Howie Post, who passed away May of this year, will probably be best remembered for drawing Hot Stuff (the little devil) and Spooky (the tough little ghost) for Harvey Comics. But how can we forget the artist's work in the late 1950s on Playful Little Audrey!
No other Harvey artist could make Audrey seem more, well, playful! Or bring such devilry to her nemesis/pal Melvin. Howie Post stories always have a very edgy, irresistible bounce. This tremendous issue of Playful Little Audrey is all Post - and aren't we all the better for it?
Tiny, a back-up feature in Playful Little Audrey comics, was one of the very first African American comic book characters completely free of caricature, condescension, or stereotype. Post gave him plenty of lovable in this story, "The Big Game."
And one last Melvin showcase with "What A Stinger!"
This pretty ad is from the same issue.
i like the TINY comic a lot. that's sort of a breakaway style for Harvey.
ReplyDeleteThat dog in the Tiny story is pure post.
ReplyDeleteMan, you know how I love Post's stuff. Just watching his drawings makes me give a hint of smile.
ReplyDelete(the same occurred to me when I read your name in the great Yoe's introduction to Dick Briefer's book: But it was a big open smile in this case!)
Gabe: I have the same reaction with Howie Post, ever since I was a kid. He always, every time, makes me smile!
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Craig Yoe's and he's a very generous guy!
These Harvey comics are pure joy to me.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I managed to carry my collection of sooper-hero comics into adult-hood, but at one time I had just as many Harvey's. I think Mom snuck those off to a cousin's house when I wasn't looking.
I miss 'em!
Me, too, Jeffy.
DeleteIf John Kricfalusi saw this topic...
ReplyDeleteJohnny K. reported on his topic (http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com) that he's fan of the Howard Post's drawing style.
That figures John K. would be a fan of Post. Good taste!
DeleteMykal and friends,
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that Howard Post also produced, between 1968 and 1982, the Dropouts comic strip, which was carried on the newspapers from the whole world, via United Media/United Feature Syndicate.
Thanks!
DeleteThese are so great! I've always loved Little Audrey(and still do!) And the Tiny comic was pretty sweet as well.
ReplyDeleteI remember a several-episode story that ran in an 80-page giant -- can't remember which one -- in 1968 or '69. Audrey, Melvin, Lucretia, Tiny and Echo found some abandoned toy instruments in a vacant lot and started "impramizing", with Audrey singing sarcastic lyrics about wanting a bigger allowance. They became international superstars with "greedy" lyrics. Of course, rock and roll hypnotizes kids into doing whatever the lyrics say... and this was portrayed as a real event, not one of Audrey's dreams!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could get hold of a copy of whatever this was published in, just to prove to my one friend that it actually existed. Do you know the story I'm talking about?