Alley Oop still drawing laughs

IRAAN The prehistoric man who time-traveled to the future is still around in the 21st century.

The husband-and-wife team of Jack and Carole Bender of Tulsa, Okla., is now drawing "Alley Oop," who was created by cartoonist V.T. Hamlin shortly after he worked in the oilfields of Iraan.

Carole Bender writes the dialogue used in the comics, while Jack Bender illustrates the current adventures of Alley Oop, his girlfriend, Ooola, and his pet dinosaur, Dinny.

Both say they've been fans of the comic since they were kids - which is as far back as the 1940s for Jack.

"From an artist's standpoint, I think it is well drawn, with memorable characters," Jack Bender said.

Bender began assisting Dave Graue, who took over the strip for Hamlin, in 1990, becoming the full-time artist a year later. His wife became full-time writer in 2001 when Graue retired.

While they've kept the same characters, the Benders say they've made the strip their own. But unlike most cavemen, "Alley Oop" has been adapting since its inception.

"When he started running out of prehistoric ideas, (Hamlin) brought in time travel," Carole Bender said. "The strip can basically go anywhere."

Jack Bender said he has to write the strip differently now because they run smaller in newspapers.

"I like to get some action in it," he said. "I don't like to have a strip that's all talking heads."

"Alley Oop" was around years before "The Flintstones" or "B.C." came along and took up the prehistoric mantle, Jack Bender said.

The comic is now available in about 600 newspapers in mostly smaller towns, Jack Bender said.

"It's pretty good, even if it's not in the New York Daily News," he said.

"Alley Oop" was also one of the first comic strips to be published on the Internet, where it can still be seen today, Carole Bender said.

The Benders say they've never been to Iraan, where Alley Oop and Dinny are commemorated with statues, but they've seen pictures.

"Our trouble is we work on the strip seven days a week," Carole Bender said. "We know where it is though."

This year, "Alley Oop" is celebrating its 75th anniversary of being syndicated worldwide by Newspaper Enterprise Association. Carole Bender said a special storyline commemorating the anniversary will start April 28.

Dana St. Clair, Iraan mayor and chamber of commerce director, said the city won't have an "Alley Oop" festival for the second consecutive year due to conflicts with other area events and the city's recreational vehicle parks being full with oilfield workers.
But she would like to have the chamber do something to recognize the comic's 75th anniversary, which happens Aug. 7.

"It's just hard for us to draw," she said. "Right now, we're limited for places for people to stay."