The Popeye Annual

Published by Purnell from 1959 to 1966, The Popeye Annual collected four oversized issues of the sailor’s classic misadventures. The series leaned heavily on the talents of Bud Sagendorf, the longtime writer-artist who defined Popeye’s post-Thimble Theatre era, alongside writer Tom Sims and artist Bill Zaboly. These annuals preserved the gag-heavy, rough-and-tumble humor of the newspaper strips, offering a durable, full-color showcase for Popeye, Olive Oyl, and the rest of the gang. For British readers, it was a key entry point into the character’s mid-century comic heyday.