Today we have a pair from Happy Comics No. 19, May 1947. First, I must insist that we don't rush passed this lovely cover. The artist is unknown, but I love the line. Whoever it is, they follow Carl Barks' rule about eyes: The pupil "pie-cuts" always point along line of sight. Download THIS POST!
"Scamper" is the work of one of the greatest funny animal artists of all time: Al Hubbard (signed). With the possible exception of Walt Kelly (or animator, Chuck Jones), no artist did "cute" any better than Hubbard. And, of course, his draftsmanship was flawless.
This next story, "Superstrip," is not signed, but, boy, is it something to look at. Great brushwork, character design (great "bounce"), backgrounds - it's all there. I wonder if this might be Frank Frazetta? I see a lot of FF in the stuffy, pompous hog; but nothing else quite matches up. Other times I see Lynn Karp and even a hint of Jim Tyer (in the Mayor character). A collaboration? Hopefully, someone with a more experienced eye will set me straight and ease my spinning head. (Check comments by Alberto! It's Gil Turner.)
Frazetta did a ton of header art on the text stories for this title and others in the late 1940s. I put these three headers from this issue together in a triptych, thinking that these were all done by him. (John and Alberto come to the rescue. This little display is Jim Tyer - Check comments)
Isn't that 2nd story by Jack Bradbury? Drawing a bit like Hultgren because there are so many Hultgren characters in it?
ReplyDeleteI like that Tyer stuff on the last page too!
Comics were so much fun eons ago.
John K.
John: I don't think that second story is Bradbury, but I do see a Hultgren gaping mouth now and then. My capacity to be wrong about this stuff can't be underestimated, though.
ReplyDeleteComics were a ton of fun then, I agree. There's about 5 more great stories in this one issue - a lot of Bradbury I'll be posting next.
I love comics about comics~! This really gives us a little slice of history & puts things in perspective, doesn't it ? I see what you mean about FF being involved in this 2nd story; if nothing else, some of the inking. Especially on the page one splash, page four, and the last page. Plus, Frazetta did smoke a pipe, so perhaps the flying Dawg Cartoonist in the end is a characterization of him ? Great comic regardless; thanx for posting~!
ReplyDeleteLysdexicuss: I love the little Supermouse comic within, too. I really love that hat second story a bunch, too, and hope someone can nail it and put me out of my misery. That hog looks so much like FF to me.
ReplyDeleteHubbard's the greatest.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you finding this stuff? Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCan't help at all with the artist I.D. on story #2. Mayhap a buncha folks worked on it due to a tight deadline?
Al Hubbard, though- Whoo! Another under-appreciated genius. If you could find and post any of the Mary Jane & Sniffles stories he did, it WILL be a Happy New Year!
Erik: Lots of Hubbard love here as well.
ReplyDeleteBill: Hubbard's one of my favorites, particularly his work on Scamp. I don't have any fresh Mary Jane and Sniffles, but I did post a story last Christmas. Take a look at MJ and S in The Restless Reindeer.
Sweet, sweet stuff. I hope all of 2011 tastes this sweet and fun.
ReplyDeleteJeffie: Rest assured, my friend, here at the Big Blog, it surely will.
ReplyDeleteFantastic art from both, but it is a shame the second story is unsigned.
ReplyDeleteThwacko: It's very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteMykal:
ReplyDeleteJust for the record... The Pansy the Chimp story is indeed by Jack Bradbury, whereas the artist on Superstrip is Gil Turner.
Best,
Alberto
Whoops!
ReplyDeleteThe three illustrations for text stories were done by Jim Tyer.
Best again,
Alberto
Alberto: Gil Tuurner!! Thanks for the info, Alberto! And the Tyer, too.
ReplyDeleteI believe John mentioned the three-panels at end was Tyer, too, but I didn't pick up on it first time around. Thanks, John and Alberto.
ReplyDeleteMykal: I've been collecting Frazetta comics almost as long as I have Moe Gollub. I can tell you with 100% surety that Frazetta did not do any work on the stories in COO COO #45, "Butch and Buttercup" or HAPPY #19 that were discussed in your blog. I once asked Frazetta if he ever collaborated with any other artist on his funny animal work and he told me that he never did. Sadly there is a ton of errors in the various checklists, even the latest one, mistitled: FRAZETTA THE DEFINITIVE REFERENCE.
ReplyDeleteAh, wishful thinking. Thanks for the info, Robert.
ReplyDelete