Comic book series : Popeye

The second volume (of six) of the acclaimed hit series collecting the entirety of E.C. Segar's original Popeye (a.k.a. Thimble Theatre) comic strips begins with a foreword by Beetle Bailey creator Mort Walker and continues with an introduction by noted film and cartooning critic Donald Phelps. This second volume features work from 1930 to 1932, and most notably includes the debut of Segar's second greatest character: J. Wellington Wimpy. Wimpy stands as a one-of-a-kind icon some 70 years after his creation, the most likeable lowdown cad ever to grace the comics page. Popeye Vol. 2 includes the stories: "Clint Gore" (continued from the cliffhanger last volume); "A One-Way Bank," in which Popeye opens a bank that allows withdrawals but no deposits; a long war story featuring King Blozo that begins with "The Great Rough-House War"; and "Skullyville," which wraps up the daily strips for this volume.

2008 Eisner Award Nominee: Best Archival Collection/Project — Comic Strips

2008 Harvey Award Nominee: Best Domestic Reprint Project

"One of the great geniuses of the comic strip form, E.C. Segar created work that represents some of America's finest art in its epic scale, colloquial language, daffy humor and themes of romance and commerce... Not to be missed." – Time

"[This] collection... contains some of the greatest humor comics of all time... within a package so solid and lovely looking I would have purchased it had it housed seven years of Marvin. If I bought three comics in a year, one of them would be this one." – The Comics Reporter

"Fantagraphics Books is on a roll of late with their comic strip reprint compilations... A surreal and evocatively drawn title, Segar's Popeye was not only brilliant two-dimensional slapstick comedy and easy to enjoy, the late cartoonist was an artist's artist who inspired everyone and everything from Charles Schulz to The Simpsons." – Edmonton Journal

"...This collection of Popeye newspaper strips is one of the year's most valuable, revelatory efforts... Each strip pays off in a fine gag, yet the narrative accumulates to reveal a good satire of war politics. This is the mark of a great daily cartoonist, and Segar raised the bar in quality of art and dialogue..." – "The Best Comics of 2007," Entertainment Weekly

"Better than even the most enthusiatic strip fiends can prepare you for." – Kevin Church

"Popeye Vol. 2: 'Well Blow Me Down!' is every bit as well-designed as its predecessor, but it's even more entertaining... Four short years after creating Popeye, Segar was starting to realize the full extent of what his little brawler could do... [Grade] A" – The Onion A.V. Club

"The Popeye stories in this book are some of the best comedy and adventure tales told in the medium... Pure joy — the only way this could be better were if the book had a scratch-'n'-sniff spinach-scented cover." – Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun! "Fun Fifty of 2007"

"The books qualify as near-architectural marvels in their own right — towering, heavyweight packages with die-cut front-cover windows and an interior design that showcases numerous installments of the feature with each two-page spread... The Fantagraphics editions make plain Segar’s mastery of grim suspense and biting humor as essential components of storytelling." – The Fort Worth Business Press