I don't think I've seen another cartoon career like Elzie Segar's.
Something quite different from common taking time and practice to grow into potential.
After a few youthful cartoons, he plugged away for a full decade at "Thimble Theater", an ok but rather middling strip.
Then it starts getting better. Then more better. Then exponentially better. Continuing to improve until Segar's young death in 1938.