Casper was all about bringing forth love from the hardest heart and changing the angriest enemy to a friend. What could be more appropriate for the holidays? Here, he ventures into the toys of Christmas and mediates what is certainly the most gentle war in the history of wars.
This is from The Friendly Ghost, Casper No. 18, February 1960. Harvey comics were never indexed, but I would bet a Christmas cookie that the artist for both cover and story is the great Warren Kremer. Scans are from my own comic.
This is from The Friendly Ghost, Casper No. 18, February 1960. Harvey comics were never indexed, but I would bet a Christmas cookie that the artist for both cover and story is the great Warren Kremer. Scans are from my own comic.
This story gives me an idea... 'Casper Goes to Washington' directed by Wes Anderson. I knew before seeing it that PURPLE would solve everything~! Wish we heard what song that new Music Box was playing~!
ReplyDeleteAs good as the Casper comics were, and they were good, I always preferred just about every other Harvey title over the Friendly Little Ghost; including such spin-offs as Nightmare and Spooky.
ReplyDeleteJust don't ask why (because I simply do not know)!
This is a story I haven't seen, so thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteSome days I'm like the Ghostly Trio. "We don't want to feel good! We like to feel bad!" I feel considerably cheered when looking at Warren Kremer's excellent artwork, though. I just can't help it.
Thanks again.
Lysdexicuss: What a fantastic idea for a movie - Starring Bill Murray!
ReplyDeleteChuck: I think Casper is so unrelentingly good that for a mature reader he often suffers from the "Barney Factor." Too sweet for us cynical adults, but my goodness do the kids love him. I do my best to appreciate Casper as children do. I will always be in Casper's corner because Casper was always Warren Kremer's pet project at Harvey - along with Stumbo. He was Casper's main artist.
El Postino: I feel exactly the same way some days!
Thanks, guys, for chiming in. Your comments mean a lot. -- Mykal
i love this comic. i can't believe all that was only ten cents.
ReplyDeleteKeith: That makes two of us! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteI love all stories where the characters go into a "toy land" situation, so I grooved on this one Mykal. Red versus Blue...hmmm, have things really changed at all (it's the idea that Dr.Seus used in SNEECHES too), Bloods vs. Crips, ad infinitum
ReplyDeleteWhere's Casper when WE really need him?
best,
r/e
A really gorgeous story Mykal... and I have to repeat what KW says, all this beautiful artwork for only 10 cents continually just blows my mind... most modern comics should be embarrassed charging what they do in providing so much less.
ReplyDeleteR/E: I had the exact same thought about The Sneetches - The idea of one force imagining a position of superiority for completely meaningless criteria (such as having starred bellies in the case of one group of Sneetches or a royal color in the case of the warring kings of Toyland).
ReplyDeleteWhere is Casper when we need him? If you find him, please let me know. I look for Casper every day of my life.
Karswell: I know! Casper is always gorgeous, thanks to the genius of Warren Kremer.
My friend, I completely agree. I look at the completely generic, dull artwork in so many of the comics today with the Photoshop, inhuman coloring - not to mention the very flat, musclebound story content per issue, and I reveal in the past. God bless you, you have ignited a run-on sentence rant! - Mykal
I haven't seen Casper comics in ages, glad I'm following the blog.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Thanks for the reminder about the missing followers widget on my page. It's there now. :)
Barbara: I'm glad you're following this blog, too! I think your cartooning is great. It's actually "charming" - very rare. Count me a follower! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteThat's a story! You kill me again, Mykal, my friend!
ReplyDeleteLove both the art and the script, not mention the color. One of the best Casper's I've ever read. It radiates imagination through and thorough. And very inspiring as well to an illustrator like me. Kremer has just the art -everything else is just nonsense :)
A brilliant touch when colors get mixed up and Purple becomes the royal color. Quite a message of peace at this Holidays time.
In this sense it reminded me a little Watchmen when robot emerges as a destructor. You know: a mutual enemy to get peace ;) Maybe Reagan redd the story, who knows?
By the way: At the end of the story Casper doesn't recover his original size! Very intriguing--
Gabriel: Kremer never, ever disappoints! You know, I hadn't noticed that Casper stayed the same size at the end of the comic. That is interesting! Thanks for the visit! -- Mykal
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