Thursday, December 21, 2023

Reading Room: Kool Walt Scott Christmas Treats!

For our final Walt Scott-themed post this year...
...here's a few Yuletide one-page features starring his Little People characters...that Scott himself neither wrote nor drew!
The first two pages were from the front and back inside covers of Dell's Four Color Comics: Walt Scott's the Little People #868 (1957), which were printed (as was the case with many comics) in black and white.
The last one was the comic's back cover, in full color, of course!
Unlike the two Walt Scott's Christmas Stories issues which Scott himself adapted from the newspaper comic strip into comic book format, the ten Little People issues were written and illustrated by Dell Comics' creatives, in this case, by artist Dan Gormley.
But we're not letting you go Scott-free (as it were)!
Here are the new painted covers Scott did for the two Four Color Comics Christmas Stories issues...
#959 (1958)
#1062 (1959-60)
Plus, the cover for the three-color promo brochure for NEA's 1957 Christmas strip...
...which was only seen by the art directors of NEA's client newspapers!
(We presented thst strip HERE!)

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder AGAR-AGAR "Over the Rainbow"

...and to paraphrase what they say about Las Vegas; what happens in the Temple of Love stays in the Temple of Love!
Don't you just love a happy...if somewhat confusing...ending?
Trivia: I recently learned "Laurence James" has been credited in the Grand Comics Database with the English translations of all the Dracula magazine material (including the Agar-Agar strip) which had been originally-published for the Spanish market!
I haven't been able to find any other credits under this name, so I'm uncertain if "Laurence James" was a real name or a pseudonym.
Anybody out there know the answer?

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Holiday Reading Room WALT SCOTT"S CHRISTMAS STORIES "Animals' Christmas"

Here's another Yuletide tale unseen by anyone...
...since its' appearance in Dell's Four Color Comics: Walt Scott's Christmas Stories #969 (1958).
This story originally-appeared in newspapers as NEA's 1956 Christmas strip running between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Scott himself did the modifications to adapt the art to comic book formatting.

Monday, December 18, 2023

Monday Madness ESQUIRE "Return of A Christmas Carol"

The tale of Scrooge's Yuletide redemption has been told and re-told ad nauseum since 1843...
...but never quite like this updated version from Esquire Magazine (December, 1961).
Adapted/laid-out by Harvey Kurtzman and illustrated by David Levine, this re-telling is loaded with Mad Men-era pop culture and political references you'll have to Google to understand if you didn't live through the era!
Consider it our Monday Madness Xmas gift!

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Design of the Week...REDUX! SANTA'S WORKSHOP IS A SWEATSHOP???

Normally, each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another!

In this case, the response has been so overwhelming, we're going to keep the design up until Christmas!
(BTW, you'll note that the cover is dated January, 1939.
But it was actually on sale in November, 1938! 
Publishers used to cover-date comics and pulps two to three months ahead of the actual on-sale date to keep the books on the stands for as long as possible!)
Pick up this kool design on mugs, greeting cards, and other Yuletide collectibles NOW!
Christmas will be here before you know it!