t see Norman in box 2.

July 16, 2024

This original is pretty rough! That usually means it was more spontaneous than planned out. Lots of pencil marks, white-out, and paste-overs. I even ran out of room to write “educational.” Oh well, here’s how it looked after my assistant, Mrs. Fagan, slaved over it on the computer…

Better!

Thanks for reading!

—Kevin Fagan

Our paid subscribers will get their money’s worth today. I came across some very unusual and never before seen pictures of Sparky having fun with some fellow cartoonists.

First, our strips for this weekend…

July 9, 2024

Norm with two arms. This is a trend in this batch.

July 10, 1980

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I don’t know what it is about early July, but our batch of strips for this week contains some of my personal favorites. I’m often asked if I have one particular favorite strip that I’ve drawn. It’s impossible to say, but today I’ll show you the one that always comes to mind first, plus some that deserve honorable mention.

July 6, 1980

I always liked this Norman and Wendy situation. Not quite an “Honorable Mention,” but I thought it was funny.

July 6, 1994

This is one that is memorable to me. I was proud of the joke too. It’s not at the top of my list, but it’s one of the Honrable Mentions.

July 6, 2003

Another Honorable Mention, but still not my favorite…

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I’ve aways liked the 4th of July. I also like the 3rd of July. You can check out today’s Drabble strip at https://www.gocomics.com/drabble/2026/07/03

Every year around this time, I go to Balboa Island which is in Orange County, CA. It’s a small island filled with nice houses and lots of charm. The folks there go all out on holiday decorations, and the 4th is a big day there. I took a few pictures which I’ll show you after we see our strips for July 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

July 3, 1980

July 3, 1983

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Today’s post is available to everybody regardless of subscription level. If you’re a free subscriber, please consider upgrading your subscription so you won’t miss any strips, stories, comments or photos. You’ll also have access to all previous posts and a gift now and then. This is the only place where you can see the first 12 (or so) years of Drabble. The archives on Gocomics.com only go back to 1990, and the rest of the 90’s are spotty. Most of my early strips drawn before the internet existed, are nowhere to be found except in a few rare books. (And gathering dust in my studio, of course!)

Anyway, thanks for your subscriptions, both free and paid. I enjoy sharing this bit of comics history with you.

June 29, 1980

I remember this strip because I used to jog and when I’d pass by a girl, I tried to look cool. (I was only about 23.) I also remember it because it was probably the first time I tried to draw a pretty girl. I didn’t know many girls back then.

June 29,1994

June 29, 2003

Sometimes I draw a strip that I can’t wait to see in the newspaper. This was one.

June 30, 1980

June 30, 2024

July 1, 1979

This is one of those Sunday strips from 1979 where I drew on poster board. My syndicate editors advised me not to because it might disintigrate over time. So far so good though. The discoloration on the Drabble logo is caused by the rubber cement I used to affix it to the strip. I have to admit, I kind of like it. Strips that show signs of age can be interesting to look at. Before computers, cartoonists just had to do what they had to do!

I remember the first time I saw an original Peanuts strip at my syndicate office in 1980. I just stared at it for the longest time. Snoopy was flying his Sopwith Camel, which became riddled with bullet holes, causing the root beer inside to spill out. It was like seeing your favorite celebrity in person! The strip was beautiful and flawless.

July 1, 1980

Everything in cartoon material.

July 1, 1990

July 2, 1980

No wonder I never knew many girls back then!

You can see a new Drabble every day at www.gocomics.com/drabble

Thanks for reading!

—Kevin Fagan

Our never-ending Drabble show continues with 10 original strips spanning 44 years…

June 26, 1980

June 26, 2021

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