BillyBatson4360

Well, Dennis fans, the new Overstreet Price Guide has hit the streets – and alas, the price on Dennis’ books remains flat – despite the increased attention for Al Wiseman from this thread, Bill Alger’s blog and other corners. Ah well, it means if you haven’t completed your Dennis runs yet, you can still get ‘em at last year’s prices! BTW, I went on a little mini-rant about Overstreet last March (comment # 759664): My post quickly drew this response from Overstreet “Special Advisor” Arnold T. Blumberg: Okay, I took Arnold at his word and I wrote a very long letter, detailing some 21 errors and omissions. I also took the time to scan copies of comics from my personal collection to back up all the information I gave them in the letter. The new Guide has been published now (a year after my letter) and how many of my errors do you think these great guys corrected? Not a one. For example, the Guide has a listing for Al Capp’s Shmoo Comics that says issue #4 features the very first appearance of the “Super Shmoo” character. The character is actually featured on the cover of issue #2 and stars in that issue’s lead story. The Super Shmoo is also in issue #3 starring in another story. I provided scans of the cover to #2 and both Super Shmoo splash pages. The result: no change in the almighty Overstreet. So, I stand by my original comment.

My auctions never turn out this well! In fact, I sold a Dennis # 1 last year - in better shape than this eBay copy - for $100. But I sold it to someone on this thread - so I don't mind. What really griped me about these eBay listings is they once again perpetuate the myth that Hank Ketcham drew the comic. Nary a mention of our boys - Toole & Wiseman. BTW for anyone viewing these pages, you really need to be checking Bill Alger's blog on a daily basis. It is the "motherlode" of information as well as samples of Wiseman's wok.

Just came back from reading Bill's blog! Fantastic! I'm looking forward to many, many future installments. It seems AW is finally getting that long overdue recognition. I've always thought that Al should be included in the same group that mentions Carl Barks, John Stanley, and George Carlson as the ultimate masters of the "funny" comic book story. Jim: I was also hoping you might shed some light on whether or not you thnk your dad worked on the DAILIES for Dennis. I've always thought the many of the Dennis panels from the mid-50's to early 60's looked an awful lot your dad's clean, straight-line style. Perhaps, he helped on the backgrounds, leaving the main figures for Ketcham.

Actually, my comics shop neglected to order it for me when it came out originally and they had to back order it. The shop I patronize is out of town. My wife will be picking it up for this weekend on a road trip. I'm looking forward to reading it (although I try to make them last a little longer - I read 'em one month at a sitting). I'm hoping Jim W (aka Wiseguy) still checks in here from time to time, because I'd like to get his feedback on whether or not AW had input into the daily strip in the early days. Ketcham's drawing style seems to get verrrrry close to AW's during the late fifties. I've always wondered if AW ghosted some of the dailies in addition to handling the Sundays.

Well kids, it has been placed on the release schedule - Volume 3 of the Complete Dennis the Menace: Amazon.com listing Put this on your Christmas list now and avoid the November rush!

I know the looser style of Dennis was something that Ketcham oversaw. I can still remember how crushed I was when I first picked up "Dennis the Menace Goes to Camp" and discovered the drawing style had changed. Knowing nothing about what happened behind the scenes vexed me until the birth of this thread finally shed light on the career of Al Wiseman. I just know I stopped buying Dennis comics shortly after Wiseman left. I continued to read the newspaper strip (and still read it). But I wish they would go back to featuring the more "Menacing" Dennis more consistently. And I really do find the current Sunday strip to be almost unreadable. The early days of the strip didn't evoke an "Aw, how precious!" kind of response. The kid was a terror! I haven't seen Volume 2 of the "Complete Dennis" yet as my comic bok shop neglected to order one. I will be correcting that situation shortly.

Am I alone in thinking today's Dennis looks horrible? Maybe I've become a cantankerous old curmudgeon, but the drawing style is just so loose and sloppy! I doesn't help getting massive doses of the original Ketcham illustrations in the "Complete Dennis" to compare to today's strip. I know the artists may not be to blame because they draw in the style the syndicate wants - but I really have a hard time reading the strip (especially on Sundays!). The bite and nastiness is all gone. Reading a Sunday Dennis the Menace today is like opening one of those sickly sweet Hallmark greeting cards that aren't nearly as clever as Hallmark thinks they are. Wiseman & Ketcham have it all over this stuff!

I absolutely loved volume one and will pick up volume two as soon as its available. The only sad thing - reading these panels - is seeing how tame the strip has become today.

In moving some of my collection to a new storage area on Saturday, I came across a box of Dennis the Menace comics that are basically doubles of what's in my permanent collection. These includes issues from # 27 to # 107 (not a complete run, but quite a few issues). Most of these books range from Good to Fine. The majority are what I would call "reading copies." Before I offer them on eBay, I thought I would offer them here to the real hardcore of Dennis comic fans. If you need any particular issues, PM me and we'll see if we can work something out.

It's really too bad, Joe, as the song in question also appears on this disc - albeit not by Rosemary Clooney. The ironic thing is, I have never forgotten the tune after having played this record to death as a kid. I was crushed when they didn't use it as the theme for the TV show!

Joe - What can we say? I guess there really is a Santa Claus! BTW on the "Dennis the Menace Songs" Album - My memory is that all the songs were voiced by Jay North. But after seeing some of the 45's that had the same selections, I'm starting to doubt my memory. I can't read the fine print on your scan of the album cover. Does it credit the vocalist(s)?

Actually, Joe. This is the one you sent me, which is the one I really wanted. This one predates the CBS TV show and contains a totally different Dennis the Menace "theme song." It also features some great examples of Dennis panels on the back sleeve. The other 45/78 should feature Jay North on vocals - giving you a vocal version of the DTM TV theme song. I didn't own that TV-show based single, I owned the album that featured songs by Jay North in character as Dennis (it featured both the songs on the single and, I think 9 or 10 others).

Well, according to the article, AW drew "Clubhouse Rascals' prior to joining the Ketchum studio, so his style was still evolving (look at the early Dennis comics compared to the middle and end of his run). I think I have all of the Clubhouse Rascals stuff either in original issues or in reprints, so I will try to post some scans in the near future. But, we are about to head out of town from Thanksgiving, so it may be a while before I can dig down in the "Vault o' Comics" and retrieve the long box in question.

Great find! I found this part of the article about Toppie to be the most interesting: I have always loved the very limited run of Clubhouse Rascals at ME (having been exposed to the strip as a kid through the I-W reprints). I always thought the strip's style bore a resemblance to Dennis the Menace and now I know why! Yet another title to collect if you are a Wiseman fan! I posted a page from one of the Clubhouse Rascals comics a while back. In case you missed it, here it is again: Now, I will go back through my long boxes and see if I can find a better example that looks more like Wiseman. What say, Jim? Do you recognize AW's hand in the above work?

This would argue strongly in favor of Hallden being a self-publishing company set up by Post-Hall & Hank Kethchum. "Mark Trail" was another Post -Hall strip. You also remember the Mark Trail "feature" in "Dennis the Menace Goes to Camp?" Maybe they wanted to see if they could market other Post-Hall strips, although Mark Trail seems like a poor choice. Most kids I knew back then would never read that strip. Sounds like the same situation Western Publishing had with Dell comics in the 50's and early 60's. Western actually packaged the books even though Dell was listed as the publisher. My guess is that Fawcett handled the distribution once DTM left Pines as Post-Hall was not set up to distribute comic books. Jim - as always - appreciate you sharing any insights your father had. BTW Al does get a mention in the first volume of "The Complete Dennis the Menace." I'm hoping they give us more information on him in future volumes.