Billy Bounce was a comic strip published erratically by noted illustrator W. W. Denslow (1901–1902) and later C. W. Kahles (1902–1905) between November 10, 1901, and December 3, 1905.[1] The strip centers on the actions of the title character, a ball-shaped boy who is capable either of bouncing long distances or actual flight. It is noted as one of the earliest comic strips in which the protagonist has superpowers.[2]

Billy Bounce
Author(s)W. W. Denslow (1901-1902)
C. W. Kahles (1902–1905)
Current status/scheduleConcluded
Launch dateNovember 10, 1901
End dateDecember 3, 1905
Syndicate(s)McClure Newspaper Syndicate
Genre(s)Humor

Like its contemporary, Little Nemo in Slumberland, which came shortly after Billy Bounce, the strip dealt with otherworldly situations and often had recurring characters, including the King of the Pollywogs,[3] Fuzzy White and Prunes the Pieman. An alternate title for the series was Billy Bounce and the Pollywogs; the Pollywogs were introduced on October 9, 1904.[1]

In September 1906, Denslow published a single novel based on Billy's adventures, titled simply Billy Bounce. Denslow provided illustrations and the text was written by Dudley A. Bragdon.[4] It was published by G. W. Dillingham Company in New York.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Holtz, Allan (2012). American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. p. 74. ISBN 9780472117567.
  2. ^ Billy Bounce at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015.
  3. ^ "Billy Bounce: W.W. Denslow / C.W. Kahles". Barnacle Press. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010.
  4. ^ "Books for the Children" (PDF). The New York Times. December 22, 1906. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
  5. ^ Denslow, W.W.; Bragdon, D.A. (1906). Billy Bounce. G. W. Dillingham Company. Retrieved 2015-05-14.