The Betsy and Me original from my collection is a peculiar piece of comic art history. Jack Cole, best know for his Playboy illustrations and creating/drawing Plastic Man, had only been working on Betsy and Me for a few months when he took his own life on August 13, 1958. According to the research I’ve found online, Cole’s last Sunday strip was supposedly dated 9/14/1958. Yet the strip pictured below is dated 9/21/58. Is this Cole’s last piece of work? Dwight Parks, Cole’s successor, continued the strip until 12/27/1958. Parks, as confirmed by his son, always signed his own name on the strips he created.

If you have any questions or comments, please email me at themythfits@gmail.com.