IS HENRY NOBBINS CONNECTED TO AMOS BURKE?

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Take a look at this Burke's Law strip from TV Century 21 #2.  According to the terms of a murdered relative's will, his trio of surviving family members each have to break a world record in order to inherit a share of his fortune.  I couldn't help but me reminded of a later strip called His Sporting Lordship (in Smash!) in which labourer Henry Nobbins had to break a world record in a series of sporting events before he could claim his hereditary title of Earl of Ranworth and the fortune that went with it.

Only around four years stand between the two strips and I'm prompted to wonder if His Sporting Lordship was inspired from this episode of Burke's Law.  Or could it even be that the same writer wrote both strips and he was simply recycling (with a bit of development) the basic plot of his earlier work?  Or was it all nothing more than a mere coincidence?  What do you think readers?  And if anyone happens to know who wrote both strips, don't keep that info to yourself now.

Comments and speculation (as well as solid details) most welcome.

His Lordship graced the covers of four of six Smash! Annuals

Posted in: Cartoons