LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE
TREASURE BOX OF FAMOUS COMICS EDITION
by Harold Gray
An Early Adventure of Courage, Loyalty, and Deception
Published by Cupples & Leon Company in December 1934, this edition of Little Orphan Annie was issued as part of the Treasure Box of Famous Comics. The 36-page softcover volume is an abridged version of Cupples & Leon’s first full-length Little Orphan Annie collection, originally published in 1926.
The material originated in Harold Gray’s 1925 newspaper strips and follows Annie and her faithful dog Sandy as conflict enters the household of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. The arrival of the arrogant Selby Adlebert Piffleberry and the deceptive Count De Tour introduces rivalry, family tension, and a scheme threatening Warbucks’s fortune.
Title
Little Orphan Annie
Series
Treasure Box of Famous Comics
Creator / Writer / Artist
Harold Gray
Publisher
Cupples & Leon Company
Publication Date
December 1934
Place of Publication
New York, United States
Language
English
Genre
Adventure / Children’s Comics / Humor
Format
Abridged Comic-Strip Reprint Collection
Binding
Softcover
Length
36 pages
Dimensions
6¾ × 8½ inches
Cover
Color
Edition
Abridged version of the 1926 Cupples & Leon Little Orphan Annie collection
About the
book
Little Orphan Annie follows the adventures of Annie, a courageous and independent orphan girl known for her optimism, sharp instincts, and determination to confront unfairness.
Beside her is Sandy, Annie’s faithful dog and constant companion. Annie also shares a close relationship with wealthy industrialist Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, who becomes her protector and father figure.
The source material condensed for this edition centers on trouble within the Warbucks household. Mrs. Warbucks returns from Europe accompanied by Selby Adlebert Piffleberry, a spoiled and arrogant boy who quickly becomes Annie’s rival and treats Sandy cruelly.
Selby is connected to Count De Tour, a supposedly aristocratic visitor whose interest in the family extends beyond ordinary social friendship. Annie gradually realizes that deception surrounds the visitors and that Warbucks’s wealth and confidential business affairs may be in danger.
Because the 1934 book is substantially shorter than the original collection, some episodes and transitions were necessarily removed. The edition should therefore be understood as a condensed presentation of the larger 1925 storyline.