Number 2432: Happy Christmas from Albert and Pogo and Pappy

Are you having a nice holiday? Mrs Pappy and I are enjoying our Christmas, and that is our wish for you: enjoy!

Albert and Pogo give some Christmas cheer today from Santa Claus Funnies #254, from 1949. At that time in the late ’40s Pogo and his Okefenokee pals had gotten a newspaper strip. The characters’ familiar appearances had finally been achieved by creator Walt Kelly, after a long period of development.

Just a reminder that there are only two more of Pappy’s postings before I slip off into retirement. I don’t mean to scuttle your otherwise pleasant holiday (depending on how you feel about this blog, that is), because I have a sense of nostalgia, both from Christmases past in my own life, and in the years since this blog has been appearing. I had a chance to show what I have loved all my life...comics!

Having said that, hoist your tankard of wassail; I shall raise my drink and across the miles we will all toast a “Merry Christmas!” together.

Number 1989: It’s beginnin’ to look a lot like a Albert and Pogo Christmas

Dog bone it, Christmas is done snuck up on me this year! It comes from havin’ young'uns livin’ near 2000 miles away. Now those young‘uns is drivin’ they daddy crazy like when he was a young’un at Christmas time and he drove Pappy crazy!

Albert and Pogo celebrates Christmas in the swamp...excep’ when ol’ Albert thinks he has et Ms Rackety Coon’s chile. Tsk tsk. Thet Albert...swallerin’ the cake whole...just like a gator do.

From Santa Claus Funnies, Four Color #254 (1949), by Mr Walt Kelly. And a HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO Y’ALL FROM PAPPY!

Number 1496: Merry Christmas from Pappy and Walt Kelly

I’m wishing all you Pappy readers a jolly holiday. Have a wonderful day with Walt Kelly, from Dell Four Color #175, Santa Claus Funnies (1947).

Enjoy!

Number 441


The Christmasochist Tree


MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY! I hope you're having a great day with family and friends.

To animation and comic book fans anthropomorphism is a given; we expect to see animals and objects made human. What we don't expect is when the anthropomorphism goes against human nature. For instance, in this story from Santa Claus Funnies #1 from 1942, drawn by Walt Kelly and adapted from Hans Christian Andersen, the tree doesn't mind being chopped down in its prime; doesn't mind being turned into firewood after being used as a decoration. That's sick, people.

Maybe it's just me. I'm presuming how I'd feel under the circumstances. Who am I to tell Hans Christian Andersen how to tell a story?

For another Christmas story by Kelly, including anthropomorphic critters, go to Pappy's #72.

Number 436


Santa's new suits


I did a double take when I saw this story in Santa Claus Funnies, Dell Four-Color #205 from 1948. It's signed by "Jupo," who is Frank Jupo, a children's book author. The stylized artwork takes a little getting used to, but it has its own kind of charm. Rectangular eyeballs notwithstanding, Jupo had a fun drawing style which depended on simplicity. He emulated Walt Kelly with hand-drawn panel borders.

And speaking of Kelly, the story reminds me of a story we presented on Christmas Eve, 2007, in Pappy's #238, "How Santa Got His Red Suit."

I don't know whether Jupo did his own lettering, but like the artwork, it gives the strip a different look. Whenever I see caps and lowercase lettering in comic books I ask myself, "Self, how did the trend for all-caps comic lettering become the norm?" I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN I SEE IT TYPED. But like the rest of us, I'm used to seeing it in comics. I imagine it began with early newspaper comic strips, because the lowercase letters might have dropped out from the more primitive printing. I'm reasonably sure that's why the bang (exclamation point!) was (over)used!

One more week and it's the big day. Hope you've got all your Christmas shopping done. Here at Pappy Central there is some work needed to do to get the shopping done, that's for sure.

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Many thanks to artist Squa Tront, who sent this great Christmas card. I want to share it with Pappy's readers.

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Finally, probably only John Stanley could have gotten away with a Santa story in the middle of summer, but here's a two-pager with Nancy, from Nancy and Sluggo Summer Camp, Dell Giant #34.