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Monday, September 03, 2012

Number 1221: Post ghosties

Here are a couple of excellent examples of why Howard Post was one of the best pure cartoonists to work in comic books. These two stories, first from Harvey Comics' Spooky #3 (1956) and the second from Spooky #9 (1957), are full of action, funny characters and move like animated cartoons.

My favorite of the two is “Legend of Creepy Hollow,” and its story of old ghosts being dispossessed of their haunted house. Spooky solves their problem by hauling them to town in a wagon where they scare the townsfolk. What it reminds me of is me and the rest of the aging Woodstock generation, moving into retirement and scaring those who think we're going to take all the government benefits and leave you young folks nothing! So, BOO! Bwaaaaaa-hahaha!

There's more Howie Post (including scans of original art) in Pappy's #1086.











5 comments:

Chuck Wells said...

I doubt that I'll ever stop lamenting the loss of Harvey Comics from the newsstands. Such a shame!

Pappy said...

Chuck, on the one hand the great talents of Harvey Comics are deceased: Howie Post, Warren Kremer, etc. On the other hand there is a huge inventory of stories, and because of the consistency and quality, they could easily be reprinted in new editions and aimed at young readers.

I imagine the reason they aren't is that the market and the young readers have changed too much from that time when Harvey Comics were perennial favorites on the comic book racks.

But you can pick up Harvey Comics when you find them, and maybe someday you can read them to your grandkids!

Gene Phillips said...

One of my favorite SPOOKY stories involved the tuff little ghost going south of the border and encountering a Mexican bandit who could really throw the bull-- because he was a bull; a winged bull. (He pronounced it "boll.") When Spooky attacked him, the bull-guy would fly out of the way and Spooky would crash into the wall. Why he didn't just pass through, I've no idea.

Pappy said...

Gene, those Harvey ghosts could do anything, even be solid! It was all in what made a funnier gag.


Mykal Banta said...

Good old Howie Post. Never fails to brighten things.