PLAYFUL LITTLE AUDREY No. 4, December 1957

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.

STEVE CANYON in Four Color!

Milton Caniff's Steve Canyon was a trouble shooter/adventurer working for the United States Air Force. In this tale, he does battle with Communists in South America. Despite my best efforts, I can't identify the artist of this beautiful, painted cover. This post comes from Four Color No. 519, December 1953.

The interior, story art - according the Grand Comic Book Database (see sidebar) - is Caniff assistant, William Overgard, who ghosted Caniff's Steve Canyon strip in the early 1950's. Another Caniff Assistant, Ray Bailey, contributed the fine script (maybe). Any way you cut it, this is some prime, 1950s comic book work. The first page is the black & white inside cover, supplying us with a who's who; as well as putting on display Overguard's sweet line with a brush! Download THIS POST!

These last two pages are the inside back cover, and back cover! I love when Dell did this!