AJD

Wally Wood on Frontline #15, the last of this great title.

Here's the Australian reprint of Uncle $crooge 21: and the indicia W.G. is Walter Granger, referenced earlier. The building at 149 Castlereagh St Sydney is still there, but the publishing of Australian Disney comics is long gone. Incidentally, the comment that early issues of MMM were exported to Australia is interesting. I've been poking through archives on and off the last few months and now know that American Comics were coming to Australia until the late 1930s until their importation was effectively banned (strictly speaking, the importers weren't allowed to purchase US dollars to buy them) as a protectionist move to support the local printing industry. Then WWII intervened and the regular publishing of new titles was banned, resulting in a slew of odd one shots and odd formats. I really must write the full story up and post it in the Australian GA thread. I still don't have a definitive date for the stopping of US imports - I'd love to know if it was before or after Action 1 and Tec 27.

Don't think we've had a Walt Kelly MM yet. I love the very purposeful Donald in this one.

The Granger would be Wal Granger. His son published Disney Comics in Australia under an exclusive licence because the father had a special relationship with Walt Disney. Here's the latter's obituary from the Sydney Morning Herald (19 Feb 2009): In 1942 Wal Granger had been employed by his father, Walter Granger, for barely 12 months when he felt he was needed in the Australian Imperial Force and enlisted. He transferred to the RAAF and trained as a sergeant observer. After further training in England he was commissioned as a navigator and flew a tour of 36 operations in 101 Squadron, probably the most secret RAF squadron in World War II. His operations were code-named ABC, Cigar or C'est Guerre, and carried secret equipment for jamming German Luftwaffe controller transmissions. German-speaking special operators went along and dis-information was broadcast from specially equipped Lancasters, to which were attached two very large vertical antennae. The operations were dangerous as the planes flew in the main bomber stream at all times and 101 Squadron had the highest casualty loss of any squadron. After his tour, Walter Granger was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and returned to train future navigators. Walter Arthur Granger, who has died in Sydney aged 84, was born in Casino, the first of four children to Walter Rogan Granger - a mail order toy retailer and associate of John Sands, the publishers and printers - and his wife, Lorna Madeline. The Granger family moved to Sydney during the Depression years and Walter did well at Cranbrook, receiving a distinction in Business Principles. While on a business trip to California, Walter senior had become acquainted with Walt and Roy Disney in 1937 in Burbank, near Hollywood, after successfully introducing the concept of "Mother's Day" in Australia. Disney was badly cash-strapped after the launch of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. Walter senior convinced him to embark on an advertising campaign, which ensured the success of the venture. Disney never forgot and soon appointed him Australian representative for Disney Enterprises, later to become a magical world of television, toys, films and theme parks. Flying Officer Wal Granger DFC returned safely from England in March 1946, but his father died suddenly in 1947. His standing had been so high as Disney's representative that Disney was encouraged to give the 23-year-old Wal a chance to take over the Australian business. He thus became the breadwinner for his mother and three younger siblings. In April 1957 Wal married Joy Quinn, who became active in charities and a vice-president of the Black and White Committee. Wal acquired a passion for farming, fishing and bowls and was a most convivial host. The Grangers built a house on the side of a cliff in Point Piper. They only only recently completed refurbishing Babworth House in Darling Point. During Wal Granger's watch the Disney world flourished in Australia and grew beyond just Mickey Mouse, Snow White or the Big Bad Wolf. He loved good fellowship, a single malt scotch and a cigar. Wal Granger is survived by Joy, their daughters Anna and Louise and their families.

Thanks for posting all the scans / photos, Hepcat. You have a spectacular collection. That may just be the highest praise possible!

I now want to go open a pub called the Fowl and Rodent...

Lovely copy Jon! Sell it to me.

That one was the first Pogo book I ever bought, from a guy in New Zealand on eBay. I didn't know much about Pogo or Walt Kelly but the price was right and it looked cool. Little did I know...

No one else wants to play anymore? Oh well...

I'd certainly be proud to have either in my collection! They are both wonderful books tb. My observation is that there is some variability in the high grades assigned (that's why the crack and resubmit game is played) but statistically I think that most books in 9.6 slabs are better that most in 9.4 slabs. The annual grading contest on these boards bears that out too - the most usual result is a distribution that peaks at the CGC grade, with views on either side. Of course, whether that should translate Into the price differences we see is quite another question.

Time for a Another title with some great Kelly work was this one: GCD gives Kelly as the cover artist.

A Kelly a day... I could do this for almost three months!

Fantastic cover. What is that old man smoking, and did he just knock that old lady on her keister? A local antique shop in town has some Kelly/Pogo OA, anybody want me to find out what it is? I remember seeing it, but forget exactly what it was. Sure, next time you go past. There have been quite a few Pogo daily and Sunday strips on the market in the last few years. I'm always tempted, but have resisted so far. Now if a cover from the Dell Pogo run was to come along, especially #11...

Here's a few to start with - I could post a lot of books in this thread! Another 'picture frame' Animal Comics: A belated Australia Day contribution from WDC&S: and Pogo's first appearance in the Four Color run: And for those who haven't seen the first ever public appearance of our Possum:

That's a really cool cover. There's a touch of the surreal about those RA&A books.

And that, in a nutshell, is what makes a true collector and curator. Nicely said tb. (thumbs u

Weird Science 11 was Jan/Feb 1952

Great picture indeed! But is the question (a) Knowing what you know now, which book would you take? or (b) If you were the kid, what would you have picked? My answers are (a) Cap 1 and (b) Weird Science 11. In fact, since I still don't have WS 11, there's a chance I'd make the same choice now.

Ok, I can't let Australia Day go past without giving this thread a bump. I've got myself more and more interested in Australian comics since I started this thread, and have been digging around in various archives. I've discovered that major libraries in Australia hold no less than 113 boxes, or over 12 shelf metres, of Australian comics 1930 - 1960! Some of them are reprints of British and American comics, like these ones: The Two-Fisteds are mostly reprints of ECs title, with stories from different issues mixed together. But they would be rounded out by material from almost anywhere. #8 has a one pager from Soldier of Fortune #5, an obscure (to me) AGC comic, according to the GCD. The cover of #8 is a badly redrawn version of EC TF35. I have no idea why. and the EC for comparison: And one last one. I was hoping to post some discoveries I'd made in National and State libraries, but time and a reluctance to spend $22 per scan defeated me. I now have permission to go and make my own digital images, so there'll be more to follow. For now, note the publisher, Frank Johnson, and the fact that this comic has no cover number. For years I wondered why Australian comics before 1946 were mostly one shots. The answer lies in the Tariff Act of 1937 and WWII paper rationing. I'll explain it all later. But for now here's 'Wocko the Beaut'. Enjoy.

Glad they found an appreciative home!

That's a fabulous Wings 88. I like mine, but yours makes it look like a piker.

More Kurtzman and EC goodness. This stuff is good reading - they were quite subversive comics given the Korean War was ongoing. The Civil War issues are good too. I picked up another the other day - now on its way across the Pacific. This title is one of my priorities for the year. Gotta love those short runs. (15 of these)

Just tried my first Planet Comics. I hope this stuff isn't addictive.

THAT, my friend, is frackin' awesome. +1 That punch line kills me.

I usually don't quote images, but I'll make an exception here. Those are really attractive books.