Commercial Artisan, the Indianapolis, Indiana studio, is doing a great job of uncovering graphic history through the eponymous publication edited by brothers James and Jon Sholly. Commercial Artisan is a graphic design studio founded in 1990 by the brothers Sholly. Their work — for foundations, arts institutions, corporations, universities, and friends — is rooted in a belief that there is a creative opportunity to be found in every assignment. Commercial Article is the studio’s offshoot publication that explores design figures from Indiana whose lives and work have been under-documented.
Here James discusses the most recent edition (#14) devoted to Dale Messick, the creator of the comics page heroine, Brenda Starr, the first adult professional woman to star in her own strip. The text was written by Connie Ziegler and Debbie Millman. As Sholly notes in an introduction to this superb body of research and reflection, “Commercial Article continues to serve as a resource for anyone looking closely at the many varieties of notable design associated with the state of Indiana.”
What triggered your interest in Dale Messick’s “Brenda Star, Reporter?”
I think that my interest was really in Dale Messick. I was intrigued to learn that she was from a small city in Indiana and had become a renowned cartoonist at a time when there were very few women in that profession. As our writer Connie Zeigler uncovered more about her, the more fascinated I became. She was truly a pioneer and navigated sexism and all of its associated ugliness, to create a profitable career and a comfortable life for herself and her family. Learning about “Brenda Starr, Reporter” came later, but was so much fun! I had known about the comic strip as a kid but dismissed it as too grown-up and serious to be any good. But now I can see that I was really missing out. Dale Messick created amazing characters, wild adventures, and some seriously wacky humor. It’s been a blast to catch up on it now!
The Brenda Starr comic strip was in the New York papers and I recall it was popular. Did you know about the character prior to working on this issue?
At the height of its popularity, “Brenda Starr, Reporter” was actually syndicated in about 250 newspapers across the country! I first heard the name Brenda Starr in the Blondie song “Rip Her to Shreds,” but had no idea who that was. I later made the connection that Brenda was that woman from the funny pages. Brooke Shields also starred in a not-great Brenda Starr movie in the early 1990s, at a time when I was really into comics. But even Debbie Harry and Brooke Shields weren’t able to get me interested in the character. It was only in researching Dale Messick’s story that I finally became interested in her creation.
Who Was Brenda Frazier?
Rita Hayworth served as Dale Messick’s model for Brenda Starr’s beautiful appearance, but Brenda Frazier was the inspiration for her name. Brenda Frazier was the Kim Kardashian of her time. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, she was the “it girl” — a beautiful debutante who appeared on magazine covers, in gossip columns, and in ads for prestige products like Studebaker automobiles. The columnist Walter Winchell regularly reported on her love life, which never seemed all that stable. She was married two times, but neither relationship was lasting, and she lamented her inability to choose someone who wasn’t a cad.
Was “Brenda Starr” Dale Messick’s full-time gig?
It was! She wrote and drew “Brenda Starr, Reporter” for over 40 years! At times, she worked in a mobile studio that allowed her and her family to take long road trips across the country. She would frequently weave aspects of her own story into the plot lines. In real life, Dale had a daughter named Starr, which was the same name that Brenda gave her daughter after giving birth in a storyline from the 1970s. In the early 1960s, Brenda traveled to the Canal Zone in Panama shortly after Dale Messick took a trip there to visit friends. I was also impressed to learn that Dale drew “Brenda Starr, Reporter” using a brush and ink, which must have been incredibly difficult. I looked at some of the original art at the Lilly Library on the campus of Indiana University and was blown away by the control and expressiveness of her line work.
Why was Brenda Starr such a popular strip?
People I’ve spoken with say that particularly for young women, Brenda was a role model. Even in a fantastical sense, Brenda was a smart, savvy, career woman who went after what she wanted and didn’t let obstacles or expectations of what she should be slow her down (still a novel concept in the 1940s and 50s). She was unafraid of adventure and unbowed by people trying to get in her way. I think this kind of symbolism is really powerful to a young person with aspirations to achieve great things. Dale Messick had similar qualities in that she left the stability of her family life in Indiana, and came to New York on her own for a promising job (drawing greeting cards) and life in the big city. Messick was also savvy in presenting Brenda in the latest designer fashions, so she always looked incredible! She was able to build connections with readers by drawing their suggestions for Brenda’s clothes and including them as paper dolls in the Sunday editions of the strip. These sorts of gestures helped to create a loyal and dedicated readership.
Do you see any relevance today for Ms. Starr?
“Brenda Starr, Reporter” ran in newspapers for over 70 years. The characters and scenarios definitely evolved with the times. But at her core, Brenda remained a stalwart seeker of the truth and a character that always followed her heart and her instincts (despite sometimes leading her to the undersea lairs of nefarious villains or other exotic and dangerous places). Brenda always knew what she wanted and worked hard to achieve it. She loved her family and friends and would do anything to help them. Those characteristics never go out of style.
