Dream of the Rarebit Fiend He addressed religious leaders, alcoholism, homelessness, political speeches, suicide, fashion, and other topics, whereas his other strips were fantasy or had seemingly vague, timeless backgrounds. The strip referenced contemporary events such as the 1904 election of Theodore Roosevelt; the recently built Flatiron Building (1902) and St. Regis Hotel (1904) in New York City; and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05. The rarebit is a dish typically made with rich cheese thinned with ale and served melted on toast with cayenne and mustard mixed in. McCay used it despite its innocuousness—cultural theorist Scott Bukatman states rarebit was not the sort of dish
Dream of the Rarebit Fiend Nemo", was likely exposed to "Rarebit Fiend", which appeared in "The San Francisco Examiner", which Barks read growing up. Several episodes of Barks's Donald Duck strips appear to have taken their subjects from "Rarebit Fiend". Many scenes from animated films by Tex Avery from between 1943 and 1954 are said to show clearly a "Rarebit Fiend" influence. Science fiction illustrator Frank R. Paul painted a number of pulp magazine covers influenced by "Rarebit Fiend". Art Spiegelman paid parodic homage to "Rarebit Fiend" in his 1974 strip "Real Dream". In 1991, Rick Veitch began producing short comics based on his dreams.