Today we’re traveling back over a hundred years to meet Walter Bradford’s Fizzboomski the Anarchist! Inspired by the drama of the Russian Revolution, Bradford dreamed up his bungling anarchist, Fizzboomski (né Fitzboomski), whose assassination plots are constantly foiled by elaborately comic countermeasures; his targets, the Czar and the Prime Minister, forever one step ahead. The humor is pretty dark for the Sunday funnies, but the feature hardly takes itself seriously. Along with the madcap antics of the titular star we’re treated to those familiar jabs at Russia, you know, ending words in “-ski” or referring to the Prime Minister as the “Prime Minister-a-vitch.” Sometimes I worry you folks must think I live under a rock, but I will admit that I was surprised to see that sort of humor so early in the 20th Century (I think of that sort of silliness as more of a Cold War thing, but here it is).

The Stripper’s Guide featured this title a few months back and, needless to say, the coverage is certainly worth your time. If not for the history lesson, certainly for the color samples. According to Allan’s dates we have half the original run and all of the 1907 revival here in the archives (no luck finding that 1908 oddball). Enjoy.

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