Let's finish up with the remaining stories from Fracture Fairy Tales No. 1, October 1962. As with last post, all story art for these three stories is Mel Crawford working in the style of Al Kilgore (who usually handled the art for Dell and Gold Key Bullwinkle titles). Judging by the response to last post folks remember this cartoon, which was a feature on the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show in the late 1950s and early 1960s, as fondly as I do.
PS: Make sure you stick around after the stories for the cartoon original of the first story, "Cinderella!"
And now, kids! As promised, a Fractured Fairytales cartoon. One of my favorites: "Cinderella!"
Got to love the Boris and Natasha cameo.
ReplyDeleteYowp: I take it as an indication of an artist (Crawford) having a good time. I also love that Bullwinkle is one of Prince Fasninato's creditors in the Cinderella story.
ReplyDeleteShame Gold Key didn't make this a series.
ReplyDeleteThe "Cinderella" FFT looks a lot slicker than usual. I'm guessing this was one of the cartoons that was completed by Ward's studio instead of Gamma Productions.
Top Cat: Thanks for stopping by. I'll let someone else more knowledgeable about cartoons to comment on the cartoon's origin. Anyone?
ReplyDeleteDespite my years devoted to the study of Western Publishing, one thing I’d like to know more about is the schism between the West and East Coast editorial offices. The more classic artists like Carl Barks and Harvey Eisenberg worked out of the West, while more “cartoony” artists worked out of the East.
ReplyDeleteNot that we know all that much about the likes of Tony Strobl and Paul Murry even today – but it’s still almost a universe more than we know about Mel Crawford and Al Kilgore.
One thing’s for sure, the art sure LOOKS like Jay Ward cartoons! In that, it could not be more perfect!
Every time I can glean another morsel of the history of this great publishing house, I am grateful. Thank you, Mykal!
My pleasure, Joe. Nice breakdown of East Coast, West Coast.
ReplyDeleteMan, I love these. Thanks a bunch for sharing. I love the unusual borderless panels among other things. I don't know why but that really gets me going. What that means, I don't know.
ReplyDeleteKW: Me too!
ReplyDeleteIt's my understanding that this Fractured Fairy Tale animated cartoon, along with virtually all of the others, was written by George Atkins, one of the funniest men on the planet.
ReplyDelete"My, you heiresses certainly depreciate fast."
ReplyDeleteThe writing was so tremendous throughout FFT. Even the basic set up in Cinderella, wherein the two sisters are the hard working ones and Cinderella is a spoiled layabout, is so clever.
Tom, thanks for the info - I have your fine "Cartoonatics" now in my cartoon blogs sidebar feature. Nice blog!
Really, and for true, how is it that we don't have comic books like this anymore? When did "Funny" comics stop being a profitable enterprise for publishers? I love Superhero comics as much as the next geek, but there are so many other genres comics could explore.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame. At least I grew up when I did, and could experience some really wonderful years of "funny" comic book stuff!
Bill: I don't know what happened, exactly, but I suspect the answer might be video games. I think they have taken over the market niche for kids that comics once had? It's hard to understand, at any rate. It's painful to watch "Walt Disney Comics and Stories" for instance go through so many publishers, all of which can't make a go of it.
ReplyDeleteWe still have some pretty good stuff, though, with the Simpsons and Futurama comics.
Still, in all honesty, you are absolutely correct: Nothing like this stuff.
The humor of these is just my speed! I can only guess that one of my childhood favorites, "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" was inspired by these FFT!
ReplyDeleteJacque: You bet. Top notch stuff. Reading this comic and watching that Cinderella cartoon again, it's easy to see why my parents use to watch this with me, digging the writing.
ReplyDeleteI think video games, TV, and DVD (or Blu Ray) have replaced comics as the main media for childrens' entertainment. The main market for comic books is the super-hero fans who want grimdark.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteAnd isn't that a shame. At least we have our memories...
ReplyDeleteWhat of future generations, though? Will they one day be online reading "Mykal Jr's Big Blog of Video Game Downloads"?!
Bill: LOL! Could be! My boy (graduating college this summer) does love video games - but he also loves this blog, so you never know!
ReplyDeleteOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo thanky thanky, Mykal. THIS my friend is a treat and a half!
ReplyDeleteAs usual, we're on the same page, Jeffie!
ReplyDeleteThese are too funny! Love the wacky characters, and the prince's quote in the video, "Your teeth are like pearls; your pearls, like teeth." LOL! :D
ReplyDeleteMykal-GREAT POST as usual! Here is an "observation"(nothing more/nothing less)--I have a lot of photocopies of the R&B daily comic strips from 1962-1964 all attributed to Al Kilgore on the strips themselves.I also have nearly all the R&B comic books(didn't collect the last issues by Whitman/Goldkey which were so often reprints).In looking through all these comics only one issue has the unmistakable style of the comic strip artwork--Rocky and His Fiendish Friends #1,Oct. 1962.This issue has a 4-part story where Bullwinkle inherits an estate in Pottsylvania.The poses,structure and style of the characters in this story are exactly like the strips and very much unlike the R&B stories in the other comics.The only conclusion I can draw is that A.K.drew the stories in this comic,but I can't find any other artwork in the comics that even comes close to his "style".
ReplyDeleteAnyways--keep up the good work,I really enjoy you postings. DJA
Thanks for the comments, DJA!
ReplyDelete