Gerald McBoing Boing!

This story is one of kids’ comics perfectly cut gems, flawless and pure. This tale of the misfit boy, struggling to fit into a world that seems both harsh and unprepared for him, will be a favorite as long as . . . well, as long a there are children struggling to fit into a world that seems both harsh and unprepared for them.

I have been two of the characters in this eternal tale: the boy that is uncertain of his place and, much later, the father who is too busy to give his son proper attention. Maybe all adults who read the story experience the same eternal circle. Maybe that is what makes this 12-page comic story a masterpiece and so deeply moving.

The writing is by Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess), and the art, quite typical of UPA’s animation style and very revolutionary, is by P.D. Eastman. This is from Gerald McBoing Boing and the Nearsighted Mr. Magoo No. 1, August-October, 1952. All scans are from my own comic. Just click the image for the big picture.

Billy Goat in "Post No Bills"

So much great comic art and so many stories remain un-credited and will soon be forgotten as the cheap paper they are printed on returns to dust. Take this story, for example. I was reviewing this comic, which had been in a bag since forever, for a good story when the pages started to disintegrate in my hands. Quick, to the scanner before all is lost! As you can tell by the cover, I barely got it against the glass in time!

Despite my best efforts, I cannot discover the artist. Any help would be appreciated. The story is an excellent example of how to tell a 6 page comic book story. The plotting and pace are pitch perfect, the comedy is sharp, and in the end our hero, Billy Goat, remains undaunted and learns the art of poster hanging. This is from Fawcett’s Funny Animals No. 73, October, 1951. I’m very happy to share it. Just click the image for the big picture.

Little Archie in "A Spotty Story"

I have only recently become aware of the great work of Little Archie creator, Bob Bolling, and I regret the years of my ignorance.

Like John Stanley’s Little Lulu, the more you look at Bolling’s work, the more you see. Bolling had a profound understanding of dogs and cats, boys and girls, that this perfectly-realized 6 pages will demonstrate. Favorite moment? When Little Archie tells spotty he can’t go into the library because of the rules: you have to know how to read. Like any boy, Little Archie thinks of his dog as a pal, a peer, never imagining any other possible reason for his exclusion. Pure Bolling.

You know what else I like? Spotty makes a “Zazz” sound when he runs real fast. Get ready to love this story. This gem is from Little Archie No. 13, Winter, 1959/60. The scans are all from my own comic. Just click on the image for the big picture.

Here's an ad from the same issue. Man, sometimes I hate going through my old comics. I mean, look at this cool stuff that isn’t available anymore! Don’t you sometimes wonder how our parents resisted sending in their $4.98? Me? I’d be all over that tank in a New York minute. It’s got a real revolving turret, two way radio controls, and a whip antenna! Come to poppa!

The Brownies in "The Ooglies and the Cuckoo Clock"

Like so many cartoonists from the 30s, Walt Kelly worked for Disney (the great studio seemed to devour trainloads of animators whole). He didn’t like animation much and eventually left Disney for cartoon work. His work at Dell is absolutely spectacular and remarkably enjoyable. Walt Kelly never drew a single panel that wasn’t a gaze-worthy, and he never drew a dull one, either.

The same delicate humor that turned Kelly's most famous creation, Pogo, into a beloved icon infuses this small tale of war between the Brownies and the Oogglies. The more I see of vintage Kelly the more I like him. Scratch that . . . Love him. The following is all Kelly, including the cover and the short strip running along the bottom of the pages.

This is from Four Color (The Brownies) No. 192, June, 1948. All scans are from my own comic. Just click on the image for the big picture.

This is Kelly's back inside cover from the same issue. Was there ever a more prefect page for kids and their parents to share? I love Kelly's drawing and his simple, elegant page design.

Hot Stuff in "The Weird Bullfighter"

Here’s a wonderful example of a typical outing for Hot Stuff, the Little Devil. What’s really cool about this is that the un-named bullfighter, while lacking nearly every, single asset important to the trade; simply declares himself a matador! Also, I love the way Hot Stuff, despite his wicked nature, gets himself involved in the plight of this marginal soul, seeing things through to the happy conclusion.

This story is a fine sampling of the charm of Harvey comics. It is also a good example of the elastic line work of the brilliant Howie Post, who did the art. Jeez, Post was fun to look at. There was always something in a Post drawing that made the chuckles come.

This is from Hot Stuff, The Little Devil, No. 86, October, 1968. The scans are from my own comic. Just click on the image for the big picture!

Just for fun, here’s an ad from the same issue. Man, I was so jealous of this kid with his own GRIT business. I never knew a single kid that ever sold GRIT newspapers, and I have never met anyone that ever read it. Still, that smiling kid always seemed like such a go-getter. If you have sold GRIT, or read it, please email me. I'd love to hear of your experience.