Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend

Winsor McCay’s Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend (1905–present) is a pioneering newspaper comic strip from Frederick A. Stokes that predates his more famous Little Nemo in Slumberland. Each installment follows a different character whose indulgent late-night snack of Welsh rarebit triggers a bizarre, surreal, and often nightmarish dream, blending social satire with McCay’s groundbreaking, fluid linework. Though initially collected in a single 1905 book, the strip’s influence endures as a masterclass in early comic art and psychological storytelling.