It's Audrey Day at the Big Blog!

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

It’s Playful Little Audrey day at the Bog Blog!

Audrey has always been one of my favorite Harvey Comics characters largely because of her supporting cast of neighborhood friends. First, naturally, was Audrey’s oft-times nemesis, Melvin; closely followed by Echo, Lucritia, and Tiny. In today’s stories we find all four.

These were all strong characters with distinct personalities, all well-drawn, charming, and very real. They acted so much like a gang of kids – sometimes mean and petty, often scheming, yet all underwritten with a pitch-perfect childlike innocence and devotion to one another.

In my humble opinion, Playful Little Audrey (because of the wonderful writing and artwork combined) was perhaps the most consistently funny title of all the Harvey Comics Stable.

Today’s stories feature the artwork of the great Howie Post (who always excelled at drawing funny, endearing characters).

This is all from Playful Little Audrey No.21 (October 1960).

Coming up next, let's go waaay back to 1954 and post some stories from another character from Harvey Comics, the all-but-forgotten Rags Rabbit via the wonderful work of Harvey legend, Marty Taras! I predict you will absolutely love him!

(Ooops -slight update kids! Next post will be a Christmas story from Al Fago! But have no fear! I havn't forgotten my promise regarding the wonderful work of Marty Taras! What a wonderful way to bring in the new year in January! I will see you all again very soon. Until then, I hope you are all warm, safe, and happy!

--Your friend, Mykal

PLAYFUL LITTLE AUDREY No. 4, December 1957

Howie Post, who passed away May of this year, will probably be best remembered for drawing Hot Stuff (the little devil) and Spooky (the tough little ghost) for Harvey Comics. But how can we forget the artist's work in the late 1950s on Playful Little Audrey!

No other Harvey artist could make Audrey seem more, well, playful! Or bring such devilry to her nemesis/pal Melvin. Howie Post stories always have a very edgy, irresistible bounce. This tremendous issue of Playful Little Audrey is all Post - and aren't we all the better for it?

Tiny, a back-up feature in Playful Little Audrey comics, was one of the very first African American comic book characters completely free of caricature, condescension, or stereotype. Post gave him plenty of lovable in this story, "The Big Game."

And one last Melvin showcase with "What A Stinger!"

This pretty ad is from the same issue.

PLAYFUL LITTLE AUDREY No. 69, April 1967

The first comics that I loved were Harvey comics. My allowance got me two comics (at 12¢ apiece). As I became a teen, I went Marvel – then DC. But life is a circle, and I will die a Harvey man.

These two stories are from Playful Little Audrey no. 69, April 1967. This first one is most likely the king of Harvey style, Warren Kremer. Those certainly look like Kremer backgrounds. It's a safe bet the cover is Kremer!

This second story, which is a grand look at computers before they went personal, is most likely Kremer as well; but has some Ernie Colon touches – primarily the adults seem Colon grownups. Colon was very good at working in the Kremer/Harvey style. The vast Harvey output remains largely un-indexed – a harsh reality I find hard to live with.

Playful Little Audrey in "Froggy Daze"

Since Audrey and Melvin are my banner kids, I felt it only fair that I give them my first post. This comes from Playful Little Audrey No. 10, January, 1959; published by Harvey Comics. Harvey, like most comics of the era, never gave credit to artists or writers, but Mark Arnold (author of the great The Harveyville Fun Times and foremost Harvey Comics guru) and I agree: The penciling is almost surely Howie Post. You have to love the free, fun line Post specialized in, which gave characters like Melvin such wicked life. I also like what he does with the teacher here. Watch her hands for character clues. All scans come from comics in my collection.