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?

Fox and the Crow in - "Flat Broke" and "New York Ticket"

This will finish up the Fox and the Crow stories from Real Screen Comics No. 38, May 1951. Jim Davis offered any aspiring cartoonist an education in every panel. You can practically feel his characters move and live, jumping right off the page into tactile life. Not for nothing, the script for this title was uniformly brilliant. Judging from the time frame, the words here were most likely provided by Hubie Karp. All scans are from my own comic

This ad is from the same issue. I cannot adequately put into words my love for this ad. When I was young, my father always took our family to the annual “Boat Show.” Then as now, boats produce tears of boredom. But a Shoe Show? Now you’re talking! This was the year they unveiled The Skipper!

"How Many Miles to Babylon?"

One last post as a farewell to the holidays. Parting is indeed sweet sorrow. This is Walt Kelly from (again) Four Color No. 126, November 1946.

The Night Before Christmas

Text by Clement C. Moore from an original story; Art by Walt Kelly. From Four Color No. 126, November 1946. Merry Christmas and Joy to All!

Mary Jane and Sniffles in - "The Restless Reindeer"

Mary Jane and Sniffles the Mouse were best friends. So the two could have adventures, Mary Jane had the ability to make herself small. Once tiny, Mary Jane was impetuous and got the pair into trouble, while Sniffles was the voice of conservative reason – an awfully fun formula!

This tale of an ambitious and hard-working reindeer was most likely done by Al Hubbard and comes from Dell Giant Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies No. 7, December 1956. All scans from my own comic.