Giggle Comics - "This is the House!"Supermouse - "Say It With Flowers"

Let’s finish up 2009 with some work from two masters. First up is Jack Bradbury’s beautiful brushwork in a story featuring Spencer Spook. Bradbury’s panels always looked like brightly colored candy, good enough to eat. This is from Giggle Comics No. 46, October 1947. All scans are from my own comic.

Next let’s enjoy the wondrous work of Milt Stein in a Supermouse story. No one drew “Supie” like Stein. I love this story which has Supermouse providing us with a true superhero moment – proving himself as physically brave and powerful within his universe as Superman is in his. This is from Supermouse No. 7, May 1950. All scans are from my own comic. For a glimpse at the cover for this and previous story, click appropriate label at end of post.

This ad is from the same Supermouse issue. Have you ever noticed how many “get muscles today” ads ran in comics? What? Did advertisers think we comic lovers were all a bunch of skinny geeks? Did they have to rub it in?

Supermouse in "The Meanest Man in Town"

Supermouse isn’t really about battling evil. His primary focus, instead, is helping and loving his friends – who are normally children. Unpleasant or mean adults are simply friends waiting to happen. Or, to look at it another way, they are adults learning to be children. Or, to look at it yet another way, it is a brilliant kids’ comic.

The art is by Milt Stein, and his bigfoot style is wondrously vibrant, perfectly composed, and smooth as silk balloons. He drew the greatest three-fingered hands that have ever been drawn. I’d bet a dollar he did the cover, too.

And, not for nothing, he could bring a sudden, child-like emotion to the fore like a thunderclap. Take a peak at page 6 last panel.

This is from Supermouse No. 7, May, 1950. All scans are from my own comic. Just click the image for the big picture.

This humiliating ad is from the same issue. For you boys out there, if you jiggle when you run and the other kids laugh at you, try to ignore them. Your day in the sun will come, I promise. Do not wear a girdle in the locker room under any circumstances.