# UX231 - 1995 20c Popeye
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Popeyeâs Comic Debut
Cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar created Popeye. Segar worked as a film projectionist before taking a correspondence course to become an illustrator.
Though Popeye was an instant hit with readers, Segar wrote him out of the strip. When fans complained, Popeye returned and eventually became the star. In fact, Thimble Theatre quickly became one of King Featuresâ most popular comic strips in the 1930s. As a result, it was expanded to appear in many more newspapers around the country.
Segar enjoyed his newfound success, making $400,000 a year by 1936. However, just two years later he died of Leukemia and liver disease at only 43 years old. After Segarâs death, a number of artists carried on his legacy, with the comic strip still appearing in newspapers today.
Popeye also had his own comic books, radio program, games, and a live-action movie starring Robin Williams. Interestingly, the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong was originally planned to be a Popeye game, but the gameâs creators were unable to work out a deal to license the characters. But when that game proved popular, Popeyeâs license holders reconsidered and allowed a game to be made.
And the salty sailor was so popular that Texas spinach growers erected a statue in his honor, claiming his endorsement saved their business during the dark days of the Great Depression.
Click here for more from the official Popeye website.
Click here for more Popeye stamps.
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Popeyeâs Comic Debut
Cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar created Popeye. Segar worked as a film projectionist before taking a correspondence course to become an illustrator.
Though Popeye was an instant hit with readers, Segar wrote him out of the strip. When fans complained, Popeye returned and eventually became the star. In fact, Thimble Theatre quickly became one of King Featuresâ most popular comic strips in the 1930s. As a result, it was expanded to appear in many more newspapers around the country.
Segar enjoyed his newfound success, making $400,000 a year by 1936. However, just two years later he died of Leukemia and liver disease at only 43 years old. After Segarâs death, a number of artists carried on his legacy, with the comic strip still appearing in newspapers today.
Popeye also had his own comic books, radio program, games, and a live-action movie starring Robin Williams. Interestingly, the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong was originally planned to be a Popeye game, but the gameâs creators were unable to work out a deal to license the characters. But when that game proved popular, Popeyeâs license holders reconsidered and allowed a game to be made.
And the salty sailor was so popular that Texas spinach growers erected a statue in his honor, claiming his endorsement saved their business during the dark days of the Great Depression.
Click here for more from the official Popeye website.
Click here for more Popeye stamps.
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