Tony Strobl from Looney Tunes!

Hi, Kids! Today we have a fun (and funny) story from a couple of old pros, Don. R. Christensen (script) and Tony Strobl (art), and a glorious cover by Ralph Heimdahl (pencils and perhaps inks as well).

Don R. Christensen was primarily a scriptwriter for Disney at the start of his career in the 30s and wound-up leaving Disney for Warner Brothers’ animation and then on to a career as a comic book artist in the 40s (where he often signed his work “Don Arr”), specializing in funny animal kids’ comics.

Tony Strobl is best known for his comic book work after WWII, so much of it drawing Disney characters and stories. Here we see Mr. Strobl proving his value with a Warner Brother’s character, Bugs Bunny! As always, his artwork is crisp, clean, and dramatic. I laughed at loud at the way Goo Goo gorilla-handled that crook! But first, let’s enjoy the pretty cover. All comes from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies No. 125 (March 1952)

Coming up very soon, a Porky Pig (and family) story from the same issue with artwork from John Carey!

Elmer Fudd in the Foreign Legion

Today's fun comes from Four Color No. 233, June 1949; an all Bugs issue co-starring the overgrown baby, Elmer Fudd. I love the composition of this typically cool four-color cover by Ralph Heimdahl; and the story art is by Disney great, Tony Strobl. Mr. Strobl helped animate Fantasia, Dumbo, and Pinocchio. He went to work for Western Publishing in 1949 and contributed his wonderful cartooning in the pages of Four Color and other comics until 1968. The last three one-page stories in this post represent the front inside, back inside, and back outside covers. The artist on all three pages is Fred Abranz.

 

The artist identification for this post is provided by pal, Alberto Becattini via Grand Comic Book Database. Be sure to visit Alberto's site by clicking on his name!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Color No. 226 - 1949

To my shame I am not very familiar with the work of Roger Armstrong, the artist responsible for the fluid, richly-detailed work in this story. Artist ID comes from pal Alberto Becattini via Grand Comics Database. For more about this great artist, please read Mark Evanier's tribute at the time of Armstrong's passing in 2007. As for the beautiful cover, (most likely) it's the work of Ralph Heimdahl.