Many words we use actually
came from newspaper comics. Here are a few:
Goon - The word “goon” to describe a simpleton or stupid
person dates back to the 16th century, when sailors sometimes
compared folks to the albatross, often colloquially referred to as a
“gooney bird.” However, “goon,” when used to describe a muscular,
not-so-bright, hired thug, comes from the Popeye comic strip,
notably Alice the Goon, an eight-foot tall giantess with hairy
forearms.
Wimpy - J. Wellington Wimpy was a hamburger loving soul and
also a character in the Popeye comics. While the word “wimp” is from
World War I, the soft-spoken, intelligent, cowardly Wimpy gave us a
way to describe being a wimp.
Dagwood Sandwich - A Dagwood is any stacked sandwich that
consists of a variety of meats, cheeses, and other condiments.
Dagwood Bumstead, husband in the Blondie comics built the piled-high
wonders out of anything and everything he could find in the
refrigerator.
Milquetoast - Someone who is even wimpier than Wimpy is a
total milquetoast, as in Caspar Milquetoast, a character from a
one-panel comic strip by H.T. Webster called The Timid Soul.
Caspar’s surname was a play on the bland dish called milktoast that
was often served to invalids or folks with “nervous” stomachs.
Caspar Milquetoast was a guy who would buy a new hat rather than
trespass when his blew off his head and onto a lawn with a “Keep Off
the Grass” sign.
Mutt and Jeff - Mutt and Jeff were two comic strip characters
created by Bud Fisher in 1907. Augustus Mutt was a tall, lanky
ne’er-do-well who liked to bet on the ponies, while his pal Othello
Jeff was short, rotund, and shared Mutt's passion for “get rich
quick” schemes. The strip became so popular that “Mutt and Jeff” is
used to describe any duo displaying opposite physical
characteristics.
Keeping up with the Joneses - You have likely wondered who
are these Joneses. In the comic strip of their origin, they were
never seen. Keeping Up with the Joneses was written and drawn by
Arthur “Pop” Momand and was first published in the New York Globe in
1913. The strip followed the daily life of the Aloysius P. McGinnis
family, and Mrs. McGinnis’ envy of their wealthy neighbors, the
Joneses. Al endured his wife outfitting him in “trendy” clothing
like lime-green spats and lemon-colored gloves, because that is how
Mr. Jones dressed.
Dinty Moore - Both the Hormel canned stew and the
triple-decker corned beef/lettuce/tomato/Russian dressing sandwich
that bear this name were inspired by the tavern owner in the popular
George McManus comic strip Bringing Up Father. Maggie and Jiggs were
Irish-American immigrants who won a million dollars in a
sweepstakes. Maggie eagerly adapted to their new lifestyle, but
former bricklayer Jiggs missed his boisterous pals and frequently
sneaked off to hang with them at Dinty Moore’s, where they would
feast on corned beef and cabbage and Irish stew while enjoying a few
toddys.
Whammy and Double Whammy - According to the comic strip
Li'l Abner, Evil-Eye Fleagle was a zoot-suited hood who came from
Brooklyn, New York. He could shoot beams of destruction from his
eyes. A regular whammy could knock a dozen men unconscious and the
double whammy could collapse a building. I trust these provided a
'Linus blanket' for your curiosity.