Two High-Action Stories from Milt Stein!

Good afternoon, Kids! So nice to visit with you all again!

Today we have two brief but excellent examples of the action-friendly work of Milt Stein, animator and comic-book artist best known for his drawing Supermouse and other characters for Standard Comics in the 1950s. Many legendary cartoonist drew Supie, (Al Hubbard and Jack Bradbury among others) but my favorite was Milt Stein. No one put the zap and zing into Supermouse action panels quite like Milt Stein. His work was always so full of vigorous motion and joy. Looking at these stories, one can see why animator, John Kricfalusi (Ren & Stimpy), is a fan.

I consider the second story a real treasure (I love stumbling across comic book characters I’ve never heard of). Custer the Crocodile is completely forgotten today – so forgotten, in fact, I was not able to find out anything about him regarding creator. Still, I like him. Mr. Stein seems to have enjoyed him, too.

Both these stories come from Supermouse, The Big Cheese No. 24 April 1953.

Well, that's all for now, Kids! Coming up next something a little different. I'm going to dip into my Big Golden Book collection for a Huckleberry Hound story (with a ton of other Hanna-Barbrea characters) by Norman McGary and Hawley Pratt

I will see you all again very soon. Until then, I hope you are all warm, safe, and happy!

--Your friend, Mykal

Two Stories by Milt Stein!

Let's start 2012 off right with two stories by one of the greatest funny animal cartoonists that ever lived: Milt Stein. The first story, "Operation Muscles," features Supermouse (Stein was one of several artists well remembered for drawing "Supie"); while the second story, "Help Wanted," features the completely forgotten character, Coo Coo.

Like Harvey Comics' Howie Post, Stein had a gift for capturing a sense of barely-controllable joy. Check out the second panel on page four of the second story, "Help Wanted;" wherein Coo Coo's hands/wings express everything I love about Stein. What a moment of blissful, artistic confidence. This all comes from Coo Coo Comics No. 54, December 1950.

Don't forget to enjoy the cool ad for a "Television Bank" at post's end, which came from the same issue. Yes. A simpler time and then some.

Just a Bit of Milt Stein!

Today, just a short post. I always get a thrill when I find one of my favorite artists in unexpected places, and I just wanted to get this one to you guys pronto. I believe this is Milt Stein doing a quick, two-pager in Sniffy the Pup, No. 13, 1951. At any rate, this sure looks like Mr. Stein to me! As always, differing viewpoints are encouraged.

Curious about Sniffy the Pup? No worries. Next post I'll do two stories from No. 13.

COO COO COMICS No. 45, May, 1949

If a fellow had to choose one single title to perfectly exemplify "Kids' Comics," a solid selection would be Coo Coo Comics, published under the Standard Comics banner, which ran for about a decade over 56 issues. The title didn't have Four Color's astonishing covers - and the best issues of Four Color were the greatest kids' comics ever done - yet Coo Coo was a model of consistency. The three stories posted today will serve as example. Download THIS POST!

This first Super Mouse story is more than likely Milt Stein, but wow does it look like the great TerryToons animator, Jim Tyer, now and then.

This Kermit the Hermit story is the great Don R. Christensen (who often signed his work Don Arr). What a beautiful splash page.

This last Butch and Buttercup story will have to go unidentified (by me, at least). I love the fine-line work within a bigfoot style, but I can't even hazard a respectable guess. I sure like it, though.