"Little Joe" was created by Ed Leffingwell in 1933. The similarity in style between "Little Joe" and "Little Orphan Annie" is no accident. Ed Leffingwell started out as a staff artist for Harold Gray, the creator of "Little Orphan Annie." "Little Joe" was the first successful western comic strip. It was drawn by Ed until his death in 1936. His brother Robert Leffingwell took over the strip and kept it going until 1972. The main character, Joe Oak, was a thirteen year old boy who ran a cattle ranch with his widowed mother and their wise old top hand, Utah. This example is from 1935 when when Ed Leffingwell was still doing the strip.