Posted in: Comics, Image | Tagged: Dagwood, Lt Fletcher, mickey mouse, popeye, public domain, Savge Dragon

Popeye And Dagwood Join Mickey Mouse In Savage Dragon #278 (Spoilers)

Popeye and Dagwood join Mickey Mouse in Savage Dragon #278 from Image Comics thanks to public domain (Spoilers)

Savage Dragon #278 was solicited for the beginning of April 2025. It was published this week, at the end of January 2026. But if it had been published in April, it couldn't have done all that it did this week. Now Savage Dragon, created, written and drawn by Erik Larsen for 34 years at Image Comics, with various other versions before that, loves a public domain character, including reviving the pre-Marvel Daredevil character. In recent years, it was the first to use the public domain version of Mickey Mouse, in a lawyer-baiting role as a washed-out sexual pervert of a cartoon character who attempted to rape Malcom Dragon's wife, Maxine Dragon.

Erik Larsen is not quite as rough on Popeye The Sailor Man, who beats IDW's The Rocketeer to publication in Savage Dragon, meeting Tyrone Dragon on the dock of the bay, watching the ships coming in and going out again.

He's more like a cuckolded bum here, escorting Olive Oyl on a date with another man.

They end up getting involved with the Vicious Fishes, attacking a swimmer.

What yellow-haired swimmer is that, you ask? Well, sadly, he doesn't last long. And he must have dropped his fishbowl helmet along the way.

Because that's Lt Brad Fletcher, who appeared in Neptina, Queen Of The Deep, in Champion Comics #2-17 back in 1939, who was sent to investigate the disappearance of U.S. submarines but instead found a race of fish-men who gave Brad a special bubble for breathing underwater, and ended up getting involved in their wars.

And then there's a meet-up with the returning Mickey Mouse, who has rather a major bone to pick with the Dragons.

Who has also brought along his early nemesis, Peg Leg Pete, who is also in the public domain now.

And then there's Dagwood from Blondie and Dagwood, which went public domain a few weeks ago. 

And his appearance is solely down to the comic book being as late as it was. Without it, the comic would have been Dagwoodless. Maybe we'll get Blondie joining him in #279? Should be out in a month… but it's not going to be long before Batman and Superman join this book, you know…

SAVAGE DRAGON #278 (MR)
IMAGE COMICS
FEB250558
(W) Erik Larsen (A / CA) Erik Larsen
Tyrone Dragon takes center stage in the third of four issues that stars one of the Dragon children. When the undersea legions invade the surface world in search of revenge, it's up to Tyrone to face them-alone! What chance does a nine-year-old have against the Vicious Fishes? Comes with our highest possible recommendation.
In Shops: Apr 09, 2025

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