 Jewel Productions released the film on July 20 , 1918 . Advertising touted it as " the picture that will never have a competitor " ; the film itself called McCay " the originator and inventor of Animated Cartoons " and drew attention to the fact that it took 25 @,@ 000 drawings to complete . The Sinking of the Lusitania did not greatly return on McCay 's investment — after a few years ' run in theaters , it netted $ 80 @,@ 000 . 
