Stop-and-Go Gordo

Gordo debuted in 1941 ... and again in 1943, and also in 1946. The stop-and-go publishing schedule in Gordo's early years could have been fatal to the long-running success of the strip, but it managed to rediscover an audience that it had barely had time to build.

"Gordo" was first made available by United Features in a handful of newspapers on November 24, 1941. The first strip, shown below, introduces Gordo, his nephew Pepito, and their pet Señor Dog, who all remained with the strip through its conclusion in 1985. The broad patois and rough cartooning are typical of Gordo's early years.

Gordo caught unawares in the middle of his meal by an effusive Pepito.

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In the subsequent eleven months, Arriola fleshes out Gordo's world, manifesting the idyllic pueblo of San Juan del Monte and filling it with Gordo's friends -- such as Juan Pablo Jones and Weelo Ramirez -- and his enemies, the Bluto-esque Goblin and the wily Widow Artemisia Gonzales. And, of course, Del Monte's population of gorgeous "gorls."

Much of Del Monte appears in this episode: Weelo Ramirez, Juan Pablo, Pepito and Gordo, Preety Boy and Goblin, and Conchita (with "gorls").

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The Widow (and her maid, Maria) trap Gordo.
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Within a year of Gordo's debut, in the early days of World War II, Arriola was conscripted into military service, leaving him no time or opportunity to continue the feature. The strip came to a sudden stop on October 28. 1942, interrupting a storyline in which Gordo and friends aid their lovesick pal Preety Boy in his matrimonial intentions.

Gordo's (first) final daily strip, October 28 1942
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The interrupted storyline involving Preety Boy's affair with Linda Flores is picked back up in the Sunday comics in 1946.
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Having received permission from the Army to return to Gordo, and with the assistance of United Features rep George Carlin (no relation to the comedian), the feature returned on May 1, 1943 -- not to the daily funny pages, but instead in the bigger and colorful Sunday papers! 

This transition to a larger, color format will have a tremendous impact on the developing style of the strip as Arriola is encouraged to play and experiment.

Gordo returns to the newspaper, in glorious color.
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Above: Details from Gordo's May 1, 1943, debut in the Sunday funnies.
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Finally, Gordo returns as a daily newspaper strip on June 24, 1946. The years spent as an exclusively-Sunday feature have given Arriola ample opportunity to refine his cartooning. 

Gordo's return to the daily strips on June 24, 1946
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From this point on, it's all "GO!" for Gordo! The strip will run uninterrupted, almost exclusively the sole product of Gus Arriola's talent and skill, through March 2, 1985.