DENNIS THE MENACE No. 62, Sept. 1962

This post is for Albie’s kids, Gideon and Haddie. Both like sitting with pop in front of the computer, reading Kids’ Comics. Guys, Dennis cracks me up, too, so this one’s for you two!!

Dennis was drawn by many great artists in this title, but talk of “best” always boils down to either Al Wiseman or Owen Fitzgerald (both can make your jaw drop). I am in the Fitzgerald camp (see below). His loosey-goosey figures send me. This is from Dennis the Menace No. 62, September 1962, and the dazzling writing is pure Fred Toole.

“That’s what I call psychology,” says husband, Henry, in this next story, so proud. “That’s what I call fibbing,” says wife, giving her husband a typical “Alice” look. What a mom! What a family.

One wish? Every human in the world could have one childhood memory of a day like the one in the following story. I said it before, and I’ll say it again. What a family.

LITTLE LULU No. 54, December 1952

John Stanley always manages to touch the joy of being alive. His stories are sprinkled with perfect human moments, so universal they always bring smiles. Next to the towering edifice of Stanley’s reputation, Irving Tripp’s contribution is often overshadowed, but his art is essential to Little Lulu and compliments perfectly the tone and minimalist perfection of Stanley’s stories.

Tubby was Stanley’s agent of sweet chaos and, like every boy in the world, I saw myself in Tubby - myself and all my friends. Here are two Tubby stories from Little Lulu no. 54, December 1952.

This ad is from the same issue. Sure, that Space Ranger kit is amazing, but feast your eyes on that television! You know what was great about those old televisions? They had no remote. Why was that cool, you ask? Well, in my house, only my father ever touched the space-age controls located on the front. Invariably, his walk across the carpeting would produce a static charge that would snap him the moment he touched one of the knobs. He’d curse like a trooper. Darn, that made me howl!

Please enjoy and purchase the Little Lulu Volumes, available from Dark Horse Comics. Just CLICK HERE to have a look!