Gasoline Alley Volume 1
Gasoline Alley creator King had been writing and drawing the popular newspaper strip for nearly 50 years by 1964, when he turned over the reins to Disney-comics veteran Moores. Moores retained the gentle humor, small-town warmth, and tradition of having the characters age in more-or-less real time, but he also brought a cleaner, adroitly designed visual approach that warded off obsolescence as the original cast members reached their senior years. By this point, the focus has largely shifted from Walt Wallet, who found baby Skeezix on his doorstep in 1921, to the second generation: primarily Skeezix and his wife and teenage children, but also Walt’s other kids and their families. The story lines continue to deal with such quotidian matters as Skeezix’s daughter Clovia going on her first date, or Corky and Hope’s decision to tear down their diner and build a new, modern restaurant. Moores’ tenure on Gasoline Alley is the rare instance where the successor on a vintage comic strip managed to maintain the artistic heights set by its originator. --Gordon Flagg