Warren Kremer, the artist of this story and cover, set the house style for the glorious Harvey Comics of the 1950s and 1960s. No artist ever made Harvey's Enchanted Forest appear as lush as did Mr. Kremer. The man could draw anything with a simple, fluid ease as is evident in this Harvey-style, retelling of the story of greedy King Midas. Cover and story are from The Friendly Ghost, Casper No. 24, August 1960.
For you older kids in my age bracket, which ABC station did you watch the Sunday Harvey cartoons on? Me, growing up in a suburb outside Detroit, I watched them on good, old channel 7 - WXYZ!
It's funny that you've posted a Casper comic, as I've just picked up Shout Factory's Complete Casper the Friendly Ghost 1945-63 DVD set today.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't around to see the original TV broadcasts of Casper, but I was lucky enough to have had a local TV station that ran a lot of the oldies (Casper, Woody Woodpecker, Tom and Jerry, Popeye, etc.) when I was growing up in Massachusetts.
I still remember as if I just saw it the Casper story where he enters a copy of The Odyssey and meets Ulysses and his two-man crew. They encounter Aeolius' bag of winds, as I recall. That's stayed with me for some fifty years!
ReplyDeleteDebbie: I've got my eye on that set myself. Like the Harvey Comics, the Harvey cartoons were not so much under-rated but simply overlooked. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteMartin: I'm sure I've said it before on this blog, but I has a Harvey kid for a good number of years. Many of the stories and images from them still stick in my head. I am going to have to search out that story you mention. I remember it, too, but don't own it. If the name of it comes to you, or issue, give me a shout. I'll hunt it down for old times' sake.
Thanks for commenting, guys.
Casper for President. fixes everything.
ReplyDeleteProf.: I'd absolutely be a volunteer for that campaign. As this story attests, Casper had a moral decency few can equal.
ReplyDeleteThe Casper meets Ulysses story was in The Friendly Ghost Casper #9 (May 1959), and appeared on The New Casper Cartoon Show in 1963 as "The Wandering Ghost" (I am watching it on the DVD as I type this...The New Casper Cartoon Show is quickly becoming my favorite part of this DVD set!).
ReplyDeleteDebbie: I'm on it. The hunt begins! Way to go, Debbie!
ReplyDeletePS: I ordered that set earlier today ;)
Debbie and Martin: I just found and purchased The Friendly Ghost, Casper #9 (Casper meets Ulysses)!!! I'll be posting it not long after arrival!
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Debbie! Nice detective work.
I'll shoot both you guys a heads up when I post.
Yes, thanks, Debbie!
ReplyDelete