Torchy and Orme's evolution

Torchy going from her quippy black and white self to a full color panel with continued story was a big shift in personality. There were elements I liked in both. The black and white panel was very poignant and as a fellow blog poster says "waaaaay before its time", throwing caustic commentary into quick scenes. The story takes backseat to the punchline. The handwriting dialogue is difficult to read, at least in the secondary computerized format, and the art style is less ligne clare than what it develops into during the 50's, but Torchy has a spicy flavor. We did see evidence of Orme's interest in story with the few panels that pictured Torchy finding her long lost mother, giving an overarching theme to the flurry of punchline, jib jab comics. Both a story, and Orme's knack for fashion find themselves in her updated color strip, with positive and negative effects. I think the story focused comic makes Torchy lose her edge, and quick wit because the pressure for the punchline to be reached is mitigated. The fashion, in clear line artistry and beautifully colored panel is so different in every comic it's hard for the eye not to pause and appreciate a dress every now and then.  Orme's evolves into the cartoonist she hints at becoming in the 30's.