MUMBAI: The animated spinach-powered sailor man, Popeye celebrates his 75th birthday this year with his first-ever 3D animated adventure, Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy.

In India Cartoon Network airs The Popeye Show. Popeye is always ready to fight for Olive's favour and in constant battles with arch rival Bluto.

King Features and the computer animation specialists Mainframe Entertainment created the 3D animated film which will air on Fox on 17 December. The DVD/home video from Lion's Gate Entertainment has been released.

Popeye was first introduced in 1929, debuting in a minor role in the comic strip of artist EC Segar's Thimble Theater. The sailor was an immediate hit with readers, and Segar converted him into the star of the strip within two years.

Max Fleischer who directed short films of 109 ingrained the spinach-chomping sailor. Fleischer cartoons arrived on the silver screen in 1933.