50YrsCollctngCmcs Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 4 hours ago, Scrooge said: # 403 - Li'l Bad Wolf - there are only 3 issues of Li'l Bad Wolf in the Four Color series, this being the first one. The series did not take off as it never spun out into its own series. The book is cover to cover by Gil Turner, another animator / cartoonist working for Dell who shouldered the series for a long stretch. The series at first reminded me of the situation of Donald and the nephews but the dynamics are different. Big Bad Wolf is as temperamental as DD is but the attitude of Li'l Bad Wolf is not the nephew's. The tension arise from Li'l Bad Wolf lack of desire for crooked mischief and that puts him in a pickle at every turn since Big Bad is always looking for the scheme. It permeates every story … and that lack of versatility in the storylines might explain why the story did not really take off as a stand-alone book but was successful enough to make the series a long time monthly back-up story in WDCS. Here are examples of father - son conflicts. LBW needs Wolf Call lessons since he is mild-mannered and not loud enough for his dad. To cheat, LBW had one of his best friend, the smart little pig, install a remote controlled loud speaker in his hat so LBW could still please his dad. You feel bad for LBW b/c he has to go to extremes as he wants to satisfy his dad despite his reservations. Notice BBW's attitude and temper. In the next story, BBW wants LBW to steal chicken … but instead he buys them and pretend to have stolen them. Again, he has to scheme to beat the schemes imposed on him - So, obviously, there is no way out for LBW … which makes the stories rather depressing in the end if you think hard about it and come to the logical conclusion that LBW is stuck in a never ending loop … unless magically BBW could change, and illico presto the Good Fairy steps in to save the day. I quote: "Your father will be a hard task … but I'll do what I can!" … but we know it will only last a few pages until the next story - Yeah honestly these stories were tiresome even as a kid. I much preferred Bucky Bug for the variety of story line. It's amazing it had such a long run in WDCS you would have thought they could have come up with another back up feature. Marty Mann and vcac 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrooge Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 # 404 - The Range Rider Another # 1 in a series. This, however, quickly became popular. Starting with the second issue, this spawned a 24 issues in total series under the renamed The Flying A's Range Rider after Gene Autry's production company that was behind the show. The show itself lasted 3 seasons from 1951 to 1953 while the comics series lasted into 1959 drawn by a host of artists. GCD currently IDs Bob Schoenke as the artist but indexing history initially credited the art to Sparky Moore. I can't chime in as to whom the artist is. Schoenke did little work in comics, having had the chance to work strictly on strips. First he drew Jack Armstrong, then Laredo Crockett which he created, wrote and drew solo from 1950 to 1968 when he died as did the strip. If that wasn't enough, while producing Laredo Crockett, he also drew Jane Arden for a couple of years in the late '60's. On the cover is Jock Mahoney though you'd be hard-pressed to recognize him on my defaced (or should that be refaced?) copy - The first story is serviceable. The Range Rider is just that, a rider roaming the range. He holds no clear authority but solves problems on the back of Rawhide. In this story he saves his friend whose uncle leaves for dead so he can inherit his ranch. The ranch is valuable because of the tar pits: the government is paying for exploration of the pits so this side money helps the ranch's profitability - [Note: neither of the two stories in the issue match those from the show listings] The second story is a mess. It makes little sense. It is trying to Mission Impossible it and fails. The art as you can see above lacks zip and so the reading experience was so so. Here are a couple additional examples of the more "inspired" panels - Marty Mann, damonwad and adamstrange 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrooge Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 # 405 - Woody Woodpecker It had to be him, my first repeat read … but it was not as frustrating an experience as the previous issues. Woody is still annoying as heck. He is unhelpful, mean and mean-spirited but somehow this issue came out ahead of the previous one. What helped is that the story that inspired the cover was actually well structured and that 3 out of the 4 stories in this issue involved Woody's neighbor Tackhammer. After a tussle between the neighbors over Woody dumping his leaves over the fence into Tackhammer's yard, Woody decides to send away for a strong man kit. It does not go as well as expected … - … so Woody gets some in person training at Joe Mauler Gym … where they are broke and need to make rent and since Woody is the only pigeon taking classes, they let him believe he has become a real he-bird … - ...and so in anticipation, we see Woody get to Tackhammer and expect him to fail miserably but the nice twist is that he is fooled again as the rake hits Tackhammer as Woody hits him. Woody is none the wiser having been fooled twice - Here's a pleasant visual gag from the first story - bobpfef, adamstrange, Marty Mann and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Scrooge Posted August 28, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted August 28, 2020 # 406 - Tweety & Sylvester Yet another "# 1" issue. This title appeared 3 times within Four Color: #'s 406 / 489 / 524 before spinning off into a long-running series that ended with # 37 in 1962 (it continued still later). As always, for quick info of the series, the GCD is the best. The art is credited Fred Abranz who bounced from animation to comics back and forth over a long career from the '30's to the '80's but toiling in the funny animals genre keeps him in low profile. I enjoyed the art in this book more than in the Woody book just above. The work is not necessarily more in depth but it seems that more attention was paid to inking and details. It's a livelier book though the stories aren't noticeable different. It's amazing how small touches can make such a difference. I am more of a Tom & Jerry fan than Tweety & Sylvester's but the stories play out nicely. Sylvester in this book is not much more than a slightly dope-ish cat in search of his next meal, no evident mean streak in sight. The stories are also more even-keeled in that one time Sylvester will have the upper-hand, others Tweety will. Same as with T&J, the sympathy gravitates to Sylvester more than Tweety who can be a real pest at times. Strangely enough, unlike T&J who know each other, Sylvester & Tweety seemingly meet for the first time in each story. There is no sense of "continuity". Here's an example of the difference between the Woody and this. There would never be such an intro semi splash with great work on the logo in the Woody book and the tree wouldn't have as much character either - And it's not just that one story - Then there are also great moments in each story - or this - and what seemed like an inevitable gag - OtherEric, bobpfef, waaaghboss and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Mann Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 OtherEric, waaaghboss, Scrooge and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50YrsCollctngCmcs Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 16 minutes ago, Marty Mann said: That's a nice one Marty. Interesting issue compared to some of surrounding features in the Four Color run. Great use of color on this cover too. Marty Mann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woowoo Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 (edited) Not a four color but it is a D copy and have no idea on value ?. Edited August 31, 2020 by woowoo Marty Mann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaculler Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 I picked up five Four Colors over the past month or so, including one book from the first series. I have several more on the way. Marty Mann and OtherEric 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaculler Posted October 16, 2020 Share Posted October 16, 2020 A pair of Flash Gordon issues arrived today. Scrooge, Marty Mann and OtherEric 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaculler Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 This one is now my earliest Four Color Series II issue. Scrooge, OtherEric and Marty Mann 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrooge Posted October 17, 2020 Share Posted October 17, 2020 5 hours ago, kaculler said: This one is now my earliest Four Color Series II issue. Nice. My earliest is # 6 - kaculler, bobpfef, OtherEric and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tri-Color Brian Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 This thread is so long, I can't remember what I might have posted in here...but I really like this book. I think it was the 4th Disney comic I ever paid real money for (other than cover price)... Marty Mann and kaculler 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tri-Color Brian Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 Got this one at the same time... Marty Mann and kaculler 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tri-Color Brian Posted October 18, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted October 18, 2020 I sought out this Four Color in the 90s because my mom had a small part in the movie (she was one of the dancing Leprechauns..."small part"...get it? )... Marty Mann, vcac, OtherEric and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaculler Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 OtherEric, Marty Mann and Scrooge 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50YrsCollctngCmcs Posted October 25, 2020 Share Posted October 25, 2020 On 10/17/2020 at 6:49 PM, Tri-ColorBrian said: This thread is so long, I can't remember what I might have posted in here...but I really like this book. I think it was the 4th Disney comic I ever paid real money for (other than cover price)... That's a great one Brian. I have a beat up copy from the Buyer's Guide and a nice upgraded copy I bought from a CAL Tech student years ago. Great story! vcac and Tri-Color Brian 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 50YrsCollctngCmcs Posted October 25, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted October 25, 2020 On 10/17/2020 at 3:43 PM, Scrooge said: Nice. My earliest is # 6 - The panels in these early four colors are larger than later as I recall. The earliest I have is Reluctant Dragon which I found at a flea market for a dime back in the seventies. It was my oldest book for many many years. kaculler, OtherEric, Tri-Color Brian and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaculler Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Marty Mann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaculler Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 OtherEric and Marty Mann 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Upgrade Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Marty Mann, kaculler and OtherEric 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...