Is This Calvin Before Hobbes? (R L Jr #2)

The first page is perfectly readable upon expansion but please expand your imagination to revisit an unillustrated "comic strip."






The year was 1919.
The Chicago Tribune featured a columnist named Ring Lardner who deceptively entitled his verbiage "In The Wake Of The News."
A common topic of the daily column was conversation amongst a family of five.
The centerpiece of the family was a precocious pest named Bill. In real life, "Bill" grew up to become Ring Lardner Jr. He was the last survivor of the Hollywood Ten, victims of the H.U.A.C.

To think of the modern cartoon character Calvin–with or without Hobbes–as an adult who spends some real time in jail requires the barest minimum of imagination.
Is this scenario plausible?

JUDGE SUSIE DERKINS: Are you now or have you ever been a member of the GROSS Party?

CALVIN: I could answer your question, madam, but I'd hate myself in the morning.




GROSS–Get Rid Of Slimy Girls–was a secret organization formed by Calvin & Hobbes. Their primary target was Susie Derkins. All of this was created by an extraordinary cartoonist whose first name was–you guessed it–Bill

H.U.A.C. stands for the House Unamerican Activities Commission. In 1947, the chief interrogator who famously spoke the words "Are you now–or have you ever been–a member of the Communist Party?" was J. Parnell Thomas. He would end up in jail for common theft. I absolutely refuse to highlight that slimy rodent's name!

The photographed text is from Ring Lardner Jr's memoir entitled–you guessed it–I'd Hate Myself In The Morning