Joe Palooka, a world heavyweight boxing champion comic strip character created in Wilkes-Barre by Ham Fisher, was portrayed as a clean-living role model. Fisher (1900-1955), of Wilkes-Barre, created the strip there, and it was syndicated in 900 newspapers, read daily by 50 million people for 54 years, ending in 1984. During World War II, Palooka joined the Army, boosted enlistments, raised troop morale, and promoted the sale of war bonds. Fisher was commended by Presidents Roosevelt and Truman for supporting the war effort and national defense.