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Complete Popeye #4
Popeye, Vol. 4: Plunder Island
With this fourth volume of our beloved series, Segar’s Popeye
reaches one of its highest peaks in “Plunder Island,” the glorious,
epic-length Sunday-continuity adventure that ran for eight months and pitted the intrepid sailor man against the malevolent Sea Hag and her terrifying, grotesque sidekick the Goon — helped, and sometimes hindered by, the easily corruptible J. Wellington Wimpy. “Plunder Island” is presented here for the first time in its complete,
full-color, uncut glory!
Meanwhile, in the “dailies” section of Popeye Volume 4,
Popeye visits “Poodleburg” and gets involved in a quest for both
“Romance and Riches.” Other stories include “Unifruit” (featuring the return of King Blozo), the western epic “Black Valley” (with the unforgettable sight of Popeye in drag), “The Pool of Youth” (featuring the return of the Sea Hag... and her sister!); and the beginning of the extended six-month-long yarn “Popeye’s Ark”!
Comics historian Richard Marschall rounds off this volume with a long article on Segar’s storytelling skills and narrative strategies,
focusing in particular on the “Plunder Island” sequence. Rediscover an American treasure in this handsomely designed series to be enjoyed by comic fans of all ages.
168 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2009
7 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Segar
142 books34 followersElzie Crisler Segar was a cartoonist, best known as the creator of Popeye, a pop culture character who first appeared in 1929 in Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 20, 2010
Cupid's arrow seems to be working overtime in the 4th volume of Popeye comic strip reprints. Wimpy romances the Sea Hag and even Olive Oyl (upon hearing of her inheriting $20 million). Spurned by Olive's new-found snobbery, Popeye rescues a beautiful heiress named June Vanripple who finds his ugliness ruggedly attractive (shades of Bukowski!). There's a lot of romance, weird, but its okay, there's still tons of seafarin' and boxing matches to enjoy. Popeye rules.
June 30, 2024
yes popeye's rough edges are somewhat smoothed by this point, but segar being a great artist was aware of the effect of this and counteracted it: wimpy becomes quite simply an enormous incorrigible arsehole. whereas even at his rudest popeye had a heart of gold wimpy, not being the hero, needs no qualms, no hesitation, he is pure id. several strips end with him sat among the violent wreckage of an animal he has slaughtered in order to eat it
July 30, 2017
These Fantagraphics collections of E.C. Segar's classic "Popeye" strips are a treasure. A strange, but sublime, mixture of slapstick, verbal comedy, and mock adventure, they are all the explanation needed as to why such a bizarre character became such a beloved, and recognizable cultural icon of the 20th century. (Of course, the cartoons helped a lot.)
April 3, 2018
I didn't care much for the Sundays, with the repetition of Wimpy's freeloading riff going again and again and again. The dailies, with more adventure and Popeye-based slapstick, were far more entertaining. Still a good read, though I didn't enjoy this fourth volume as much as the previous three.
November 18, 2017
Volume Two of this Fantagraphics reprint series collects THIMBLE THEATER daily and Sunday strips from 1933-1935. We see a lot of old favorite characters, along with some new ones and a few notable changes.
The biggest change, I suppose, is the “softening” of Popeye’s character. In 1934, King Features syndicate ordered Segar to make Popeye nicer, because the character had become very popular (Those famous Fleischer Brothers cartoons had debuted in movie theaters a year earlier), and, as I understand it, the syndicate wanted to keep him “kid-friendly.” Reading these strips now, it’s difficult to pinpoint when the “softening” actually started. It’s apparent by early 1935, however, when Popeye faces a giant cave man named Toar. He lectures Toar on fighting fair, and the two end up shaking hands and becoming friends. The “softer” Popeye is a nobler but arguably less nuanced character, and fans debate whether the change was beneficial. Despite the softening, he’s recognizably the same character, and as I’ve noted in my reviews of previous volumes, Segar had changed the personalities of Popeye and other characters before. The change here isn’t especially jarring.
In general, Segar’s characters seem to have more depth in this volume, and the character interactions seem more complex. Popeye’s relationship with a millionaire known as Mr. Van Ripple provides one of the more delightful examples. Popeye saves Van Ripple’s daughter from drowning, and Van Ripple wants to give him a financial reward…which Popeye refuses. Mr. Van Ripple insists that Popeye be his house guest for a while, and an odd back and forth between the two follows. Popeye has no clean underwear, so Mr. Van Ripple insists that Popeye wear his daughter’s underwear. Popeye refuses. Mr. Van Ripple is not used to people saying “no” to him, so he offers Popeye money to wear the underwear. Popeye refuses the money, and Mr. Van Ripple then claims that Popeye is insulting his hospitality. Popeye acquiesces, and then, Mr. Van Ripple makes jokes at Popeye’s expense. While this description makes Van Ripple seem mean-spirited, he’s actually not. He respects Popeye, and he and Popeye gain mutual enjoyment from their one-upmanship contest, which is downright funny to boot (..and yes, today’s readers will definitely read much subtext into the gags of a man coercing another man into wearing women’s underwear, but I’m just going to assume that these were simpler times!).
In fact, this volume gives us a number of funny characters and situations. The aforementioned cave man Toar begins as Popeye’s adversary and soon becomes his friend. Unfortunately for Popeye, Toar is dumb as a box of rocks, and his general ineptitude becomes increasingly hilarious (Toar often berates himself with, “You big fathead me!”). The Sea Hag, introduced in the comics of Volume One, has now become a recurring adversary for Popeye. In the Sunday epic “Plunder Island,” she arrives with a monstrous henchwoman named Alice the Goon. Alice is mistreated by the Sea Hag, making her something of a tragic character as well as a comic one. Later, Popeye and company actually join forces with the Sea Hag against the Hag’s even eviler sister.
Then, there’s J. Wellington Wimpy. Wimpy becomes increasingly prominent, particularly in the Sunday strips. To be blunt about it, Wimpy is an asshole, and his behavior becomes both funnier and more loathsome as the stories continue. Here, he courts the Sea Hag to procure hamburgers, briefly attempts to kill Popeye when the Sea Hag questions his loyalty (To be fair, he does stall the Hag for a while), rigs a prize fight against Popeye and attempts to swindle Mr. Van Ripple. Naturally, these are only a few of his crimes, and under Segar, he truly is a character that you love to hate.
If this volume has a flaw, it’s that some degree of repetition does set in. Once again, Segar returns to Nazilia for some political satire and once again, Popeye visits a Western setting (Segar must have loved Westerns.). This can perhaps be forgiven, however, when one recalls that these strips originally appeared on a daily basis, over a period of several years. Over all, these strips remain clever and enjoyable – even eighty plus years later.
The biggest change, I suppose, is the “softening” of Popeye’s character. In 1934, King Features syndicate ordered Segar to make Popeye nicer, because the character had become very popular (Those famous Fleischer Brothers cartoons had debuted in movie theaters a year earlier), and, as I understand it, the syndicate wanted to keep him “kid-friendly.” Reading these strips now, it’s difficult to pinpoint when the “softening” actually started. It’s apparent by early 1935, however, when Popeye faces a giant cave man named Toar. He lectures Toar on fighting fair, and the two end up shaking hands and becoming friends. The “softer” Popeye is a nobler but arguably less nuanced character, and fans debate whether the change was beneficial. Despite the softening, he’s recognizably the same character, and as I’ve noted in my reviews of previous volumes, Segar had changed the personalities of Popeye and other characters before. The change here isn’t especially jarring.
In general, Segar’s characters seem to have more depth in this volume, and the character interactions seem more complex. Popeye’s relationship with a millionaire known as Mr. Van Ripple provides one of the more delightful examples. Popeye saves Van Ripple’s daughter from drowning, and Van Ripple wants to give him a financial reward…which Popeye refuses. Mr. Van Ripple insists that Popeye be his house guest for a while, and an odd back and forth between the two follows. Popeye has no clean underwear, so Mr. Van Ripple insists that Popeye wear his daughter’s underwear. Popeye refuses. Mr. Van Ripple is not used to people saying “no” to him, so he offers Popeye money to wear the underwear. Popeye refuses the money, and Mr. Van Ripple then claims that Popeye is insulting his hospitality. Popeye acquiesces, and then, Mr. Van Ripple makes jokes at Popeye’s expense. While this description makes Van Ripple seem mean-spirited, he’s actually not. He respects Popeye, and he and Popeye gain mutual enjoyment from their one-upmanship contest, which is downright funny to boot (..and yes, today’s readers will definitely read much subtext into the gags of a man coercing another man into wearing women’s underwear, but I’m just going to assume that these were simpler times!).
In fact, this volume gives us a number of funny characters and situations. The aforementioned cave man Toar begins as Popeye’s adversary and soon becomes his friend. Unfortunately for Popeye, Toar is dumb as a box of rocks, and his general ineptitude becomes increasingly hilarious (Toar often berates himself with, “You big fathead me!”). The Sea Hag, introduced in the comics of Volume One, has now become a recurring adversary for Popeye. In the Sunday epic “Plunder Island,” she arrives with a monstrous henchwoman named Alice the Goon. Alice is mistreated by the Sea Hag, making her something of a tragic character as well as a comic one. Later, Popeye and company actually join forces with the Sea Hag against the Hag’s even eviler sister.
Then, there’s J. Wellington Wimpy. Wimpy becomes increasingly prominent, particularly in the Sunday strips. To be blunt about it, Wimpy is an asshole, and his behavior becomes both funnier and more loathsome as the stories continue. Here, he courts the Sea Hag to procure hamburgers, briefly attempts to kill Popeye when the Sea Hag questions his loyalty (To be fair, he does stall the Hag for a while), rigs a prize fight against Popeye and attempts to swindle Mr. Van Ripple. Naturally, these are only a few of his crimes, and under Segar, he truly is a character that you love to hate.
If this volume has a flaw, it’s that some degree of repetition does set in. Once again, Segar returns to Nazilia for some political satire and once again, Popeye visits a Western setting (Segar must have loved Westerns.). This can perhaps be forgiven, however, when one recalls that these strips originally appeared on a daily basis, over a period of several years. Over all, these strips remain clever and enjoyable – even eighty plus years later.
November 4, 2013
If someone says that this book is flies in their soup, the only response is: "No, you must be thinking of a book written by Jones, one of the Jones boys. This book is eggs in your coffee."
One J. Wellington Wimpy, a moocher of the old school, takes charges of this book and does not let go. He invites you into his life for a lot of laughs and HE brings the laughs. There does not seem to be too much creativity in a lot of the repetition, but there is, there is. This is a humor like Grimwig in Olver Twist. He finds as many ways as possible to hit the buttons, but it never gets stale. And unlike, for instance, Grimwig, Wimpy really does not seem to have a kind heart beating underneath. He's in this world for hamburgers, cod, or duck, unless it's duck, cod, or hamburgers, unless it's hamburgers with lettuce, pickle, and onion both.
The only possible glitch is that the wonderful color comics that focus most on Wimpy come FIRST in this book while in the previous books, they were in the back. Because the color comics are better, making the reader wait leads to a more satisfying experience. And the only comics that weren't so good d(Other than some mostly incidental but terribly ugly racism with regards to the character of Eclipse) were the Popeye cartoon club. They're surprisingly morbid. I would say as ghoulish as some weak Gorey. What say you?
While I was writing this review, has anyone set them up>
One J. Wellington Wimpy, a moocher of the old school, takes charges of this book and does not let go. He invites you into his life for a lot of laughs and HE brings the laughs. There does not seem to be too much creativity in a lot of the repetition, but there is, there is. This is a humor like Grimwig in Olver Twist. He finds as many ways as possible to hit the buttons, but it never gets stale. And unlike, for instance, Grimwig, Wimpy really does not seem to have a kind heart beating underneath. He's in this world for hamburgers, cod, or duck, unless it's duck, cod, or hamburgers, unless it's hamburgers with lettuce, pickle, and onion both.
The only possible glitch is that the wonderful color comics that focus most on Wimpy come FIRST in this book while in the previous books, they were in the back. Because the color comics are better, making the reader wait leads to a more satisfying experience. And the only comics that weren't so good d(Other than some mostly incidental but terribly ugly racism with regards to the character of Eclipse) were the Popeye cartoon club. They're surprisingly morbid. I would say as ghoulish as some weak Gorey. What say you?
While I was writing this review, has anyone set them up>
January 8, 2012
Another excellent entry in this wonderful series of comic strip books done right. Well bound, good colors and clear printing. The well-known Plunder Island story included, but plenty of other gems. Popeye in a black silk teddy, dressed in drag as his own twin sister (to catch a gold stealing gang, of course), or in love with a beautiful Heiress, all good stuff. Hey, was that an enema bag joke on page 158? I think so. The Puddleburg Weekly Splash's hiring of one of those miserable drudges, a comic strip artist, is very good.
The first two thirds of the introduction is overheated bosh and pretty much unreadable. The final third is actually informative as to Segar's comic strip development.
The first two thirds of the introduction is overheated bosh and pretty much unreadable. The final third is actually informative as to Segar's comic strip development.
October 27, 2011
Segar's really cooking here, especially in the dailies. It seems odd to me that as a rule, the dailies are better than the Sundays, despite the greater scope afforded by the Sunday page size and colour, but there it is. The stories are stunningly good combinations of ongoing adventures with lot sof action and gag strips; virtually every stip is both a polished gem on its own as well as a piece of the bigger ongoing narrative. And they are fun, loopy stories that are scarcely interested in realism but instead simply in narrative play. Clearly one fo the high water marks of the daily comic strip.
July 14, 2014
168 pages of Popeye is one of the most exhausting things ever. I exaggerate, but the ole' sailor's charm comes off best in short bursts. As primitive as it is it's nonetheless imaginative, especially when it comes to its characters (Popeye can get annoying, but J. Wellington Wimpy is easily one of comics' all-time greatest characters), and its long form narrative and continuity is well done and impressive for the time. Segar's art fits this pulp slapstick adventure well.
The introduction by Richard Marschall is absolutely superb.
2.5 / 5
The introduction by Richard Marschall is absolutely superb.
2.5 / 5
November 1, 2016
These Popeye collections always take me many months to get through, a few strips at a time, but they're always so worth it. Quentin Tarantino describes the "hangout movie" - the kind of film that you don't watch for plot or production so much as to just hang out with the characters for a while - and Popeye/Thimble Theatre is one of the great "hangout strips." To just spend time in the company of these characters as they bumble their way through any number of ridiculous situations is a real pleasure. The book itself is huge, but the stuff that's in it is as light as air.
Want to read
December 28, 2010Another X-mas present!!
November 14, 2025
This is a bit different from the other Popeye collections, as the Sunday strips were presented first to represent the Plunder Island story. Such whimsical amusement lies in these pages!
April 26, 2014
Great strips by one of the great strip creators working at the top of his game.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews