Dayton, Ohio- Checker Book Publishing Group is excited to announce that the adventures of U.S. Army’s laziest private will soon join their collection of titles. Checker is partnering with King Features to publish a book, entitled, Mort Walker’s Beetle Bailey 1950-1952. The book will feature the Beetle Bailey daily and Sunday comic strips, syndicated by King Features, which were published between when the comic strip first appeared in September of 1950 and December 1952.

Beetle Bailey made his comic strip debut on September 4, 1950. In the beginning, the comic strip was set on a college campus. The main characters were based on Walker's fraternity brothers at the University of Missouri.

It was not until during the Korean War, when Walker decided to enlist Beetle in the U.S. Army that the comic strip took off and became immensely popular. Beetle enlisted in the US Army on March 13, 1951. None of the characters from Beetle’s university days came with Beetle when he joined the Army. Instead Walker created a whole new quirky set.

The comic strip about the lazy private who was stationed in Camp Swampy went on to become the third most widely distributed comic strip in history. The comic strip brought Mort Walker fame. He was given the Reuben Award For Beetle Bailey in 1953. Walker continues to draw the Beetle Bailey strips for today’s readers.

Mort Walker grew up in Kansas City Missouri. Not only did he use his college days at for inspiration for Beetle Bailey but also the time he spent in the US Army. After finishing his Army career and graduating from college, Walker then went on to pursue his comic career full time. Besides Beetle Bailey, Walker is also known for the comic strip Hi and Lois. Walker founded the Museum of Cartoon Art in 1974, and in 1989 he was inducted into the Museum of Cartoon Art Hall of Fame.

Checker plans to release this book in May/June 2008. Galley copies are available prepublication for review. Interior art is available for editorial purposes upon request.

Mort Walker’s Beetle Bailey 1950-1952 (Mort Walker Writer/Illustrator)
$24.95, ISBN:978-933160-71-9, 280 pages, Hardcover, b/w and color illustration throughout

Checker Book Publishing Group was established in 2000 to bring the absolute best of dormant, unpublished, and under-published serial comics and cartooning back to print. A private concern, Checker compiles complete, durable and affordable cartoon trade books for sale to such comic shops, bookstores and libraries as may require them for resale or public archiving. Checker Book Publishing Group is located in Dayton, Ohio.

For more information concerning this and other Checker titles, feel free to drop by our website at: www.checkerbpg.com.