Actually, if the strip stayed true to its roots, there would be no additional characters invented, like the two ‘uncles’ created, I assume, to explain the back story of the existence of Sluggo, which Ernie Bushmiller never felt the need to expand upon, and Fritzi would never marry and Phil would remain the non-essential character he was originally drawn to be. Actually, he was a separate strip of his own until 1938 when Bushmiller introduced him into the Nancy strip, as a minor character. Gilchrist has slowly moved the strip into a direction I believe Bushmiller never intended. Under Gilchrist’s pen, Phil appears to have grown two feet taller; gained an intensely more muscular frame and a more ‘person-like’ appearance. Originally, only Fritzi was drawn with life-like features. Every other character was more ‘cartoonish’. The world changes, to be sure, and ‘progress’ part of that change, but because it’s considered progress, doesn’t automatically make it beneficial, necessary or even wanted. I can think of dozens of technologically advanced inventions the world would be better off had they never been conceived. Facebook; Twitter; Cell Phones… the list goes on, but I digress. I wonder what Bushmiller would think of his creation if he could see the progress it has made since his passing.
Actually, if the strip stayed true to its roots, there would be no additional characters invented, like the two ‘uncles’ created, I assume, to explain the back story of the existence of Sluggo, which Ernie Bushmiller never felt the need to expand upon, and Fritzi would never marry and Phil would remain the non-essential character he was originally drawn to be. Actually, he was a separate strip of his own until 1938 when Bushmiller introduced him into the Nancy strip, as a minor character. Gilchrist has slowly moved the strip into a direction I believe Bushmiller never intended. Under Gilchrist’s pen, Phil appears to have grown two feet taller; gained an intensely more muscular frame and a more ‘person-like’ appearance. Originally, only Fritzi was drawn with life-like features. Every other character was more ‘cartoonish’. The world changes, to be sure, and ‘progress’ part of that change, but because it’s considered progress, doesn’t automatically make it beneficial, necessary or even wanted. I can think of dozens of technologically advanced inventions the world would be better off had they never been conceived. Facebook; Twitter; Cell Phones… the list goes on, but I digress. I wonder what Bushmiller would think of his creation if he could see the progress it has made since his passing.