Dik Browne, best known for his newspaper strips, Hägar the Horrible and Hi and Lois, did some beautiful work for Classics Illustrated Junior during the 1950s. Here is the artist's wonderful drawing and brushwork on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Nightingale," which appeared in CIJ. No. 522, January 1956. Without fuss, Browne's sublime character design and inspired layouts make any kid feel childlike. Mr. Browne also did the great cover painting.
These are quite stylish drawings aren't they? Nice trees too.
ReplyDeleteDavid: They really are wonderful. I love his character design and staging within panels.
ReplyDeleteThe way he inks objects is similar to his comic strip work but what a treat to see him illustrate 'real' people, and make the most of the free-style form of comic book page layouts !
ReplyDeleteWhat?! That's so crazy to me the same Dik Browne that did Hagar did this!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Dik Browne did work in comics. I knew him first from doing the Tracy Twins in Boys Life, then, of course, Hi & Lois, then Hagar. He turned in a nice job.
ReplyDeleteLysdexicuss: The more I look at this comic, the more I admire Browne.
ReplyDeleteKW: I had the same reaction!
Gary: He did two or three other Classic Illustrated Juniors. I am going to track them down, I think. He did a nice job, indeed!
Dik Browne is the man! Love that cover, too. Just beautiful work.
ReplyDeleteMike: Agreed! I have to hunt down some more work Browne did for this title.
ReplyDeletefantastic find! i never knew he did this! way to go mykal!
ReplyDeleteCraig: Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior always had such suprising stuff! Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeletei have always loved this story and this a great version of it, but kings are still hard to put up with, aren't they?...
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to see his work unfettered and free on the page!
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Never knew this! LOVE Dik Browne and Hagar, thanks!!
ReplyDeleteProf., John, Jamie:
ReplyDeleteI was hoping that this one would please others as much as it pleased me. I will have to hunt up some more Browne from this title. Thanks all for commenting.
Wow, I never knew Browne did any comic books either! I think Mort Walker did some of the early Beetle Baileys from Dell, didn't he? Did Browne work on any Hi and Lois comic books?
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to see this. His comic strips were always wonderfully drawn, but the space limitations never let him do much more than talking heads. Seeing his work here, with less cartoony, stylized people and outstanding backgrounds and panel composition, gives me new appreciation for the man's work.
Thanks, Mykal!
Mykal and friends,
ReplyDeleteIf all of you saw the Dik Browne's self-portrait which he drew in the 80s, together with the cast of characters from Hägar The Horrible comic strip, on a style à la Gustave Doré...
I saw this Dik Browne's self-portrait on a 1989 issue from the Cartoonist PROfiles magazine.
What a sweet story. Dik Browne is great!
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