The fourth published appearance of Professor Tigwissel, is found in an interior page of the August 7th, 1875 edition of the (New York) Daily Graphic. In Midsummer Musings by our Cynical Artist, Livingston Hopkins has assigned Tigwissel only a cameo role consisting of two of the near dozen cartoon panels. Tigwissel’s use here seems forced — i.e., he is not playing the scientist, inventor, or explorer, but is mere fodder for a joke involving a farmer pulling one over the intellectual. Of note, though, is that Hopkins’ attempt to stick Tigwissel into a joke which could have been pulled off (and perhaps better) using a generic, anonymous city-slicker, signals that Hopkins now consciously regards Professor Tigwissel as a comic character he wishes to re-use again and again, and is actively seeking ways to integrate Tigwissel into his cartoons. It is at this point, that Professor Tigwissel unequivocally attains the status of a continuing comic strip character.

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Doug Wheeler

ProfTigwissel NYDailyGraphic