Tumbleweeds (comic strip)
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Tumbleweeds is a comic strip drawn by Tom K. Ryan (who signs the strip "T. K. Ryan"), set in the "Old West". Begun in September 1965, it was widely syndicated during the 1970s. It is probably best-known today for the fact that Jim Davis, creative force behind Garfield, was at one time Ryan's assistant on the strip while simultaneously developing another comic strip called Gnorm Gnat.
The strip came to an end on December 30, 2007.[1]
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[edit] Overview
Tumbleweeds is set in and around the town of Grimy Gulch, in an unspecified Western territory. Other locations include the nearby village of the Poohawk tribe of Native Americans, and the US Army outpost Fort Ridiculous, which is manned by the 6 7/8 Cavalry.
Characters in the strip include:
[edit] Grimy Gulch
- Tumbleweeds, a laconic cowpoke who'd rather be anywhere else but has no real ambition to do anything- like his namesake, he's content to tumble wherever human folibles may carry him. (His worst nightmare is to be caught by and married to Hildegarde Hamhocker!)
- Epic, Tumbleweed's toothless, alcoholic, plug-chewing, sway-backed horse; once a US cavalry horse but rejected.
- Ace, a professional gambler Tumbleweed's best pal and a real smooth operator.
- Judge Horatio Curmudgeon Frump, magistrate of Grimy Gulch. A pompous windbag who can't be bought - inquire about rental fees!
- The Sheriff, with a ridiculous handlebar moustache The short-handed "long arm of the law"
- Deputy Knuckles (comic relief parody of "Dopey Deputy!") The reason the Sheriff is so short-handed.
- Quiet Burp, dimunitive lawman from Texas-only slightly bigger than "Screaming Flea" (a play on Wyatt Earp, and a character name also used in the comic strip Rick O'Shay).
- Hildegarde Hamhocker, the town's only woman, drawn as a stereotypical "homely" old maid, trying to snag Tumbleweeds as a husband (she tries to pursuade him that they could live in "connubial bliss," and he responds that he likes it just fine living in Grimy Gulch).
- Echo, an orphan girl. Cute and precocious, and knows how to use those qualities when necessary. Hildegarde's adopted niece.
- Pajamas, the world's laziest dog.
- Claude Clay, the town's undertaker, whose motto is "You plug 'em, I plant 'em."
- Wart Wimble, a gravedigger. "With Wart at the spade, you've got it made; rest assured, you're well interred."
- Blackie, a saloonkeeper.
- Soppy Sopwell, the town drunk.
- Grover Galley, crack brained editor (got hit with a printing press which "scattered his type") of the Desert Denouncer newspaper - which nobody buys.
- Percy, sardonic newsboy and copyboy for the Denouncer.
- Dewlap, local cattle rancher. Only hires Tumbleweeds when he's desperate.
- Snake-Eye McFoul, an outlaw.
- Snookie, Snake-Eye's little brother He's only twelve, but due to an overactive pituary gland, he looks like he's in his thirties-including beard and cigarette! dresses in "Lord fauntleroy" type outfits.
- Ham and Beans, the mule skinners. Ham is short and loud. He screams at the big Gentle Beans for pampering the mules to the point of carrying them around like infants.
- Slats, a cowboy who is always leaning on the fence.
- Hogarth Hemp, the hangman (ropes typically being made of his surname).
- Clodwell Gunkley, who apparently wandered into the wrong strip, according to whomever he encounters. An semi-effeminate bulk of a man who talks kind of like Ed Wynn and has a passion for marshmallows.
[edit] The 6 7/8 Cavalry
- Colonel G. Armageddon Fluster, commander of the 6 7/8 Cavalry and Fort Ridiculous; a parody of George Armstrong Custer. He is referred to as "Goldilocks" by Poohawk Chief. In a typical episode, Fluster attempted to flatter his superior "The General" with the "help" of the Poohawk Chief, which only resulted in Fluster being "promoted" to the "lead horse" on the General's stagecoach.
- 6 7/8 Cavalry, A major and troopers under Fluster's command. In a typical episode, they were defeated in their own Fort Ridiculous by the Poohawks.
- The General, Fluster's superior.
- "Mole Eye", a scout from Fort Ridiculous (almost always shown coming in from the desert with a couple of arrows sticking out of his back); wears buckskin with word "Scout" on his hat.
[edit] The Poohawks
- The Poohawk Chief, forever lamenting his tribe's pathetic standing
- Little Pigeon, the Poohawk chief's daughter: A flower among the weeds.
- Limpid Lizard, a klutzy Poohawk (Indiandom's answer to Daffy Duck) and suitor to Little Pigeon. Butchers the english language.
- Green Gills, a Poohawk injun and early suitor to Little Pigeon
- Lotsa Luck, a very rich Poohawk (depicted for years as mute and communicating by writing notes) soon started using a very posh voice when he had vocal cords cloned from William F. Buckley Jr. surgically inplanted. Often did revert back to notes during strip's run.
- Drudgeworth, a chauffeur employed by "Lotsa Luck" to "drive" his horse!
- The Poohawk medicine man
- Screaming Flea, the smallest Poohawk (formally speaking in ornate word balloons);Very sensitive about the size of his nose, which is enormous. (and the Chief can't resist making fun of)
- Bucolic Buffalo, the biggest, strongest Poohawk (but not very smart); a running joke is anyone who makes him mad is sent "south" (into the ground) by Bucolic Buffalo, often Lotsa Luck or the Poohawk Chief. He once found a pair of discarded boxing gloves out on the desert--and ate them!
- Hulking Hawk, maybe not quite as big as Bucolic Buffalo, but fearsome nonetheless and a more suitable suitor to Little Pigeon than Limpid Lizard, according to the Poohawk Chief
- Purple Polecat, operates the trading post
[edit] Appearances in other media
Tumbleweeds was to be one of the strips animated in Filmation's 1978 series The Fabulous Funnies (along with Broom-Hilda, Nancy, Alley Oop, and others) and was included in the series' premier episode, with Alan Oppenheimer doing the voice of the title character. However, after the first episode aired, it was learned that Filmation lacked the rights to use the property and the segment was quickly removed from future episodes.
There is a musical play based on the strip.
[edit] References
- Strickler, Dave. Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924-1995: The Complete Index. Cambria, CA: Comics Access, 1995. ISBN 0-9700077-0-1.
[edit] External links
- Tumbleweeds.com - official site
- Toonopedia entry
