BILLINGSGATE POST: Crusader Rabbit was viewed as a crusading knight of the Don Quixote school. Politically, he was somewhat left of Dudley Do-Right, but considerably right of Heckle and Jeckle.
He was an important part of the cultural landscape as it existed in the late 1940s. In Texas, where locals were trying to drive out the rabbit population, it was he who took on Chief Hare Removal - and won - in a battle even more famous than The Alamo. By the way, all of his cousins were named Jack.
Incidentally, Crusader Rabbit and his sidekick, Ragland T. Tiger (Rags), provided the inspiration for the creation of Slim Everdingle and Detrick “Dirty Trick” Detwiler by Dr. Billingsgate. Fans of Slim and Dirty might recall the epic stakeouts in their black, 1953 Studebaker Champion, where Dirty would mischievously close the windows of the car and then raffle off eye-watering farts, while Slim was gulping down donuts and coffee.
But that was the way it was. And now, with even greater societal changes taking place in our cities, perhaps it’s time to reintroduce Crusader Rabbit and Rags.
Slim: “I suggest that Crusader purchase a gas mask.”
Dirty: “Yo, Dude. Loved watching you turn green.”
