Sherlocko the Monk

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Watso & Sherlocko
(23 december 1911)
The Monkey Joke Book ad
(The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 20 january 1912)

Sherlocko The Monk is a comic strip drawn by Gus Mager from 9 december 1910 to 13 february 1925 in Hearst's newspapers [1] and other American newspapers. 430 episodes.

There was some strips inspired by the Conan Doyle stories like The Sign of the Mysterious Four (3 january 1911), The Case of the Astonished Assassin (1 december 1911).

"Monk" is an abbreviation for "monkey". The first strip created by Gus Mager (Knocko the Monk) was published in the Hearst newspapers featuring some monkey characters clothed with human settings. In his next creations (Rhymo the Monk, Coldfeeto the Monk, Tightwaddo the Monk, Henpecko the Monk, Braggo the Monk, Hamfatto the Monk, Peddlo the Monk, Fourflusho the Monk, Boneheado the Monk, Typewrito the Monk, Groucho the Monk, Bookkeepo the Monk, Kiddo the Monk, Pillboxo the Monk, etc) he kept the "Monk" in the title to keep a link with the original strip, but the characters were humans with a simian resemblance and not related to Conan Doyle's works.

In february 1912, the format of the Sherlocko strips changed from vertical to horizontal layout.

Between 6 and 22 february 1913, Gus Mager left Hearst and worked for the Sunday's issues of the New York World with Sherlocko & Watso renamed as Hawkshaw the Detective & the Colonel, until 1922 and again from 1931 to 1952. The first Hawkshaw strip debuted on 23 february 1913.

On 20 january 1912, Imp Films Co. released a silent movie: The Flag of Distress where Sherlocko made his first appearance on screen.

Sherlocko the Monk came reruned as Sherlocko in the Oakland Tribune from 13 october 1924 to 13 february 1925. This is unclear how they have met with no legal problems during this brief run.



Sherlocko the Monk

Sherlocko & Watso
(3 january 1911)

1910

December

1911

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

1912

The Adventure of the Mahogany Table
The Evening Star (Washington D.C.) (6 february 1912)
The Adventure of the Dreadful Shrieks
The Evening Star (Washington D.C.) (9 february 1912)
The Episode of the Disappearing President
The Evening Star (Washington D.C.) (14 february 1912)

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

october

November

December


1913

January

February


Sherlocko

This rerun was published in the Oakland Tribune from 13 october 1924 to 13 february 1925.

1924

1925


Mistitled strips

Rhymo the Monk mistitled as Sherlocko the Monk

Sherlocko the Monk mistitled as Henpecko the Monk





  1. In 1920, the Hearst Newspapers were at least: New York American, Chicago Herald and Examiner, San Francisco Examiner, New York Evening Journal, Chicago American, San Francisco Call-Bulletin, Albany Times-Union, Washington, D. C. Herald, Oakland Post-Enquirer, Rochester Journal, Washington D. C. Times, Los Angeles Examiner, Rochester Sunday American, Boston American, Los Angeles Herald, Syracuse Journal, Boston Sunday Advertiser, Wisconsin News Milwaukee, Syracuse Sunday American, Detroit Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Georgian, Baltimore News, San Antonio Light, Atlanta Sunday American, Baltimore Sunday American, Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Omaha Bee-News.