This issue of Chip –n- Dale has a couple of golden age giants keeping good–n-busy into the silver age: Al Hubbard and Jack Bradbury. Tom McKimson was the art director for this title and maintained a very high standard throughout C&D's 30 issue run (McKimson was a key Warner Bros. animator in the 1940s, working on Bob Clampett’s unit). This cover was penciled by Pete Alvarado.
By the time of this issue's publication in 1960, Al Hubbard had been either drawing comics or making cartoons for over twenty years. Suffice to say he had drawn a couple tons of funny animals. Despite this volume, Hubbard was incapable of drawing a panel without energy and variety – nothing ever looked stale. Just look at the catalog of poses and expressions in this next story. I don’t know who did the script, but it’s very funny!
This next story is all Jack Bradbury, his style camouflaged a bit by the Disney cast. It is hard not to gush about Jack Bradbury – so why try? Bradbury is simply one of the finest kids' comic book artists that ever held a pen and brush - his characters so rounded and bouncy. One can just feel the compact density of his little oinkers. This man was born to drawn funny animals.
This last tale is perhaps my favorite of the bunch. Pencils: Pete Alvarado. Inks: Steve Steere.
Steere was one of Western Publishing's premier inkers, doing the inking chores for much work by Harvey Eisenberg, Pete Alvarado, Phil De Lara, Jack Bradbury, and Tony Strobl (to name a few). Get the idea?
Steere was one of Western Publishing's premier inkers, doing the inking chores for much work by Harvey Eisenberg, Pete Alvarado, Phil De Lara, Jack Bradbury, and Tony Strobl (to name a few). Get the idea?
This ad is from the same issue and serves as potent verification: Yes. It was a different time.
I love seeing Gilbert's thought process there! That story reminds me of the town I grew up in and the huge population of albino squirrels that reside there!
ReplyDeleteExcellentblog! Glad I found it. I will be following regularly!
ReplyDeleteYou're correct sir, this is some of the most gorgeous art ever done for comic books.
Your lettus us know the names of the mostly uncredited artists and writers is a boon as well and your commentary is clean and concise and adds to the reading enjoyment of the comics.
For some reason, Chip n Dale just grow on you. Better animated than in the comics, but after a while you get to really like them and the art.
ReplyDeleteExcellent choice.
Gary: They really do grow on you, don't they? I, too, miss their fast voices from the cartoons, which seemed to add so much character. The art is so uniformlly good in the comics, hoever, I can live it with it! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteDid Al Hubbard draw the better Scamp comics too? I see some similarities in style.
ReplyDeleteDuffs: Yep, Hubbard drew a ton of Scamp comics and, in fact, is thought of as the Scamp artist for Dell. Good eye, my friend! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteJeff: My goodness, how did I miss your nice comments? I apologize for not responding sooner. Thank you for the kind words, and I am glad your following my blog! -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteHubbard also drew stories for Disney's "overseas" comics program, featuring his greatest creation—Fethry Duck!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at Gemstone (2003-2008) we published many of these in the USA for the first time.
ramapith: Fethry Duck! Absolutely, and thanks for the link! I remember these stories well, my friend, and have many in my collection. Thanks for commenting. -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteHey Mykal: I just had to post that last full page ad among my myspace pics if you don't mind. I love all things western... especially kiddie-western and B-western... so I had to have it!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff as per usual!
Albie: nope, I don't mind as long as credit is given. -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteAs the daughter-in-law of Wesley Morse, I can say quite certainly that this is not his work. But thanks for thinking of him.
ReplyDeleteNancy: Fooey. Wishful thinking on my part (I assume you mean the Space Pilots ad on the most recent Atomic Mouse post). I have always really liked your father in law's work and keep hoping for an anthology of his Bazooka Joe stuff. Thanks for the info. -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteHi Mykal,
ReplyDeleteOh, good, Nancy got in touch with you about the Space Pilots ad. We had been discussing it the other day, she mentioned you speculated on it being by Wesley. We also hope to see a 'Bazooka Joe' anthology, so it's good to hear your enthusiasm for it as well. I really enjoy your blog and have it bookmarked, thanks.
Stop by my website www.taylormorsecollection.com for a look at Wesley's earliest known work! I think you'll enjoy it. Nancy and I are hard at work on the official book about Wesley...so stay tuned!
Kirk: You have a wonderful site, and I eagerly await anything about Morse you have in the works. His Bazooka Joe cartoons were a joyful constant of my childhood. -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteMe and my friend(we've both been nicknamed Chip'n'Dale, aptly) got the cover of this comic and another one as a T-shirt, it is great :)
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