Movietown's Animal Antics No. 40, 1952

Today we have three stories from one of DC's undervalued funny animal comics, Movietown's Animal Antics. These stories come from No. 40, September-October 1952. The Raccoon Kids (first and third story) is the work of Otto Feuer, who is unfairly nearly forgotten today (make that terribly unfairly). The middle story featuring Doodles Duck is by Sheldon Mayer, who is better remembered today than his fellow DC funny animal artists.

The last two pages of this post are a couple of nifty ads from the same issue. I love that in-house promotional ad with the man of steel helping to sell DC's funny animal line!

For those that prefer a download of these stories, click HERE!

COMIC CAVALCADE No. 55, Feb. - March 1953

Throughout the 1930s and 40s, Comic Cavalcade was a super hero comic, featuring Golden Age stories about the Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and the Flash. By the late 1940s, however, the market for super heroes had crashed and burned (if you can believe it) and the anthology title became strictly a funny animals comic. This cover is by Jim Davis, artist for headliners, Fox and the Crow. Download THIS POST!

There is something of the train wreck in Jim Davis' often violent, often cruel Fox and the Crow stories. It's not right, I know, but I just can't turn away. The poor fox gets thumped and swindled every darn time. Well, at least Davis' art is easy on the eyes.

Sheldon Mayer was DC's big gun during this era, reigning supreme in the world of kids' comics. His stories always had such a ton of energy, all of it good. Mayer is certainly a hall-of-famer, being inducted into both the Jack Kirby and Will Eisner Halls of Fame (1996 and 2000 respectively). Both these next stories are pure Mayer: fun, alive, and warm.

What a gorgeous Daisy ad from the same issue. This is the model Ralphie wanted in Jean Shepard's A Christmas Story. Just don't shoot your eye out, kid.

FUNNY STUFF No. 72, May-June 1953

DC comics’ funny animal comics (Comic Cavalcade, Animal Antics, Funny Stuff and Funny Folks) are not very well remembered today but during the 1940s and early 1950s, Funny Stuff was a force to be reckoned with. It ran for 10 years and 79 issues.

Today, we will look at the work of two DC funny animal stars, Otto Feuer and Sheldon Mayer.

“Greetings, Fenimore!” is by Otto Feuer, who, along with Rube Grossman, was a major workhorse for DC kids' comics. After years of comic work, Feuer opened up his own animation studio, doing work for Filmation during the 1970s.

Sheldon Mayer drew and wrote comics for DC from the 1930s until the 1970s, when failing eyesight forced his retirement from the drawing table. Laying down his pencil and brush, Mayer still wrote scripts for (among other titles) Weird War Tales and Rudolph. He also created the Black Orchid! “Company Fix Bayonets!” is a very good example of Mayer’s talent for pure funny.

Finally, let's enjoy this ad from the same issue. Why? Because it’s just so plain pretty.