Not sure, axe-grinder. I think it started out as the name of the garage. But, it seems to be the name of the town. If my memory is correct, when Dick Tracy visited, it was the name of the town on the sign at the town limits. Tracy wondered who would give a town that name.
Axe-grinder and Jogger2: I have been reading the collections of early GA strips (1920s) published by the Montreal publisher Drawn & Quarterly. The name Gasoline Alley is hard to pin down, but apparently it is a fictional neighborhood in Chicago inspired by an area where GA creator Frank King (a Wisconsin native) lived. At this time it is not the name of a garage or town. The name may have been extended in later years to other things, like “Gasoline Alley Garage,” but I am not certain of that.
As a short-time reader I was taking it to be a fictional place of imprecise location and boundaries, kind of like Lake Woebegon. Gasoline Alley is wherever the characters are. Thanks for the history and perspective, that’s interesting.
Comics historian Steve Stiles established a chronology of the characters:
At first the strip was simply devoted to America’s perpetual love affair with automobiles, based on real people the creator had known on Chicago’s South Side. “My brother… had a car that he kept in the alley with a fellow by the name of Bill Gannon and some others. I’d go to his house on Sunday, and we’d go down the alley and run into somebody else and talk cars. That was the beginning of Gasoline Alley,” King said in an interview. The strip’s cast of car-tinkering buddies expanded with a significant addition on St. Valentine’s Day in 1921. On that morning the amiable, somewhat bumbling Walt Wallet opened his door to find a small infant on his steps. From there on Gasoline Alley became a family strip, with the clock ticking away in real time, as the child Skeezix saw “Uncle” Walt marry “Aunt” Phyllis in 1926, gained a brother, Corky, in 1928, had his first shave in 1937, enlisted in the army in 1942, married Nina Clock in 1944, and had a child, Chipper, on April Fool’s Day (!) in 1945. The progression of normal growth and change throughout the normal ups and downs of family life, school, marriage and employment has entertained the strip’s fans throughout its 78-year timespan, a full four generations of the Wallet clan.[2]
It harkens back to the time when cars were relatively new, and guys loved to gather in the alley and tinker with their cars. Houses didn’t have attached garages. The garages were in back and reached by the alley. Now new developments don’t have alleys and cars are too complicated for anyone but a certified mechanic to work on. Don’t know if this is exactly what the GA creator had in mind. Certainly the Wallets owned a commercial garage which Clovia still runs.
Great conversation today. I really wish they’d run a classic GA as well as these new ones. Like other sites do with Flash Gordon, the Phantom and others. There are definately enough GA fans out there to support both. Heck, I’d even go pro or genius or whatever we’re going to call it next week.
Some great posts todays. Makes me wish goComics ran a classic GA, like other sites run Flash Gordon and the Phantom. I’d go PRO or Genius or whatever they’re going to call it next week.
I would LOVE to see the CLASSIC Gasoline Alley strips. I grew up with a girl who was named Phyllis after Walt’s wife, Phyllis. She had a cousin whom everyone called Corky - but I think that was his nickname - and his real name was Gabriel. She also had a cousin named Nina. Her Dad owned a garage in the 40’s - and was in partnership with some of his brothers. I think it would be kind of interesting to find out how many families were so impressed by the comic strips of that time period that they actually named their children after the characters. I also remember knowing a bunch of girls who had been named Bonnie after Bonnie Braids in the Dick Tracy Cartoon.
Another classic comic which I would like to see is Kerry Drake. As I recall, during one story, Kerry met a woman named CAY - which is technically a term for some kind of island. Seems to me that Kerry was a district attorney or something. But after Kerry married Cay and settled down to domestic bliss - people lost interest in the strip. So the writers had Cay killed by some bad guys and, when Kerry found out that, as District Attorney, he couldn’t put the bad guys behind bars - Kerry walked out of the DA’s office and went out and joined the police force and became a regular cop on the beat.
I also remember a strip about a woman who was an alien from a “twin earth.” Don’t remember the exact name of the strip or the woman’s name - but she was always afraid that someone would figure out that she had come from a planet on the other side of the moon which was exactly like the earth - only technologically more advanced.
Our local newspaper (the Rocky Mountain News - wouldn’t you know it!) dropped the strip in the middle of the story - so no one ever did figure out what happened to her. Seems like her name was something like Vanya or Tonya. Something short and snappy which seemed made-up - only not so much so that it was really out of whack with everyone else.
You know, I’ll bet that, if the Rocky Mountain News had gone to publishing classic comics, like Maggie and Jiggs, Gasoline Alley and Kerry Drake - The RMN would still be in business!
I believe that comics have always been what sold the newspapers. It seems to me that there was a time when a big city, like New York, had a bunch of newspapers out on strike and the mayor or some bigwig went on the radio and read the comics to people. Even in those days, people could get their NEWS from the radio - but only the newspapers had the comic strips!
I think newspapers pretty much shot themselves in the foot when they went around dumping all of their classic comic strips. It was all downhill after that.
Just back from work to find all the information and reminiscence, some in answer to my question this morning. Thanks!
Deborah Reyes, the strip you’re thinking of was in fact called “Twin Earths” with great art by Al McWilliams in the photorealistic style, after Alex Raymond. I’ve seen only scattered examples, so don’t know how it ended. Maybe wikipedia will have an overview.
I’m with those who’d like a classic Gasoline Alley every day. I like collections, and will look at the GA hardcovers (though I’m more interested in the ’30s and ’40s than the ’20s). But I really like the experience of reading it as intended, a strip every day. I get several classics via dailyink that way. They are delightfully leisurely (in other words, slooow). With the world such a rush, I like a strip to move at a different pace. If it’s good, I’ll wait while it unfolds.
I just read a Big Little Book from 1941 called “Skeezix in the Big City” (or close to that– I just mailed it out to friend for her to enjoy). All about Skeezix getting his first job, and angling for Nina’s attention when he comes home for a visit. Very nice, but easily read in one sitting. It may have covered months in the papers without much plot development, but the journey must have been fun. Wonderful art and dialog.
I have this feeling that if they were to run the REAL classic GA’s (pre-Skeezix) there would be the same kind of gripes as we have been hearing about the Earl E. Byrd storyline.
Hillbillyman over 15 years ago
No Walt, but he may be long gone…hope not for Gertie.
alondra over 15 years ago
At Walt’s age it’s natural he’d think her friend had died.
axe-grinder over 15 years ago
Carrying forward from yesterday, is Gasoline Alley the name of the town, or just the neighborhood (or even just the garage)?.
Good to see Walt and Corky.
Jogger2 over 15 years ago
Not sure, axe-grinder. I think it started out as the name of the garage. But, it seems to be the name of the town. If my memory is correct, when Dick Tracy visited, it was the name of the town on the sign at the town limits. Tracy wondered who would give a town that name.
NotFromIceland over 15 years ago
Axe-grinder and Jogger2: I have been reading the collections of early GA strips (1920s) published by the Montreal publisher Drawn & Quarterly. The name Gasoline Alley is hard to pin down, but apparently it is a fictional neighborhood in Chicago inspired by an area where GA creator Frank King (a Wisconsin native) lived. At this time it is not the name of a garage or town. The name may have been extended in later years to other things, like “Gasoline Alley Garage,” but I am not certain of that.
stringmusicianer over 15 years ago
As a short-time reader I was taking it to be a fictional place of imprecise location and boundaries, kind of like Lake Woebegon. Gasoline Alley is wherever the characters are. Thanks for the history and perspective, that’s interesting.
imrobert over 15 years ago
From Wikipedia:
Comics historian Steve Stiles established a chronology of the characters:
At first the strip was simply devoted to America’s perpetual love affair with automobiles, based on real people the creator had known on Chicago’s South Side. “My brother… had a car that he kept in the alley with a fellow by the name of Bill Gannon and some others. I’d go to his house on Sunday, and we’d go down the alley and run into somebody else and talk cars. That was the beginning of Gasoline Alley,” King said in an interview. The strip’s cast of car-tinkering buddies expanded with a significant addition on St. Valentine’s Day in 1921. On that morning the amiable, somewhat bumbling Walt Wallet opened his door to find a small infant on his steps. From there on Gasoline Alley became a family strip, with the clock ticking away in real time, as the child Skeezix saw “Uncle” Walt marry “Aunt” Phyllis in 1926, gained a brother, Corky, in 1928, had his first shave in 1937, enlisted in the army in 1942, married Nina Clock in 1944, and had a child, Chipper, on April Fool’s Day (!) in 1945. The progression of normal growth and change throughout the normal ups and downs of family life, school, marriage and employment has entertained the strip’s fans throughout its 78-year timespan, a full four generations of the Wallet clan.[2]
marvee over 15 years ago
It harkens back to the time when cars were relatively new, and guys loved to gather in the alley and tinker with their cars. Houses didn’t have attached garages. The garages were in back and reached by the alley. Now new developments don’t have alleys and cars are too complicated for anyone but a certified mechanic to work on. Don’t know if this is exactly what the GA creator had in mind. Certainly the Wallets owned a commercial garage which Clovia still runs.
stringmusicianer over 15 years ago
Delightful! Thank you!
Max Starman Jones over 15 years ago
Walt!!! Did anybody remember to visit you on Memorial Day? You and Frank Buckles are the only doughboys still alive!
I remembered you, Walt.
Bye, bye, Birdie, btw.
Durak Premium Member over 15 years ago
Great conversation today. I really wish they’d run a classic GA as well as these new ones. Like other sites do with Flash Gordon, the Phantom and others. There are definately enough GA fans out there to support both. Heck, I’d even go pro or genius or whatever we’re going to call it next week.
Durak Premium Member over 15 years ago
NotNorman, Read your post yesterday, I hadnt thought of DeWitt, I’ll bet you’re right.
Durak Premium Member over 15 years ago
Some great posts todays. Makes me wish goComics ran a classic GA, like other sites run Flash Gordon and the Phantom. I’d go PRO or Genius or whatever they’re going to call it next week.
stringmusicianer over 15 years ago
Dypak, you can say that again. :)
DebJ4 over 15 years ago
I would LOVE to see the CLASSIC Gasoline Alley strips. I grew up with a girl who was named Phyllis after Walt’s wife, Phyllis. She had a cousin whom everyone called Corky - but I think that was his nickname - and his real name was Gabriel. She also had a cousin named Nina. Her Dad owned a garage in the 40’s - and was in partnership with some of his brothers. I think it would be kind of interesting to find out how many families were so impressed by the comic strips of that time period that they actually named their children after the characters. I also remember knowing a bunch of girls who had been named Bonnie after Bonnie Braids in the Dick Tracy Cartoon.
Another classic comic which I would like to see is Kerry Drake. As I recall, during one story, Kerry met a woman named CAY - which is technically a term for some kind of island. Seems to me that Kerry was a district attorney or something. But after Kerry married Cay and settled down to domestic bliss - people lost interest in the strip. So the writers had Cay killed by some bad guys and, when Kerry found out that, as District Attorney, he couldn’t put the bad guys behind bars - Kerry walked out of the DA’s office and went out and joined the police force and became a regular cop on the beat.
I also remember a strip about a woman who was an alien from a “twin earth.” Don’t remember the exact name of the strip or the woman’s name - but she was always afraid that someone would figure out that she had come from a planet on the other side of the moon which was exactly like the earth - only technologically more advanced.
Our local newspaper (the Rocky Mountain News - wouldn’t you know it!) dropped the strip in the middle of the story - so no one ever did figure out what happened to her. Seems like her name was something like Vanya or Tonya. Something short and snappy which seemed made-up - only not so much so that it was really out of whack with everyone else.
You know, I’ll bet that, if the Rocky Mountain News had gone to publishing classic comics, like Maggie and Jiggs, Gasoline Alley and Kerry Drake - The RMN would still be in business!
I believe that comics have always been what sold the newspapers. It seems to me that there was a time when a big city, like New York, had a bunch of newspapers out on strike and the mayor or some bigwig went on the radio and read the comics to people. Even in those days, people could get their NEWS from the radio - but only the newspapers had the comic strips!
I think newspapers pretty much shot themselves in the foot when they went around dumping all of their classic comic strips. It was all downhill after that.
axe-grinder over 15 years ago
Just back from work to find all the information and reminiscence, some in answer to my question this morning. Thanks!
Deborah Reyes, the strip you’re thinking of was in fact called “Twin Earths” with great art by Al McWilliams in the photorealistic style, after Alex Raymond. I’ve seen only scattered examples, so don’t know how it ended. Maybe wikipedia will have an overview.
I’m with those who’d like a classic Gasoline Alley every day. I like collections, and will look at the GA hardcovers (though I’m more interested in the ’30s and ’40s than the ’20s). But I really like the experience of reading it as intended, a strip every day. I get several classics via dailyink that way. They are delightfully leisurely (in other words, slooow). With the world such a rush, I like a strip to move at a different pace. If it’s good, I’ll wait while it unfolds.
I just read a Big Little Book from 1941 called “Skeezix in the Big City” (or close to that– I just mailed it out to friend for her to enjoy). All about Skeezix getting his first job, and angling for Nina’s attention when he comes home for a visit. Very nice, but easily read in one sitting. It may have covered months in the papers without much plot development, but the journey must have been fun. Wonderful art and dialog.
greaserman44 over 15 years ago
this story line with Earl E. Byrd has been going on for way to long. they need to move on. its a good comic strip and all but still.
gocomicsmember over 15 years ago
I have this feeling that if they were to run the REAL classic GA’s (pre-Skeezix) there would be the same kind of gripes as we have been hearing about the Earl E. Byrd storyline.