Dan Gordon & Ken Hultgren - Giggle Comics

Very few cartoonists from any era had better brushwork than Dan Gordon. This first story is from Giggle Comics No. 71, May-June 1950. Gordon animated everything from Popeye for the Fleischer Studios to Huckleberry Hound for Hanna-Barbera. Most of his comic book work was for ACG (American Comics Group), where his funny animals (and funny humans) bounce around in a three-dimensional, rubbery world.

Next comes a Duke and the Dope story from ever-reliable Ken Hultgren - although it looks like someone else had a hand in this one. That giant gorilla is drawn a bit more loose and dynamic than is typical for the artist. Ken Hultgren was one of the Disney artists that animated the monster in the great sci-fi film, Forbidden Planet! Isn't that cool?

Finally, one of my favorite unsung cartoonists: Ray Thompson - who drew the stories of the Fleer Dubble Bubble Kids for the namesake bubble gum.

Giggle Comics No. 71, May-June 1950

Let's begin a tour of Giggle Comics No. 71, May-June 1950. First (after the cool Dan Gordon cover) the terrific work of Bob Wickersham who, I have recently learned from pal John K, signed his comic book work "Wick" or "Bob Wick." Wickersham was a ex-animator who worked for Disney, Warners, and Fliescher studios through the 1930s and 1940s. In Monty, the Miracle Mouse - a brilliant story of a funny animal arms race set in Brooklyn - one can really see wonderful evidence of Wickersham's animation background.

Another pen name! Don R. Christensen often signed his comic book work, "Don Arr." Yep, another ex-animator. Among other work, Christensen was a storyboard artist for Bob Clampett's unit at Warners. I've yet to see a comic book story by Don Arr that didn't sport a gorgeous splash panel (and gorgeous work throughout as well).

And let's polish things off with a couple of ads from the same issue!

GIGGLE COMICS No 36, December 1946

American Comics Group (ACG) published both Giggle Comics and Ha Ha Comics. Both titles were published monthly between 1943 and 1955. With this whopping one-two punch, a catalogue of classic material was produced which continues to shine brightly. These stories (and great Dan Gordon cover) from a 1946 issue are typical of the monthly brilliance.

Superkatt is Dan Gordon’s best remembered creation and why in the world wouldn’t he be? He is a standard housecat that wears diapers, an oversized bowtie, and a blue baby bonnet as a kind of uniform – and, despite his name and profound delusions of grandeur, is completely without superpowers.

If you love kids’ comics, you love Dan Gordon. It’s really as simple as that. His characters practically jump off the page with dimension and texture. I particularly love Superkatt’s dog pal, Humphrey, and house maid, Petunia (despite her unfortunate dialogue). Also amazing are Gordon’s layouts and lettering.

I believe this next Duke and the Dope story to be the work of Ken Hultgren, primarily a Disney animator that did a ton of comic book work for ACG.

This Potsy the Parrot quickie is the always lively, engaging work of Don Arr (Don R. Christensen).

Gil Turner did this single Sweet William page. I know Turner best for his Disney character work for Dell (L’il Bad Wolf and Bucky Bug). His style here seems a bit looser that his Disney/Dell work – a little more free and fun. I like!

More Gordon before I let you go. This magnificent inside back cover, advertising the ACG comic, Cookie; displays the artists astounding composition and brushwork to the fullest.