Derby Dugan’s Depression Funnies by Tom De Haven is a homage to the days when newspaper comic strips ruled the comic world. Starting with The Yellow Kid, Little Nemo in Slumberland and my favorites, Krazy Kat and The Spirit, comic strips were a huge cultural touchpoint up until Max Gaines decided to fold the strips up into a book and sell them on the newsstand. De Haven creates a new strip, Derby Dugan, and focuses on the artist and the writer to show the time and place. So, who is Derby Dugan?

Al Brady (who goes by Al Bready) is the writer for Walter Geebus’ Derby Dugan. Derby has made Geebus a millionaire while Al, who came up with most of Dugan’s best ideas is making a few bucks a week scripting it. On the side, Al also writes novels, stories and some other stuff to make ends meet. The side jobs have brought Al into contact with Jewel. Jewel is married to Jimmy, who was hit over the head with a pipe and is basically a savant sandwich making 10 year old in an adult body. It’s clear that Jewel married Jimmy because he was standing up for her when the piping happened, but there is undeniable chemistry between Jewel and Al (who comes over for dinner every Monday).

Moving the plot along are two events in the lives of Al’s friends. First, Water has a stroke and the syndicate has to name a replacement artist. Second, Jimmy is selling the sandwich shop and planning on moving Jewel upstate. Al reminisces over his relationships with both of them. Included in the reminiscing is the time that Walter’s ex-assistant Frank tried poisoning Walter. And when Al met Jewel. Al is left with decisions about what to do if Walter can’t draw Derby any more and whether or not to try and break up Jewel’s marriage because he loves her.

De Haven has the time, the place and the characters mastered. I could really believe that there was a Walter Geebus and a Derby Dugan. Al is a fully fleshed out person who is hanging around in life trying not to attach himself to anything and not being attached to anyone. The supporting characters and storylines do a great job fleshing out the book. Geebus’ ex-wife and Jimmy are given more motivations than needed for the book and it helps pay off at the end. And I was even more excited when I found out that this book is the middle part of a trilogy. Funny Papers goes into the beginning of the comic strips and Dugan Under Ground is set in the alternative comics world of the 1960s. I’m looking forward to reading those and am hopeful that they are as good as this book is. Highly recommended.