Comic Strip / Comics

Was the Flintstones a Comic Strip?

The Flintstones is a beloved American animated sitcom that aired from 1960-1966. Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the show followed the daily lives of a prehistoric family, the Flintstones, in their quirky Stone Age town of Bedrock. But did you know that before it became a cartoon, The Flintstones was actually a comic strip?

That’s right! The Flintstones started as a comic strip in 1959, one year before it made its television debut.

The comic strip was created by Gene Hazelton and published by King Features Syndicate. It ran for six years and was widely popular among readers.

The comic strip version of The Flintstones had many similarities to the television show we all know and love. It featured the same characters – Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Pebbles, and Dino – and followed their daily adventures in Bedrock. However, there were also some differences between the two versions.

For starters, the art style was different. While both the comic strip and cartoon had a distinctive Stone Age aesthetic, the characters looked slightly different in each medium. In the comic strip, they were more detailed and realistic-looking than their cartoon counterparts.

Another difference was in the storytelling. While both versions of The Flintstones were known for their humor and lightheartedness, the comic strip tended to be more focused on individual gags rather than overarching storylines. Each daily strip would usually feature one or two jokes centered around a specific character or situation.

Despite these differences, The Flintstones comic strip was hugely popular during its six-year run. It even spawned several spin-off comics featuring other characters from Bedrock like Dino and Pebbles.

In conclusion, while most people today remember The Flintstones as an animated sitcom, it actually started out as a comic strip created by Gene Hazelton in 1959. Although there were some differences between the comic strip and the television show, both versions of The Flintstones were beloved by audiences for their humor, charm, and unique Stone Age setting.