I AM Books Gifted Original Italian Popeye Artwork

NORTH END, MA — The man who once proclaimed, "I am what I am, and that's all that I am" is now immortalized at I AM Books, in Boston's North End.

The Italian-American book shop's co-owner, Nicola Orichuia, was recently gifted an original Popeye the Sailor drawing by renowned Italian cartoonist Sandro Dossi, who drew Popeye's adventures for several years in comic books.

Dossi is known for his illustration of popular characters including Felix the Cat, Tom & Jerry, Mickey Mouse, The Pink Panther and the Flintstones and Popeye. He also illustrated the adventures of Geppo and Pinocchio for Italian audiences.

According to a press release penned for Patch by Drawing With Fred's Fred Grandinetti, Dossi sent the original cartoon illustration of Popeye, Olive Oyl and Swee’pea to Orichuia. It was his way of saying "grazie" to Orichuia for his work benefiting the Italian community.

Dossi referred to the characters in his drawing as they’re known in Italy, Grandinetti told Patch: Popeye is "Braccio Di Ferro" while Olive Oyl is "Olivia" and Swee’pea is "Pisellino."

October is Italian-American Heritage Month in Massachusetts, and I AM Books is hosting a series of events to commemorate. Find out more from its Facebook page here.

Photo courtesy Grandinetti