Just a quickie this week, as we continue our chronological march towards to the first full-fledged Professor Tigwissel adventure (next week!)

Above, a close-up from the bottom right corner of a full-page of cartoons by artist Livingston Hopkins, which appeared on the front of the February 22nd, 1875 issue of the (New York) Daily Graphic. Here, Hopkins joins the long list of comic artists who have parodied themselves.

Of note, is that while the “Professor” shown having difficulty locating Hopkins’ brain, does not resemble Hopkins’ recurring Professor Tigwissel character, he does resemble the “Mr. Tigwissel” who got hit in the head with a potted plant while viewing a comet, seen in last week’s entry of Tigwissel Tuesdays — this time given the appelation “Professor”.

Perhaps just mere coincidence. Or, perhaps, Hopkins’ subconscious working towards eventually merging the name Tigwissel with the visual image of a scientific egghead, that he’d previously used for Professor Simple… ?

Doug Wheeler

ProfTigwissel NYDailyGraphic Phrenology