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Sunday, April 27, 2014

ARCHIE COMICS - FALL 1948
The State of the Publishing Line
PART TWO
WILBUR

The Archie line of comics was only 5 titles at the time, but it was getting ready to expand greatly. Obviously, Archie was the big draw, but another character who they greatly modeled after the Archie look was Wilbur Wilkin. (What'd he steal that outfit out of Archie's closet?)

(from Wilbur #12 - April 1947 - Al Fagaly art)

With Al Fagaly covers and Bill Vigoda interior art, you might open a copy of Wilbur and think maybe Mr. Andrews had shaved off his moustache!

(from Wilbur #12 - April 1947 - Bill Vigoda art) 


And sometimes it was out right uncanny in the similarity!

(from Wilbur #12 - April 1947 - and Archie Comics #33 Jul/Aug 1948 - both Bill Vigoda art) 


It wasn't always that way though. Wilbur had actually first appeared in Zip Comics #18 (September 1941), 3 months BEFORE Archie's first appearance win Pep #22.
No offense Wilbur, but I'll bet people picked up this issue just for that cover!

(from Zip Comics #18 - Sept 1941 - Irv Novick art)

Wilbur started out more like the comics of the day... just a regular guy you can relate to!

 (from Zip Comics #18 - Sept 1941 - Lin Streeter art)


Wilbur also appeared as an additional feature in other comics (Pep Comics being one of them), so a number of artists had their take on him. Here Al Fagaly gives him a little more attitude!

(from Wilbur #12 - April 1947 - Al Fagaly art)

Eventually he got his own book, which lasted 87 issues through 1959, before Archie Comics discontinued it. It did manage 3 more issues from 1963-1965, before officially ending with #90.

(from Wilbur #1 - Summer 1944 - Bill Vigoda art) 

The stories of course, were funny in the MLJ way of doing things, with that slight hint of sexuality...

(from Wilbur #21 - Oct 1948 - not sure of the artist...) 


And it never hurt to have Bill Woggon's Katy Keene back up stories!

(from Wilbur #12 - April 1947 - Bill Woggon art)

When Archie Comics began the process of giving their comics a uniform look, Joe Edwards took over the book and appropriated the house style. To those who didn't know any better, it became even more difficult to tell the books apart!
Of course, I love this look, so I'm always happy to pick these up!

(from Wilbur #54 - April 1954 - Joe Edwards art)

BONUS ART!
Here's a one page Jughead back up story from that issue!

(from Wilbur #54 - April 1954 - artist unknown, but I think it's Samm Schwartz)



As the book started to lag toward the end, they put the successful team of writer Frank Doyle and artist Dan DeCarlo on it, in a last ditch effort to keep it going. It lasted another year....

(from Wilbur #80 - Septemeber 1958 - Dan DeCarlo art)


Though it started with a lot of suggestive promise!

(from Wilbur #80 - Septemeber 1958 - Dan DeCarlo art)

And of course Doyle and DeCarlo were always entertaining in their work... but to no avail!

(from Wilbur #80 - Septemeber 1958 - Dan DeCarlo art)

In January of 1969, Archie Comics (again with the Doyle/DeCarlo team) introduced 'Bingo' Wilkin with That Wilkin Boy #1, a sporadically printed series that lasted 52 issues into 1982.
It had no other connection to Wilbur other than the last name and even the appearance of the two characters is different.
Check out the Archie gang in line to see the concert on the cover!



NEXT: Suzie!













Monday, April 21, 2014

ARCHIE COMICS - FALL 1948
The State of the Publishing Line
PART ONE
SUPER DUCK

In 1943, Super Duck was created by Al Fagaly (who did a run of Archie and Pep covers - Al Fagaly Cover Post!) for MLJ Publishing (Archie Comics). 

(from Jolly Jingles #10 - Summer 1943- Al Fagaly)



First appearing in Jolly Jingles #10 (Summer 1943), the character was originally a sort of parody of super heroes (notably Superman), but quickly evolved into a Donald Duck/Scrooge McDuck character. 

(from Jolly Jingles #10 - Summer 1943- Al Fagaly)


Things were...uh... different back then...

(from Jolly Jingles #10 - Summer 1943- Artist Unknown)


It was popular enough that Super Duck the Cockeyed Wonder #1 (September 1944) began his adventures in his own comic that ran for 94 issues through the end of 1960! I have to say... THAT is a great cover!

(from Super Duck #1 - Sept 1944- Al Fagaly)


Most likely influenced by the early talking animal cartoons (Disney's Donald Duck, but more likely the screwball comedy of Warner Brothers Daffy Duck) the subject matter also got a little heavy for the time!

(from Super Duck #3 - May 1945- Al Fagaly)


Some of the companion stories weren't afraid to shoot from the hip either!

(from Super Duck #25 - April 1949- Artist Unknown)



Super Duck had a temper!

(from Super Duck #24 - Feb 1949- Al Fagaly)


If you get a chance to check it out, it's some fun reading!

(from Super Duck #24 - Feb 1949- Al Fagaly)


One of my favorite supporting characters was Hamburger. I think it was those teeth...

(from Super Duck #24 - Feb 1949- Al Fagaly)


And Super Duck's girlfriend Uwanna....

(from Super Duck #24 - Feb 1949- Al Fagaly)


Al Fagaly introduced some... different... characters....

(from Super Duck #24 - Feb 1949- Al Fagaly)


And Super Duck was always willing to meet them....

(from Super Duck #25 - Apr 1949- Al Fagaly)


Sometimes, even when he wasn't meaning to...

(from Super Duck #27 - Aug 1949- Al Fagaly)


And here's a nice little cover gallery!
















Wednesday, April 16, 2014

ARCHIE COMICS #33
Jul-Aug 1948

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Al Fagaly cover art)

The first story 'Signer's Trouble' is believed to be Ray Gill's byline in an Archie story.

In it, Veronica's 'Uncle Bumble' (1st appearance in Archie #29) or 'Mr. Bumble' as he's listed at GCD, returns to give Archie another target for his special brand of misadventure.

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 with art by?)


Gill seemed to understand what was needed!

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 with art by?)



Archie with a camera is always dangerous!

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Bill Vigoda art)


But he's alwas got someone to pose for him...

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Bill Vigoda art)


...Archie knows how to give direction!

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Bill Vigoda art)


...And the rewards are always great!


(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Bill Vigoda art)


Bill Vigoda forever has a place in my Archie memory, if for nothing else but these six panels....


(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Bill Vigoda art)



Though the rest of the story has it's moments as well!


(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Bill Vigoda art)



We wouldn't see it all that much in Archie Comics, but here Novick uses Woggon's 'Katy Keene' gimmick to get girl fans involved in submitting outfits for the characters.

(from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Irv Novick art)


It's probably been awhile since anyone referred to Betty and Veronica as 'Dumb Dames' in the pages of an Archie Comic....

 (from Archie Comics #33, Jul-Aug 1948 Irv Novick art)

Thursday, April 10, 2014

ARCHIE COMICS #32
May/June 1948 

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Al Fagaly)

Bill Vigoda was hitting his stride and really playing up the gags, in Archie Comics. Even though we don't know who the writers were for these stories, Vigoda's brand of slapstick always kept things lively...

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Bill Vigoda)


And of course, with Veronica and Betty around to spice things up (and occasionally spice Archie up), it was a one two punch that no one could seem to compete with.

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Bill Vigoda)


Archie of course, always had situations where he'd have to dress up in female clothes, and someone was usually there to give him the business about it...

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Bill Vigoda)


And sometimes he'd even get an earful from Betty and Veronica!

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Bill Vigoda)


Sometimes the ads were a bit bizarre....

 (from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948)


And sometimes... the stories themselves had some weird moments....

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Bill Vigoda)

According to ACRHIE ARCHIVES #10 published by Dark Horse Comics, the following two panels are from the FIRST Archie story done by Harry Lucey:

But once again, Betty and Veronica were there to show Archie the way!


(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Harry Lucey)


Uh... yeah.

(from Archie Comics #32 May/June 1948 - art by Harry Lucey)




 Read all of these stories and more in: