Big Little Books (BLB) have had a tremendous appeal to collectors since they first appeared featuring the likes of Mickey Mouse, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, Orphan Annie, The Phantom, Donald Duck, and so many others, like Alley Oop.

The hirsute hero with a dinosaur named Dinny for a pet first appeared in newspapers in 1932 but didn’t appear nationally until a year later, with Sunday installments starting a year after that. Created by V.T. Hamlin, Alley Oop’s early adventures in the jungles of Moo led him to encounter other prehistoric pals like King Guz, the Grand Wizer, and Foozy, as well as girlfriend Ooola.

In 1939, the club-wielding caveman was transported to the 20th century via Dr. Wonmug’s time machine and soon Oop and Ooola were traveling through history to foreign lands like Troy, Egypt, France, Arthurian England, and even the Moon in 1947! Oop still made frequent visits to his own time as well. Hamlin eventually left the strip and turned over Alley Oop’s adventures to a series of successors who continue his exploits to this day.

Oddly, despite his popularity, he only made a few sporadic comic book appearances and never made it to film or radio. He starred in a rotating backup animated segment in 1971-73’s Archie’s TV Funnies, and perhaps most notably for pop culture fans, inspired an early ‘60s hit song by the Hollywood Argyles.

If you’d like to know more about Big Little Books, check out The Big Big Little Book Book – An Overstreet Photo-Journal, which is an amazing compendium of information and images about Big Little Books and other publications associated with the form. It’s full color, 272 pages, and it’s packed with the history of these little classics. And it’s only $19.95!