Number 2499: My torch still burns for Torchy

Modern Comics #102 (1950) was the last issue of the comic that began as Military Comics. One of its features, Torchy, had been created by artist Bill Ward during World War II. After the war she became a character in Modern Comics, which cover featured Blackhawk. Later Ward got busy doing Quality Comics’ love comics, and Torchy was turned over to Gill Fox, who, like Ward, could draw a pretty girl.

The blue-nosed censors wanted to get rid of all comic books featuring such “unsavory fare.” Torchy had her own comic book for six issues, but Quality Comics dropped that, and after the last issue of  Modern Torchy was then featured in Doll Man, the place where she started her career. Gradually other artists took over and that is when my torch for Torchy gets extinguished. The story here is, as usual, silly, but I am sure the drawings were why most readers looked at it. Did anyone read it? I did, which is why I know it’s silly, but who cares, now or in 1950? Torchy’s sex appeal affected without apology. 

The Grand Comics Database credits Gill Fox for both the story and art.

 

Number 1362: Funky Funnies: Torrid Torchy!

This is the second day of our Funky Funnies theme week. Today we light our internal fires with Torchy.

Torchy, who may be the sexiest female character to come out of the golden age of comics, began her career as a filler in Quality Comics’ Doll Man, then earned her own book in 1949. Gill Fox, a master cartoonist who could work in a variety of styles, did a terrific job interpreting Bill Ward’s original vision of the statuesque blonde, and today I’m showing you the first story from Torchy #1 (1949), drawn by Fox.

Putting aside the obvious sexism represented by Torchy (who was drawn to attract young male readers, including servicemen), who do you think drew a sexier Torchy, Bill Ward,  or was Fox’s Torchy “foxier”? (One female reader told me Ward’s Torchy “looked like a hooker.” That’s one opinion.) I have a love comic story by Ward coming up soon where we see again Ward's very sexy, slinky women. Should you need evidence, if you’ve never seen Ward’s work, if you have seen it and need reminding, or if you just want to ogle Ward’s beauties, click on the picture below for Pussycat.

From the Hairy Green Eyeball blog, Pussycat #1 in its entirety!

Number 767


Foxy Torchy


Torchy was a creature of the golden age of pin-up art. When Bill Ward left the strip Gill Fox took over. These are examples of Fox's Torchy work, from Torchy #3, 1950, published by Quality Comics.

Ger Apeldoorn has posted several examples of Gill Fox's fine work, and how he was able to adapt his style, whether it was a newspaper comic strip or advertising art.

I don't know if Torchy had any influence, subliminal or otherwise, on Harvey Kurtzman when Little Annie Fanny was created for Playboy (after all, Annie was originally a Candide-like character named Goodman Beaver). Like Annie, Torchy is an innocent beauty unaware of the effect she's having on the men around her.

Number 435


Comic book cuties


Before finding the Lighter Side of Mad, the late Dave Berg drew comic books. He's been featured in Pappy's a couple of times for his comic book work. Go to the labels below this posting and click on his name for more. He drew Merton in four issues of that title from Toby Press in the early 1950s. He drew some really cute girls in his stories, like Merton's gf Marcia in this 4-pager.

Note to guys: Always compliment a woman when she does something different to her hair. Even if you hate it, say you love it. I learned that from over three decades of working with hundreds of different women.

All three of the stories in this post are from the same issue, Meet Merton #3.

Gill Fox drew many a hottie himself, from Torchy to Jeanie to...Melody. Ger Apeldoorn in his excellent Fabuleous Fifties blog, has many examples of Fox's fine work.

Finally, Peggy Dean is by an artist I don't know, but who obviously had more than enough experience in drawing female anatomy to get the eye of even the most casual reader.