'Just Boy', 1915.
A.C. Fera was an early-20th century comic artist, best known for his newspaper gag-a-day comics 'Just Boy' (1916-1926) and 'Alexander Smart, Esq.' (1926). He drew in a very loose style, with only a few wiggles to suggest his characters.
Early life and career
Born in Danville, Illinois on 14 September 1877, Adolph Christian Fera settled in Los Angeles in 1909. For many years, he worked there as a cartoonist for newspapers owned by tycoon William Randolph Hearst. A collection of Fera's work for The Los Angeles Express and The Los Angeles Herald was released under the title 'Post Cards of a Tourist (Mr. 'Skinny' East): Cartoons of Southern California' (1910) by the Henry J. Pauly Company in Los Angeles.
What You Lafin' At?
One of Fera's earliest newspaper comics was 'What You Lafin' At?', which ran in The Los Angeles Examiner from 2 to 13 August 1909. It featured situations where the eventual punchline always was: "What are you laughin' at?". Seeing it only ran for a few weeks, audiences presumably asked themselves that same question and the feature was quickly dropped.
'What You Lafin' At?'
Oh, There Goes My Car!
From 30 October to 24 November 1909, Fera drew another comic strip in The Los Angeles Examiner, based on variations of the same punchline, 'Oh, There Goes My Car'. Each gag revolved around a character who finds himself in an embarrassing, sticky or anxious situation. Whenever people ask him for a favor or a question he doesn't quite wish to answer, he dashes off with the same line: "Oh, there goes my car!", referring to a trolley car.
'Oh, There Goes My Car!'.
An Embarrassing Moment
In early March 1916, Fera worked with Fred Locher on the first episodes of the weekday strip 'An Embarrassing Moment' for the International News Service. Locher continued it on his own until October, after which it was continued by Jimmy Swinnerton for another year. Around that time, Fera started his association with William Randolph Hearst's Newspaper Feature Service in New York.
'Elmer', French version from La Presse Montréal (6 April 1929). Possibly a reprint, since it's signed by Fera.
Just Boy/Elmer
On 6 May 1916, Fera launched his signature comic 'Just Boy', which ran in the Sunday pages of The San Francisco Call, one of the Hearst newspapers. The feature was set in a semi-rural community and starred a young boy named Elmer Tuggle. He lived with his middle-class parents and their African-American maid Lottee. Elmer's best friend was another boy named Clayton Hornsby. 'Just Boy' also ran in several other papers owned by Hearst. It was also translated into French when running in the Canadian paper La Presse Montréal. In October 1925, the comic strip was retitled to 'Elmer'. A year later, it was continued by Doc Winner until Winner's death in 1956. During Winner's run, 'Elmer' was remodelled and rebooted after characters and situations from his own gag comic, 'Tubby'. Apart from the title character, Elmer Tuggle, virtually nothing from Fera's original concept remained intact. However, there are samples of 'Elmer' art known from 1929 which still carry Fera's signature. Maybe at first Winner worked on the strip anonymously, or maybe Fera's involvement lasted longer.
'Alexander's Smart' - French version from La Presse Montréal (6 April 1929). Possibly a reprint, since it's signed by Fera.
Alexander Smart
In 1926, Fera added a companion strip to 'Just Boy', titled 'Alexander Smart, Esq.'. It starred a big-nosed character who wasn't as intelligent as his name suggested. It also ran in the Canadian paper La Presse Montréal. From 1926 on, 'Alexander Smart, Esq.' was also continued by Doc Winner, who drew it until the final episode was printed in 1943.
Death
A.C. Fera died in Los Angeles on 15 June 1941.
Original 'Elmer' art from 1929, signed by Fera.