Number 344
Walt Kelly's Brownies and the Baby Chick
This is the 10th appearance of Walt Kelly in Pappy's, which shows both that he was prolific--lots to choose from--and good. The public demands Walt Kelly! Pappy gives what the public wants. Sometimes he gives what the public doesn't want, but hey...
Where was I? Oh yeah, Walt Kelly. This story is the first from The Brownies, Dell Four-Color Comic #244, dated April, 1949. Like all of Kelly's funny and whimsical adventures, regardless of the characters involved, the story goes where Kelly sends it. One description I read of Kelly was that he wrote these as he went along. Kelly was a fast artist and the artwork might seem a little rushed, but even rushed Kelly is good, if not downright great. There was never anyone quite like him.
Other stories from this issue of The Brownies are posted in Pappy's #13, and Pappy's #143.
I have to agree with you, Pappy.
ReplyDeleteIf Kelly really did produce most of his work "off of the cuff" as he sat at his drawing board, then they are even more incredible.
Nice bits here!
This stuff begs to be collected someday too. In hardback of course!
ReplyDeleteChuck, the anecdote I read years ago by an assistant to Kelly on the Pogo comic books was that Kelly was drawing a story and (I'm paraphrasing) what I remember from the interview: "I've done eight pages and I don't know how this thing will end." The thing is, they always ended well. They started well...they "middled" well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Karswell. A deluxe edition of Kelly's comic book work would be great, and is long overdue.
Thanks, Pappy!
ReplyDelete