By the time I got into my comic book slobsession back in them pre-pubesprout days these kinda premiums had gone the way of feminine hygiene in San Francisco. Which is too bad for me as the latter is for the noses that inhabit that infamous Sodom on the sea. At least I, a good seventy years later, get to re-live the same sorta throb thrills that I'm sure many a ranch house kiddie got readin' these mini comic books way back when, and all in color for one box top and fifteen cents. Yeah I know, my own mother woulda said somethin' along the lines of fifteen cents is too much for such frivolities and best I save it on grade stool supplies. Sheee-yucks! (I know, you thought I was gonna say "it"!)
For the most part, these reduced-sized comics were mightily entertaining with something that shoulda satisfied most of the comic book fans of the day --- if they weren't into horror, war, sci-fi or just plain ol' dirty comics that is. The Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae books reprint comic stories taken from the Sunday pages and are boff enough Al Capp for those of you who dug the dickens outta him even though he offended your hippie precious petunia feelings way back when. However if I were you I'd avoid any of the Schmoo comics (one of which is part of this series) which totally lack the artwork or genius that was Capp, at least until his peccadillos eventually caught up to him and his entire career did a sad 'n slow fizzle into nada.
The John Wayne comic was surprisingly good, a western with about as keen a surprise ending as one woulda gotten outta any Lone Ranger or Roy Rogers episode of the day. Didn't feel so hot about the Mighty Mouse one tho, that being a kiddoid floppy ear rabbit saga that few above the age of embryo really could appreciate. Besides, I never did care for the animated cartoons what with those oversexed female mice all dolled up in forties fashions (I never did like forties fashions and the patriotic puerile jingoism of that era and, in retrospect, sure wish that Japan had won...Germany I'm not so sure of because hey, Hitler loved animals and asparagus).
The Archie book had two stories in 'em all done up in the Bob Montana-inspired house style which was cool and unfortunately was replaced by the Dan DeCarlo one which just doesn't hit the g-spot with me. First one's got Archie getting stuck with a blind date who he thinks will be a turdburger only she's a beaut, the second's the one where Mom's sick so Archie and Pop do all her chores with results similar to alla those other housewreckin' sagas. Betcha never hearda dem plots before, pud!
ReplyDeleteI dont know about 40s fashions per se but thats when women had that line going up the back of their nylons...or painted a line up the back of their bare gams when nylons were scarce during the war. Va va voom!
Eh, go voom yerself! I hate those puffy hairdos and caked on makeup looks. Women have been doing their best to make themselves look hideous these past eightysome years. The worst thing about it is that most of them don't have to do a thing.
ReplyDeleteI can empathize with your recent travails with the USPS, Chris. I, too, had ordered a couple volumes from Gwandanaland, and when they arrived the other day, the package was wadded up in my P.O. box instead of placed flat in one of the parcel lock-ups. Both books are warped and have a big crack in the spine, but thus far they have ducked and dodged any responsibility or an offer to reimburse me the $66.00 I spent on them. Assholes.
ReplyDeleteOne of the volumes might be of interest to you--"The Complete Peterkin Pottle", created by John Stanley (also "O.G. Whiz", which you reviewed a while back). It concerns an overweight, narcoleptic sissy who is continuously bullied and humiliated (even by his old biddy schoolteacher!)in front of a girl he secretly pines for. His only escape from his miserable existence is his daydream fantasies, which take up the bulk of the stories. At each stories' conclusion, Pottle's life is exactly the same as before, and his tormentors never receive any comeuppance, you know, just like...REAL LIFE. Hard to believe this was a backup feature for "Raggedy Ann and Andy" (!) I almost hesitate to mention this series to you, as it might trigger some unpleasant childhood memories (Well, why can't I troll once in a while?)
Eightysome years? I think you may be going back a bit further when a glimpse of ankle got great grammpas derby spinning. Not my idea of female pulchritude. At least we agree on tattoos.
ReplyDeleteEl retard-o. :)
ReplyDeleteToo bad I can't sue over Peterkin Pottle...sounds too close to home!
ReplyDeleteBrad---I think twenties/thirties women had it all beat style-wise over those of the forties...hair, skirts etc. Plus there seems to have been a dearth of plumpies then than there are now which is great.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
ReplyDelete