 In 1903, he joined the staff of the "New York Herald" family of newspapers, where he had success with comic strips such as "Little Sammy Sneeze" (1904–06).and "Dream of the Rarebit Fiend" (1904–11)

In 1905, McCay got "an idea from the "Rarebit Fiend" to please the little folk".In That October, the full-page Sunday strip "Little Nemo in Slumberland" debuted in the "Herald".