Number 577


Oswald's war jitters


New Funnies #72, where this Oswald story appeared, came out in 1943, but the story was drawn in 1942. I posted another strip from this issue, Billy and Bonny Bee by Frank Thomas, in Pappy's #168. Both of the stories show that while the war wasn't directly addressed in New Funnies, it wasn't that far away. Many, if not most, of the children reading this comic book would have a father, brother, or other family member in the war. It was close to home for everyone.

There's at least a nod to the war jitters of the time, some mosquito dive bombers. That wasn't a new image; everyone who made animated cartoons had used that cliché a time or two. It just had poignancy because of the circumstances around the time this comic book was published.

I like the crazy Woody Woodpecker in this story better than the later bland version.

More about →

Number 299

Billy and Bonny Bee to the rescue!

From New Funnies #79, September, 1943, comes this excellent 6-page strip by Frank Thomas.

As I explained the last time I posted a Billy and Bonny Bee story, the Frank Thomas who drew these characters was not the same Frank Thomas who was one of the Nine Old Men at Disney. But there is some sort of Disney connection: Billy and Bonny appear to be influenced by Disney's Bucky Bug. In my last "Billy and Bonny" posting I called it a funny animal strip, but "funny insects" is a sub-genre of "funny animals." A really small one. Get it? Insects, small? Oh well…maybe you had to be there.

More about →

Number 168

Billy and Bonny Bee

It's time to throw in a funny animal feature, this time from New Funnies #72, February, 1943. "Billy and Bonny Bee" was drawn by Frank Thomas.

This Frank Thomas is not that Frank Thomas. That Frank Thomas is one of the Nine Old Men of the Disney Studios, famous for his work in animation.This Frank Thomas was born in 1914, was active in comic books from 1938 to about 1952, and drew a variety of features in a variety of styles. He left comic books to work on syndicated comic strips.

This Frank Thomas was a fairly good illustrator of comic book features, but I believe some of his best work is right here in this strip. It was drawn during the first year of World War II and shows some war paranoia, especially in the use of the air raid and dragonfly as enemy. The panel reproduced above is creepy enough to give kids the shivering shudders.

I'm grateful to Michael T. Gilbert and the Eclipse Comics' Mr. Monster's Hi-Shock Schlock! #2* from 1987. I got my information on Thomas from this comic. Gilbert reprinted a Thomas strip from Centaur's Keen Detective Funnies, "The Eye." The main claim to fame of the Eye story isn't its artwork, which in this case is serviceable if not spectacular, but how bizarre the concept is. It wasn't much of a stretch for Thomas to go from a bizarre super-hero to a bizarre funny animal fantasy like "Billy and Bonny Bee." It looks like Thomas' art and heart were more into this type of strip.

*If you go back to Pappy's #125 you'll see the strip, "Toni Gay and Butch Dykeman," which is also reprinted in this issue of Mr. Monster's Hi-Shock Schlock!

More about →