Alley Oop: The First Time-Travel Adventures 1939–1942

by V.T. Hamlin, Christopher Aruffo (editor)

Alley Oop's time-traveling adventures begin! Join Alley Oop as he fights in the Trojan War, joins Ulysses' Odyssey, visits Cleopatra's Egypt, sails the Spanish Main, plunges into World War II, and more! Four complete years of beautifully restored daily strips, from 1939–1942, are presented in this oversize hardcover (424 pages, 10" x 13").

424 pages, Hardcover

Published January 23, 2024

Reviews

[Bob Fish]

Being neglected during the Reprint Boom of the '00s, Acoustic Learning or Manuscript Press (?) finally picks up the classic Alley Oop!

Gorgeous it is :
https://youtu.be/2pvX9nZhGPY

[Norman Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume collects all the Alley Oop dailies from January 1, 1939 to December 31, 1942. The reproductions are excellent, showcasing Hamlin's fine, detailed line work. I'm always amazed at how much work newspaper comic strip artists put into their art when at the time they were considered completely disposable. Luckily, we get to enjoy them in their full glory again. As the book's title indicates, these are the first time travel adventures Oop and friends take after meeting with Dr. Wonmug. They travel to ancient Troy, sail with Ulysses, meet Hercules, visit Cleopatra, join a pirate crew in the days of Blackbeard, help Robin Hood, and fight Japanese during World War 2. Near the end of the run they go back to Moo where they must fight some prehistoric Nazis. I think the time travel angle was just the thing to make the strip more interesting. Hamlin's sense of adventure is able to shine in these tales which also include a fair bit of humor. The book is a nice hefty hardcover as befits what is probably some of Hamlin's finest work. There is a nice introduction by Michael H. Price that sheds some light on Oop's origins and popularity.