1968 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1968, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL). 
*p. 310-361 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

• February 26 - July 5: Senator Wesley "Wes" Parker Thorne...on steroids
• Betsy Thorne meets Rex secretly to voice her concerns about her husband's health; she's found a pill in his pocket, Rex suspects it's steroids
• Wesley is a presidential candidate-to-be, but has been irritable uncooperative lately, which is unlike his normal personality
• Wes is increasingly delusional about his presidential nomination, making plans for his new cabinet before he's even nominated; he continues to be rude to his wife when she voices her concern about his health, 6/28/68 (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - June 28, 1968     © King Features Syndicate

•  In the very next strip, Wes admits something is wrong with him and agrees to begin admitted to the hospital, and declares he's going to withdraw from the presidential race (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - July 3, 1968     © King Features Syndicate

• This story closes with Wes' father praising him for being courageous enough to make the announcement to the public; but we never learn what's actually wrong with Wes
• July 5 - Nvember 15: Karl Lamon, serial killer
• A long-distance phone call from Karl Lamon puts Ginny into a panic
• Karl shows up after Keith Cavell (who's made yet another surprise visit - this time back from Vietnam) drops her off at the end of their date
• He slaps her when she doesn't give up Keith's name, 8/5/68 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - August 5, 1968     © King Features Syndicate

• It appears Karl is a hitman, and has killed two guys who tried to date Ginny, as well as several other prominent businessmen (later we learn he's killed over 20 people)
• Karl leaves town to visit his next "customer" - he checks into a hospital (instead of a hotel); kills another businessman
• Keith roughs up Karl for hitting Ginny; threatens him to never see her again; Karl hits Keith
• Keith finds Ginny just in time before Karl nearly kills her
• Lamon is turned over to the police and confesses all his crimes, 11/14/68 (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - November 14, 1968     © King Features Syndicate

• November 15 - February 25, 1969: Julie Rockwell, marijuana hippie
• Side story: Keith prepares to propose to Ginny, and shows his insecurity, given his reputation as a confirmed bachelor, 11/20/68 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - November 20, 1968     © King Features Syndicate

• Julie's father is concerned that her behavior has changed in the last few months; high strung and irritable, withdrawn from her friends, etc.
• Julie's blowing her mother's inheritance on drugs
• Rex gives Mr. Rockwell and education on psychotomimetics (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - December 23, 1968     © King Features Syndicate

• Julie overdoses on marijuana and barbituates and is taken to the emergency room where Rex treats her
• She calls her dealer, Vic, secretly, insisting that "the movement needs" her
• When the hospital staff doesn't give her adequate pain medication for her headache, she escapes to Vic, who gives her more pills
• Julie has a confirmed frontal lobe tumor, and has been taking morphine from Vic
• This story ends with Julie's good prognosis, and that the she will be helping the police track down the other protesters that were giving her drugs

1964 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 6 Jan -  31 Dec 1964, Publishers Newspaper Syndicate (Chicago, IL). 
*p. 126-172 on disk from King Features Syndicate.


All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

• December 3 - April 16, 1964: Jeanie Tang, heroin addict
• January 1 - 5: MISSING
• Jeanie Tang is a singer at a local night club owned by sleeze-ball Nero
• Al Croyden fears she's not well and approaches Rex about her health
• Jeanie complains of headaches and begs for an "envelope" from Nero - she's up to 3x/week and spending almost all of her salary on it
• January 12 - 19: MISSING
• Al confronts Jeanie about her addiction, asks her to see Rex
• January 26 - February 2: MISSING
• Nero sends Jeanie out to a farmhouse (with henchman, Kleeg) in the country, where "Mama Bess" gives her a fix
• Mama Bess wallops Jeanie when she tries to escape (overcome by pain)
• March 8 - 15: MISSING (suspect Rex finds Jeanie during this time)
• Rex suspects Jeanie either has a brain tumor or a ruptured aneurysm, and schedules her a craniotomy (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - March 27, 1964     © King Features Syndicate

• Nero lies to the police and accuses Al of supplying Jeanie with the heroin
• April 5 - April 12: MISSING
• Nero, Mama Bess and cronies are arrested after Rex helps the police bring them in
• April 17 - August 13: Mr. Homer Standly, frontal lobe tumor
• Kate Standly, who lives with her father, is worried about his mental status
• Jim Walden, Kate's fiance, is fed up with her father's erratic behavior and the devotion she shows to him 
• Homer puts an advertisement in the paper about Rex and Kate's intended marriage, completely confused by the purpose of his visit
• Rex explains a brain lesion can cause symptoms of mental illness, 6/19/ 1964 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - June 19, 1964     © King Features Syndicate

• June gives her 2 week notice when she see's the wedding announcement, and Rex has not told her
• Teaching moment strip, patient perspective of having a brain tumor, 7/21/64 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - July 21, 1964     © King Features Syndicate

• August 13 - January 9, 1965: Don & Rick Santell, alcoholics
• Don Santell, the country's new singing sensation, is found by his bookie, Jocko Mapes, after being beat up in a parking lot
• Rex administers a tetanus shot
• Rick, Don's estranged brother and admitted alcoholic, shows up - Jocko cares about him, Don hates him (due to an historic fight over a girl with whom Rick was in love)
• Rex explains the relationship between delirium tremens and alcoholism, 9/25/64 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - September 26, 1964     © King Features Syndicate

• Teaching moment, patient perspective on alcoholism, 10/30/64 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - October 30, 1964     © King Features Syndicate

• Don refuses to offer support to Rick for when he's discharged from the hotel and needs rehabilitation for his drinking
• Don proposes to June on Christmas at Melissa's
• In the end, Don and Rick decide to go to an AA meeting after Jocko gives Don the truth that he's a terrible performer, and needs his brother, the best arranger in the business