From an interview with artist Jeff Keane about a new collection from the early days of ‘The Family Circus’:
Q: When you look at the photos in the introduction, it’s a less flattering caricature in these initial strips than it is now.
A: (Laughter) When my dad started it, I’m not sure he wanted to identify himself necessarily with the cartoon or necessarily have it be identifiable as our family. In fact, in a couple of those, Dad is actually referred to as “Steve.” He had sort of the generic businessman look in those days: wearing a hat, a little bit heavy, drinking and smoking. Sort of Mad Men-like.
The book is The Family Circus Library, Volume 1, from IDW Publishing. Here’s the cover:
So: Mad Men maybe yes, but Don Draper not so much.
(Hat tip: JoshReads.com)