Reading Ernie Bushmiller’s Nancy is as close to Zen meditation as I will come in this life. Only in Bushmiller’s work do I touch the stream of thoughts without interference.
With Bushmiller, every single line has an exact purpose; set on white paper for a reason. They do not vary, they do not waver, and they are perfect. This supernatural draftsmanship soothes me to the center. Oh. I nearly forgot. Nancy is also very funny. This is from Sparkle Comics No. 4, April-May 1949.
With Bushmiller, every single line has an exact purpose; set on white paper for a reason. They do not vary, they do not waver, and they are perfect. This supernatural draftsmanship soothes me to the center. Oh. I nearly forgot. Nancy is also very funny. This is from Sparkle Comics No. 4, April-May 1949.
These two ads come from the same issue. The first one I love for its wonderful graphic design – the hand-lettering and the colors – also the swell drawings of Snap, Crackle, and Pop!
This second one is about a boy and his toy gun. Kids, really, really, really don’t try this at home! Frankly, Billy, you lucked out. Things could have really gone the other way for you. Thank your lucky stars you drew an extremely docile bank robber – one not only easily fooled but also very generous in his post-arrest remarks.
A classic buncha gags all thrown into one fantastic theme ! Custer's Last Stand by Sluggo is hysterical ! More problem-solving geniuses, here. They'd fit right in with Woody Woodpecker !
ReplyDeleteOh, and I am in LOVE with Nancy's Aunt Fritzy ! Any chance you can dig up some Fritzy Fritz ?
ReplyDeleteLysdexicuss: That deadpan look sluggo gives over "last Stand" cracked me up, too! Bushmiller always cracks me up. The humor in Nancy was always so refined and consistant.
ReplyDeleteAs it so happens, I do have an issue of Fritzi Ritz in the collection now from 1958. You got it! Since you asked, sometime soon for sure. I'll give you a shout out. I think John Stanley did those stories, but I will have to do some more research on that. -- Mykal
Lysdexicuss again: I just ordered some much older Fritzi, from 1949, which feature Bushmiller's Fritzi, who appears, shall we say, much more the figure you probably fell in love with! I'll give you a shout when I post those as well! -- Mykal
ReplyDeletethat "shoots like a real gun" ad would have been tempting, but the "completely safe" line would have concerned me as a kid. if i wanna shoot my smelly ol' sister i want it to at least sting.
ReplyDeleteKW: No such luck. All you got with this deal is a puff of smoke and tiny crack. My guess is it was loaded with roll caps. As I say, Billy lucked out. Your sister would have been laughing in your face after the initial mild suprise. Lord! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteI read my first Nancy comics a week or two ago over at the Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog and am totally smitten. I Love the silent punchlines.
ReplyDeleteNancy rules.
ReplyDeleteDavid: Bushmiller was so good at them, the silent comedian, Harold Lloyd (a big fan of Bushmiller's Fritzi Ritz) asked the cartoonist to do gags for his films. I love this stuff a lot!
ReplyDeleteErik: Totally!
I can't tell if these are continuity strips from the syndicated product or somehow pasted together and done for Dell. I believe it is the first, but I don't recall Nancy carrying out at story for a week or two like these. At least not in the 1960s and 1970s when I forced myself to read them.
ReplyDeleteGary: Great question. Sparkle Comics did reprints of the newspaper strips. The long theme is a bit confusing to me as well, and I am assuming these were culled from the Sunday funnies only, which often ran a different, continuous theme; as opposed to the dailies, which in the case of Nancy were great, punchy three or four panel gags. I have researched the heck out of this, and can find no more info that that. All I know for sure is that it is Bushmiller and they were culled from his syndicated strip. -- More coming! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteHere's a response from an e-mail I sent about this story from Sparkle #4 from a friend of mine, Merlin Haas:
ReplyDeleteYes, there was continuity in the Nancy strip then. The comic book pages are just daily strips pasted together (if you notice, there's a punch line every half page.) In the 1930s there was even more continuity when Nancy was a supporting character in the Fritzi Ritz strip. The continuity in humor strips started to ebb in the mid-50s and there wasn't much left by the mid-60s. I think King Features pretty much demanded an end to continuity in their strips about 1954 ? which is when it ended in the Mickey Mouse strip. (If I'm remembering correctly what I read somewhere.)"
So, that helps answer my question.
Gary: Ah! Thanks for the info. -- Mykal
ReplyDelete"Stop or I'll shoot!" BANG! Shoots like a real gun-
ReplyDelete"AARRRGH!- Why the Hell did I point a toy gun at a fleeing bank robber?!- "
"Jeezus, Billy! I can see the sidewalk through that hole in yer gut! Neato!"
"Aw, gawd! I can;t feel my legs no more. MOMMEEEEE!"
end scene
Aaron: No doubt - the god that protects fools and children was really on the job that day for young Billy! -- Mykal
ReplyDelete