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The Complete Betty Brown, Ph.G.
Collected for the first time, this book compiles the entire run (1934-1948) of the comic strip "Betty Brown, Ph.G.," the story of the first woman in comics with an advanced degree! Enjoy the triumphs and tribulations of pharmacist Betty Brown as she operates her drug store in the face of all manner of adversity, including drug counterfeiters, con men, ruthless retail competitors, mobsters, and more! It features classic work by Zack Mosley ("Smilin' Jack") and Boody Rogers ("Sparky Watts," "Babe").
- GenresComics
196 pages, Paperback
Published May 13, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 7, 2024
Not the greatest strip in the world but bravo to Tom for bringing it back into view in a handsome volume. #graphicmedicine
June 25, 2024
Several years ago "Hogan's Alley" magazine editor Tom Heintjes, in an article in HA, revealed the existence of a lost and forgotten 1930's and '40's comic strip, "Betty Brown, Ph.G." Much of the reason it had been forgotten was that instead of appearing in a newspaper, like other strips, it ran in "Drug Topix," a magazine for pharmacies. Yes, it's always special to find a lost strip, but what made this extra special was that it had been (mostly) done by two well-known cartoonists, Zack Mosley, best known for his long-running newspaper strip "Smilin' Jack," and Boody Rogers, of strip and comic book "Sparky Watts" and comic book "Babe, Darlin' of the Hills" fame. I'm a fan of both of them, especially Boody, who Craig Yoe dedicated an entire book to about 15 years ago, titled "Boody."
Ph.G. is an archaic term meaning Pharmacy Graduate, so a trained pharmacist, making Betty the first woman professional in comics. You'd likely wonder how that could make for an exciting comic strip, but Betty faces crooks of all sorts, scheming competitors, amnesia, fires, and more, all with occasionally dropped hints at how to run a better pharmacy, though those tips faded out over the years. All in all, more adventure than many a so-called story strip! And with two masters of good-girl art delineating Betty, the art is always top-notch! It's also interesting to watch as Mosley turned more and more of the strip over to Rogers, and you can see the style changing, not just the art, but Rogers introduces more of the screwball characters he'd later be known for in Babe and Sparky Watts. Also, I was asked by someone I recommended it to how 1934 to 1948 could be presented in a 198-page book. Well, the strip appeared weekly, so only 52 strips per year, plus there were often gaps of time with no strips in the later years, including the huge gap of World War II, so the run is presented with the strip large, with only two per page, so it can be savored by those of us who love the art.
A big shout-out to editor Tom Heintjes, who not only uncovered this strip but spent years tracking down every single strip to make this a complete collection. Also, his production and restoration work on this is astounding! Almost every strip, sourced from an 80 to 90-year-old magazine, now looks like it was scanned from the original art or at least from proofs. Such sharp and crisp reproduction!
Lastly, as I'd love to see more people find this this book, and it's not available on Amazon nor in bookstores, it's available at www.bettybrownbook.com. Highly recommended for those of you who love vintage comic strips and good-girl art!
Ph.G. is an archaic term meaning Pharmacy Graduate, so a trained pharmacist, making Betty the first woman professional in comics. You'd likely wonder how that could make for an exciting comic strip, but Betty faces crooks of all sorts, scheming competitors, amnesia, fires, and more, all with occasionally dropped hints at how to run a better pharmacy, though those tips faded out over the years. All in all, more adventure than many a so-called story strip! And with two masters of good-girl art delineating Betty, the art is always top-notch! It's also interesting to watch as Mosley turned more and more of the strip over to Rogers, and you can see the style changing, not just the art, but Rogers introduces more of the screwball characters he'd later be known for in Babe and Sparky Watts. Also, I was asked by someone I recommended it to how 1934 to 1948 could be presented in a 198-page book. Well, the strip appeared weekly, so only 52 strips per year, plus there were often gaps of time with no strips in the later years, including the huge gap of World War II, so the run is presented with the strip large, with only two per page, so it can be savored by those of us who love the art.
A big shout-out to editor Tom Heintjes, who not only uncovered this strip but spent years tracking down every single strip to make this a complete collection. Also, his production and restoration work on this is astounding! Almost every strip, sourced from an 80 to 90-year-old magazine, now looks like it was scanned from the original art or at least from proofs. Such sharp and crisp reproduction!
Lastly, as I'd love to see more people find this this book, and it's not available on Amazon nor in bookstores, it's available at www.bettybrownbook.com. Highly recommended for those of you who love vintage comic strips and good-girl art!
January 11, 2025
Of more historical than literary interest, this is a quick-moving serial with unfortunately dated stereotypes (racist, sexist, and otherwise—if you're asking yourself "Where I can I found a boorish caricature of hillbillies in this day and age?" your answer is in reprints of a 1939 comic strip).
Credit where credit is due, Betty Brown is invariably depicted as competent as a professional and outstanding when it comes to sales. I could wish for fewer (and less melodramatic) plots involving assorted suitors and more adventure/cliffhanger type storylines. But the rather cartoony art is excellent, and setting aside its faults it is a quick and fun read.
Credit where credit is due, Betty Brown is invariably depicted as competent as a professional and outstanding when it comes to sales. I could wish for fewer (and less melodramatic) plots involving assorted suitors and more adventure/cliffhanger type storylines. But the rather cartoony art is excellent, and setting aside its faults it is a quick and fun read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews