The inspiration for Politenessman?

January 13, 2010

Check out Hairbreadth Harry, an old newspaper comic strip from 1920 by German-American cartoonis Charles W. Kahles. I think it bears an uncanny resemblance to Ron Barrett’s Politenessman strip, which ran for years in National Lampoon. (Seen on Uncle Eddie’s Theory Corner.)

Comments

I took “National Lampoon” during high school. One friend, Adam Macintosh, drew his own “Politeness man” cartoon strips, the most memorable one was a dapper P-man with pencil moustache busting an illegal farting party with bottoms expressing “Pppft” with accompanying stink lines.

—Andrew Harrison

January 8, 2026 8:21 pm

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