Ho-Ho-Hogan! (Deluxe 2017 Edition)

We are pleased to offer our annual Christmas goodies to Hogan’s Alley readers, this year in four parts! First up, the complete sequence from NEA’s 1937 Christmas package, followed by the Christmas card art of Little Orphan Annie creator Harold Gray, then the complete NEA Christmas sequence from 1940 and, finally, King Feature Syndicates’ 1935 holiday promotional booklet, illustrated by the syndicate’s top cartoonists, the Murderer’s Row of the comics world! First up:

Sailor Sally and Meany Mo

The following 1937 sequence was written by (an uncredited) Hal Cochran and drawn by the NEA yeoman Walt Scott. It was only the second annual holiday package from NEA and ran from November 22, 1937, to December 25, 1937. (The NEA Christmas package didn’t offer Sunday strips, hence the skipped dates.)

Harold Gray’s “Annie” Christmas Cards

Harold Gray, creator of America’s favorite plucky cartoon orphan, created a Christmas card each year for decades. Thanks to the collection and generosity of Richard Olson, we are privileged to share those cards with Hogan’s Alley readers.

Santa’s Secrets

“Santa’s Secrets” was NEA’s Christmas sequence for 1940 and was written by Hal Cochran and drawn by Howard Boughner. It ran from November 25 through December 24, 1940. Like all of NEA’s Christmas packages, it didn’t offer Sunday strips; hence the skipped dates.

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