When the first Blondie daily strip appeared on September 8, 1930, little did creator Chic Young think for a fleeting moment that, 51 years later his son Dean and Rick Marschall would be publishing a book summing up its phenomenal success to that point (and would STILL be going strong some 31 years after that). Here I'll relate the text on the outside back cover of this 8 1/2 x 11 144-page history of the strips first half-century: "Blondie is the most popular comic strip in the world! Blondie appears in more major newspapers than any other comic strip character in history, and for more than fifty years has made us all laugh. In celebration, here is a glorious tribute to Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead, America's f avorite family. Here's the behind-the scenes story of the strip, and a colorful selection of the best of Blondie - all packed with fun, hilarity, sentiment and love. Did you know that Dagwood Bumstead began life as a millionaire's son? That Blondie was a gold-digging flapper? It's all here - their stormy and world famous courtship, the fateful wedding that almost wasn't, the foundation of the funny family that everyone has come to know like next-door neighbors. Visit with Mr. Dithers, the Woodleys, Mr. Beasley the postman, Daisy and the pups, and a cast of thousands of salesmen. Relive their lives and re-laugh your laughs ... and rediscover the humor and Warmth of Blondie's America." With a two page introduction by Bob Hope, written in May 1981, followed by a great fu