STANLEY STORIES: more "Dunc 'n' Loo" for yoo!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

more "Dunc 'n' Loo" for yoo!

Here is a bundle of stories from the third issue of Around The Block With Dunc 'n' Loo. This series' title would be shortened to plain ol' Dunc 'n' Loo with the next issue. The series lasted eight issues. I guess it was too good to last too long!

I don't want to take away from Drawn & Quarterly's upcoming reprint of this fine, fine, super-fine series. I just don't have anything else on hand to post this morning!

I'm impressed by the division of character focus in this series. Dunc and Loo are rarely in the same story together. They cross paths with the same characters, and embody the same settings, while they independently go about their business.

These first two stories, "Bombs Away" and "Ghost Story," feature neighbors Beth and Buddy. Dunc and Loo each struggle to impress and woo lovely Beth. Her interest comes with a price. She has a hulking, psychotically devoted sibling who clings to her like white to rice.

"Bombs Away" features Dunc and his younger brother Joey. Joey is another Stanley kid doomed to violin lessons. He is almost as devoted to his instrument as is Lulu's Tubby Tompkins.

"Ghost Story," a Loo feature, takes us into the bowels of the Airy Arms Apartments. It's yet another instance, in Stanley's world, of a sinister "inner world" waiting, amidst the mundane surroundings, to swallow up his protagonists.

Down in these depths live the building's superintendent, Mr. Klinka, and his wife. I can't imagine they have a decent view!

Both stories also feature the swift application of a bucket of water--with different motivations and outcomes.

I've chosen to run these stories out of order from their original 1962 publication.

For dessert, there's a two-pager featuring Dunc and some smelly garbage. It also ends with a...well, that's a spoiler!

Enjoy the charm and verve of Bill Williams' artwork on this series. I wish he and Stanley had worked together more often!

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1 comment:

Gabriel said...: Just Four issues?!
That's a sad news. I kind of feel as if a cat was scratching my back while it miaows a sad song. And the worst of it all is that that's not solution yet.
I've just see the last post of The Carters by David Lasky and the beautiful sample of the Gasoline-Alleyed strip. I think it's a pity that the "Poor Valley" logo vanishes off the book. But, hey!, you're the genii :) I really like your work and I'm a little exicited.
From a very susceptible man to quality.; September 30, 2008 at 5:31 AM

THE JOHN STANLEY COMICS BIBLIOGRAPHY SERIES

I have compiled a detailed, fully illustrated (in color) story-by-story career bibliography of the comic book and magazine cartoon work of John Stanley, in three decade-specific oversized paperback editions. They're available in book form at Amazon.com.

You can read more about the 1940s volume HERE.

Check out the 1950s edition (the longest of the three books) HERE.

The 1960s volume can be previewed HERE.

Covers of the three books are seen below--and that of THE TAO OF YOW, a lavishly illustrated book of essays on John Stanley's world and his work, including expanded versions of essays first seen on this blog. TAO OF YOW may be perused HERE.

A FERVENT PLEA TO FELLOW BLOGGERS

I would like to suggest that the following grammatical and punctuation errors be avoided by one and all;

1) misuse of the possessive apostrophe-s. It's means "it is," not "its." Appropriate use, e.g.: "It's hot outside today." Wrong usage: "I looked at it's cover."

I see this horrid mistake committed hundreds of times daily on the Internet and elsewhere. If a word ends in an s, chances are someone will ram that apostrophe in there. (e.g., "Today's Special's").

Please, please, PLEASE--unless you intend to convey that a person, place or thing is being discussed, in the present tense, or is in use as a contraction of two words (i.e., "it is, let us, what is"), DO NOT USE THE APOSTROPHE!

2) misuse of the apostrophe in dates. Again: unless it is intended to convey the location or possession of a certain quality, such as "1867's drinking water supplies" or "1978's energy crisis," DO NOT USE THE APOSTROPHE! The same applies to the use of decade-connoting dates. It is the 1950s, or the '50s--NOT the 1950's or the 50's!

3) the two most abused words in the English language are "amazing" and "hilarious." It pains me to see these words used thousands of times a day in print and in conversation.

If everything is amazing and/or hilarious, then NOTHING is amazing and/or hilarious.

There exists a wealth of synonyms--delightful words that convey these two properties. Please, please, please use them in the place of these two horribly over-worked adjectives.

Visit synonym.com for easy access to other words that will help you communicate better and smarter.

4) When in doubt, use Spell Check.

Computer users have a luxury--we can instantly determine if a word we've typed is properly spelled. Any computer's spell checking program will inevitably have bugs, but most of the time it's quite helpful.

There is no good reason (aside from un-caught typos) that Internet writing should have spelling errors. We no longer have to interrupt our work, walk over to the bookshelf, pull out the dictionary, find the word, and return to our task. Right-click on a highlighted word and you'll know if it's correct or not.

The speed of the Internet sometimes inspires sloppiness--in myself and in others. In our excitement to get our writing on-line, it's easy to forget that finely-tuned prose may require a little more time.

It is worth the effort--and it takes little effort anymore--to double-check spelling before you make a post live. I often go over old posts and correct typos or poor writing. I feel it makes a difference, and that it supports my worth as a scholar and critic.

If this plea can prevent the egregious misuse of proper English in the blogosphere, my life will not have been in vain.