[1] Strong-but-simple Ike McBatt is from a hillbilly family living in the small backwoods community of Wildweed Run (pop.

[citation needed] Ozark Ike's girlfriend is Dinah Fatfield, whose family has been involved in a feud with the McBatt clan for several generations.

Slesinger also owned Red Ryder, King of the Royal Mounted, US and Canadian rights to Winnie-the-Pooh, and had exclusive licensing arrangements for other notable fictional characters including Tarzan and all of the NEA newspaper comics.

Gotto left in 1954 to start his creator-owned baseball strip Cotton Woods syndicated by General Features, but Ozark Ike continued until 1959 under Bill Lignante and George Olesen.

"Ozark Ike" was the nickname of major league baseball players Gus Zernial and Ralph Kiner[citation needed].