Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Jerry Walter & Linda Walter
Rare 1950s Original Syndicated Ink Drawing Cartoon Strip Susie Q Smith Comic Art

c. 1954

About the Item

SUSIE Q. SMITH Medium: Newspaper comics Distributed by: King Features Syndicate First Appeared: 1945 Creators: Linda and Jerry Walter 6.25 X 18.25 Like her contemporaries, Aggie Mack, Candy and Patsy Walker (before her conversion to a superhero), Susie Q. Smith was a female Archie-type — not exactly an imitator, because Archie, who had started only four years earlier, hadn't yet become popular enough to spawn imitators, but part of his genre. She attended high school, where her teachers often seemed unreasonable to her, interacted with the opposite gender in a typically adolescent way, and her parents didn't completely understand her. And she was cute and perky as only a teenage girl can be. Susie was the star of a comic strip distributed by King Features, the biggest of the comic strip syndicates, whose other offerings have ranged from Jackys Diary to Prince Valiant. King launched the strip in both daily and Sunday form in 1945. Daily, she was only in a panel at first, but it expanded into a full, multi-panel strip on February 7, 1953. In a very odd turn of events, in 1953 the Walters chose to leave King Features behind and hitch their wagon at the McNaught Syndicate. The creators were Harold "Jerry" Walter and his wife, Linda. Jerry was also responsible for Jellybean Jones, who has nothing to do with Jughead Jones's young sister, a modern-day addition to the Archie cast of characters. Together, they did The Lively Ones during the 1960s. Though each was capable of doing both major jobs in comic strip production, their usual working method was for Jerry to dream up the ideas and write the dialog, while Linda did the artwork. The Walters also collaborated on a series of Susie Q. Smith comic books for Dell Comics. Instead of reprinting newspaper strips, these ran new stories by the Walters. Between 1951 and '54, four issues were published as part of the Four Color Comics series, where many minor comic strips, including Dotty Dripple, Timmy and Rusty Riley had found a home. It had no other media spin-offs. Susie Q. Smith had a respectable run in the newspapers, but it ended in 1959. Jerry Walter (1915 - 2007) was an abstract expressionist artist whose output of energetic and colorful paintings were the products of the rich artistic milieu of post-war New York City. He was born Harold Frank Walter in Mount Pleasant, Iowa on November 25, 1915. After graduating from Colgate University in 1937, Walter moved to New York City, where he studied drawing and painting at the New School and the Art Students’ League. Before concentrating seriously on his art, he spent several years as a successful copywriter and idea man for the advertising agencies of J. Walter Thompson, McCann Ericson, and BBDO. During this time, he also worked as a syndicated cartoonist. Collaborating with his wife, Linda, his best-known series was Susie Q. Smith, which first appeared in 1945 and described as a “female Archie type.” Very popular, the cartoon was later the subject of a series of comic books published from 1951 to 1954. After serving in the United States Army for three years during World War II, Walter began to paint seriously. He ascribed his earliest artistic influence to Joan Miró, whose Dog Barking at the Moon (1926) he viewed when he was twelve, the year he published his first cartoon. Walter later wrote that jazz, “the first native expression of so-called modernism” was a strong influence on his work. During the later 1940s, Walters spent time at the Research Studio in Maitland, Florida. Founded in 1937 by artist and architect J. André Smith and supported by the philanthropist Mary Curtis Bok, the Research Studio was a lively colony that hosted prominent artists, including Milton Avery, Ralston Crawford, and Doris Lee. While at the Studio, Walter’s work was purchased by Frank Crowninshield. A founding trustee of the Museum of Modern Art and editor of Vanity Fair, Crowinshield was a noted collector; his collection included important works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Edgar Degas, George Bellows, and Pierre Bonnard. Returning to New York after his time at the Studio, Walter became an active member of the New York school of the abstract expressionist movement, and in the summer of 1956, Walter exhibited 13 paintings and a selection of drawings at New York’s Chase Gallery. The adroit manipulation of both color and composition evident in his work shows the influence of Abstract Expressionism, particularly Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky, and Hans Hofmann. illustrator and female cartoonist Linda Walter was the talented female mind behind the beloved "Susie Q. Smith" comic strip. She played an instrumental role in shaping the cultural landscape through her vibrant illustrations. Known for the timeless charm of the "Susie Q. Smith" comic strip, Linda's artistry brought joy and laughter to countless readers during the 1950s and continues to resonate with fans across generations. She was part of the Woodstock artists community. from Women in Comics: Linda Walter was the artist of newspaper strip Susie Q. Smith, which was written by her husband, Jerry. It was syndicated by King Features Syndicate and ran from 1945 to 1959. The Walters also contributed original Susie Q. Smith stories to Dell's Four Color comic books from 1951 to 1954. From 1964-1965, they created a singled panel comic called The Lively Ones. Vintage Golden Age of Comics era. The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era in the history of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created. Between 1939 and 1941 Detective Comics (DC) and its sister company, All-American Publications, introduced popular superheroes such as Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Doctor Fate, the Atom, Hawkman, Green Arrow and Aquaman. Timely Comics, the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics, had million-selling titles featuring the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. Another notable series was The Spirit by Will Eisner. Dell Comics' non-superhero characters (particularly the licensed Walt Disney animated-character comics) outsold the superhero comics of the day. The publisher featured licensed movie and literary characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Roy Rogers and Tarzan. Additionally, MLJ's introduction of Archie Andrews in Pep Comics #22 (December 1941) gave rise to teen humor comics, with the Archie Comics character remaining in print well into the 21st century. The term Atomic Age of Comic Books is sometimes used to describe a brief time period, starting with either the end of World War II in 1945 or in 1948 with the first outcry of Fredric Wertham. In 1953, the comic book industry hit a setback when the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency was created. As a result, the Comics Code Authority was created by the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers to enact self-censorship by comic book publishers.
  • Creator:
    Jerry Walter & Linda Walter
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1954
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 6.25 in (15.88 cm)Width: 18.25 in (46.36 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Minor wear commensurate with age and use in publication. Please see photos.
  • Gallery Location:
    Surfside, FL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU38214733482

More From This Seller

View All
Chicago Modernist Line Drawing Reclining Nude WPA Artist. Exhibited Work
By William S. Schwartz
Located in Surfside, FL
Reclining Nude.Early modernist line drawing, by American artist William S. Schwartz, c. 1940, gouache painting, signed with initials, framed. (size includes frame). Work is reminisce...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Israeli Yosl Bergner Modernist Watercolor Painting Drawing Pots, Pans
By Yosl Bergner
Located in Surfside, FL
Abstract Composition, Kitchen Utensils. Ink and watercolor of kitchen implements. Hand signed in Hebrew upper left. Dimensions: (Frame) H 25" x 18" (Sight) H 18.5" x W 11.75" Bergn...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Still-life Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Archival Ink, Watercolor

Israeli Yosl Bergner Modernist OIl Painting Kitchen Bottles Coffee, Vase
By Yosl Bergner
Located in Surfside, FL
Yosl Bergner Abstract Composition, Kitchen Utensils. Oil painting of kitchen implements. Hand signed in English bottom right Titled and signed ve...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Still-life Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Archival Ink, Watercolor

Israeli Modernist Watercolor Painting Jerusalem Landscape Bezalel School Avniel
By Mordechai Avniel
Located in Surfside, FL
Watercolor painting of Old City of Jerusalem MORDECHAI AVNIEL Minsk, Belarus, b. 1900, d. 1989 Mordecai Dickstein (later Avniel) was born in 1900 in Minsk, present-day Belarus. He studied fine arts in Yekaterinburg, Russia (1913–19) and at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem (1923). Avniel immigrated to Palestine in 1921 where he first worked as a pioneer in citrus plantations near Petah Tikva. In 1923, at the urging of Boris Schatz, he went to Jerusalem to further his art studies at Bezalel. He later taught painting and sculpture at the school, and served a term as director of the Small Sculpture Section of the Sculpture Department (1924–28). From 1935 on, Avniel lived in Haifa. Avniel was also a lawyer and a founding partner of the Haifa firm Avniel, Salomon & Company. Avniel regularly showed his work in group exhibitions of the Painters and Sculptors' Association of Israel. He was awarded the Herman Struck Prize (1952), Tenth Anniversary Prize for Watercolours, Ramat Gan (1958), Histadrut Prize (1961), and First Prize Haifa Municipality (1977). He represented Israel at the 1958 Venice Biennale and the 1962 International Art Seminar at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Avniel was a member of the Artists' Colony in Safed and maintained a studio on Mount Carmel. Mordechai Avniel is best known for his deft and singular landscape work. His works are held in numerous museums and collections both in Israel and abroad, including the Metropolitan Museum, New York and the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, PA. Avniel's manipulations of light and colour share much with those of compatriot artists Shimshon Holzman and Joseph Kossonogi. Education 1913-19 Art School of Katrinburg, Russia 1923 Bezalel School of Art, Jerusalem Selected exhibitions: 2004: Our Landscape: Notes on Landscape Painting in Israel, University of Haifa Art Gallery, Haifa (online catalogue) 1965: Mordechai Avniel Retrospective, Haifa Municipality Museum of Modern Art, Haifa 1964: Galerie Synthèse, Paris 1962: New York University, New York 1961: Rina Gallery of Modern Art, Jerusalem The Autumn Exhibition Rina Gallery, Jerusalem Artists: Dedi Ben Shaul, Lea Nikel, Yossef Zaritsky,Ephraim Fima Roytenberg, Zvi Meirovich, Aharon Kahana, Avigdor Stematsky, Mordechai Levanon, Yosl Bergner, Israel Paldi...
Category

20th Century Modern Interior Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Israeli Modernist Watercolor Painting Safed Synagogue Interior Bezalel School
By Mordechai Avniel
Located in Surfside, FL
Watercolor painting of Shul interior in Tzfas, Safed Israel. MORDECHAI AVNIEL Minsk, Belarus, b. 1900, d. 1989 Mordecai Dickstein (later Avniel) was born in 1900 in Minsk, present-day Belarus. He studied fine arts in Yekaterinburg, Russia (1913–19) and at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem (1923). Avniel immigrated to Palestine in 1921 where he first worked as a pioneer in citrus plantations near Petah Tikva. In 1923, at the urging of Boris Schatz, he went to Jerusalem to further his art studies at Bezalel. He later taught painting and sculpture at the school, and served a term as director of the Small Sculpture Section of the Sculpture Department (1924–28). From 1935 on, Avniel lived in Haifa. Avniel was also a lawyer and a founding partner of the Haifa firm Avniel, Salomon & Company. Avniel regularly showed his work in group exhibitions of the Painters and Sculptors' Association of Israel. He was awarded the Herman Struck Prize (1952), Tenth Anniversary Prize for Watercolours, Ramat Gan (1958), Histadrut Prize (1961), and First Prize Haifa Municipality (1977). He represented Israel at the 1958 Venice Biennale and the 1962 International Art Seminar at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Avniel was a member of the Artists' Colony in Safed and maintained a studio on Mount Carmel. Mordechai Avniel is best known for his deft and singular landscape work. His works are held in numerous museums and collections both in Israel and abroad, including the Metropolitan Museum, New York and the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, PA. Avniel's manipulations of light and colour share much with those of compatriot artists Shimshon Holzman and Joseph Kossonogi. Education 1913-19 Art School of Katrinburg, Russia 1923 Bezalel School of Art, Jerusalem Selected exhibitions: 2004: Our Landscape: Notes on Landscape Painting in Israel, University of Haifa Art Gallery, Haifa (online catalogue) 1965: Mordechai Avniel Retrospective, Haifa Municipality Museum of Modern Art, Haifa 1964: Galerie Synthèse, Paris 1962: New York University, New York 1961: Rina Gallery of Modern Art, Jerusalem The Autumn Exhibition Rina Gallery, Jerusalem Artists: Dedi Ben Shaul...
Category

20th Century Modern Interior Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Woodcut Print, 'Bible' Biblical Scene Signed Small Edition
By Mimi Gross
Located in Surfside, FL
from a portfolio of Biblical woodcut prints. these are pencil signed, titled and numbered 4/5. This one is 'Abraham Teaching Isaac to Sacrafice'. woodblock prints on a thin tissue li...
Category

20th Century Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Tissue Paper, Woodcut

You May Also Like

"Good Health Week" American Scene Modern Social Realism Double Sided WPA Era
By Jo Cain
Located in New York, NY
"Good Health Week" American Scene Modern Social Realism Double Sided WPA Era Jo Cain (1904 - 2003) Good Health Week – double sided 13 3/4 x 20 1/2 in...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Gouache

Fish Bowl Looks Like the Living Room -School of Macabre Charles Addams
Located in Miami, FL
Welcome to Gahan Wilson's magnificently morbid mind, where viewing his cartoons/illustrations gives the viewer the creeps. In this work, a husband designs...
Category

1990s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Watercolor, Pen

1951 Ink on Paper Still Life in an Interior by Artist Harold Haydon
By Harold Haydon
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1951 detailed ink on paper drawing of a still-life in an interior by artist Harold Haydon. Artwork size: 12" x 9". Archivally matted to 16" x 20". Harold Emerson Haydon was bo...
Category

1950s American Modern Still-life Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

A Pair of Mid-Century, Pen & Ink Interior Drawings by Artist Harold Haydon
By Harold Haydon
Located in Chicago, IL
A pair of delightful, Mid-Century interior scenes in pen & ink by artist Harold Haydon. Image sizes: 6" x 9" each. Each are archivally matted to 12" x 16". Harold Emerson Haydon w...
Category

1950s American Modern Interior Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Pen

"Loser's Rack" - Original Charcoal and Graphite Drawing on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
"Loser's Rack" - Original Charcoal and Graphite Drawing on Paper This drawing by California artist, Angela Stone (American, b. 1983), provides brilliant 1-point perspective in a val...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Interior Drawings and Wate...

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Graphite

4 American Watercolors, c. 1950s, by Mary M. Johnsen
Located in New York, NY
Mary M. Johnsen Four Paintings, c. 1950s Watercolor Dimensions: 1. Mat: 18 x 21 1/4 in., page: 8 x 12 1/4 in. 2. Page: 14 7/8 x 22 in. 3. Mat: 15 x 19 in., page: 10 1/2 x 14 1/2 in....
Category

1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Recently Viewed

View All