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Friday, January 01, 2016

Number 1835: Happy New Year from the haunted Captain Marvel Jr

As promised, you see above the new Pappy logo done by Jim Engel, a fantastic cartoonist and long one of my favorites. Thanks again go out to Jim for his generosity.

Now for our regular business:

Happy New Year. Wake yourself up this morning with hopes for a better, brighter future or dismay at a prospect of a grim year of more-of-the-same. And for better or worse, more old comics from Pappy!

In the latter case, let us start out the year with Mac Raboy and Captain Marvel Jr. I showed this story, scanned from my copy of Master Comics #40 (1943), years ago, but recently re-scanned it. At the time of its original showing I opined that the look of the story seemed to back up what I read years ago (maybe in Steranko’s History of the Comics?) that Raboy was in the Navy, and drew comics in his spare time on board ship. He had so little room to draw that he drew the pages the same size as they were printed. If true, he did an excellent job in a difficult environment.

I also asked why there was an obvious paste-over on page 9, panel 3: “Dey say dis place is HANUTED!” Was “haunted” just misspelled, or was it intentional? No one ever offered an opinion. All these years later, as I still have no clue,  it hanutes me, .













13 comments:

Daniel [oeconomist.com] said...

So … two cops get gut-shot, and apparently killed — note that Freddie didn't rush them to a hospital — and the perpetrators, uhm, get away.

Maybe the thug originally used a vulgarity, and the paste-over dude was too disturbed or amused to write things correctly.

Daniel [oeconomist.com] said...

(I see that I made essentially the same point about the scales of justice seven years ago.)

Mykal Banta said...

Beautiful work on the logo by Jim on the greatest comic book blog in the world. Have a great New Year, Pappy.

Russ said...

Man, that logo is startling.

Anonymous said...

Not only does this story have a moral about laughter, it sure tells a thing or two about art criticism/appreciation. My art appreciation for Mac Raboy is high. No wanting to throw that out. But those poor surrealists don't get a break here. Thanks, Pappy.

J_D_La_Rue_67 said...

A remarkable artist. I love the fact that the boy does not not turn into one big hunk of a superhero when he becomes Cap Marvel jr. He has powers and is not lame anymore which is, I think, more than enough for him.

So, Mr. Bakunin was right about laughters, at least when Polterguys are involved "one laugh will bury them".

"hanuted" is a mistake, I think. The other crooks are just as ungrammatical, but they use "haunted". Plus, the lettering used for that word is very poor, probably a job done in a haste by a non experienced person.

I really like the new logo, very emblematic, though a little "cartoonish".

Alicia American said...

Hmm thoze lines R awful thin if its inkeded smallerish... He musta useded a pen?

MayB tha GCD is wrong & he didnt ink it?

U can C text pasted in otherer places also like page 2.

In tha next 2 last pannel tha old dude sez he gets payed 2 ride tha ghostesses, I dont get that LOL. Probly that & Hanuted R just typos. I make sure 2 like neverer mix spill a word in all my stuff tho Pappity.

OMG HAPPITY NEW YEARS WE LUV U PAPPITY!
Also HAPPY AVVINURSERY!!!

Debbie American Hooray! said...

Awww this story has a sweet morel yo -- Laffter is tha besterest medisin Hooray! <3

Ur new logo is #Badass by Jim Engel Hooray

OMG Happity New Yeerz Pappy OMG

Luv,
Debbie American
Those American Girls

Pappy said...

Debbie, Alicia, wow. Two American Girls in one comments column. I am honored.

Thanks for your notes. Alicia, those lines that indicated pasteovers should have been taken care of when the negative for the page was processed...someone should have fixed it, but it looks like they got lazy that day.

We had a quiet anniversary. We watched a couple of movies, which is always my idea of a good waste of time.

Debbie, I agree with your moral. I definitely need to lighten up and laugh some more.



Pappy said...

Mykal, Russ, thanks for commenting on the new logo. It is different than what I have been showing for years, but I think with his attractive style Jim captured the fun of old comics. I have been admiring Jim Engel's work since at least the 1970s, so when he offered it I had absolutely no hesitation about accepting it.

Pappy said...

7f7, I noticed that, and the slam at surrealism and modern art is something that cartoonists have done for ages. I love modern art, I love surrealism, but I understand it is a personal taste. And it could be the cartoonist might appreciate the art but is having a bit of fun.

Wheez Von Klaw said...

Love Mac Raboy. What an artist. Interesting to know that Elvis derived alot of his look on him. The hair,the cape, hell even the lightning bolt (TCB)...!! -Wheez Von Klaw

Wheez Von Klaw said...

Just took out the awesome Chip Kidd Captain Marvel book from the UNC library. Mac Raboy's art is always stunning. Love that Captain Marvel Jr. was Elvis's all-time favorite Superhero I.e. modeling his hair,cape,and even lightning bolt necklace (TCB) on him!One wonders if Elvis said "Captain Marvel" before hitting the stage in the early 70s.