STANLEY STORIES: "Andy Panda & The Magic Hat," from Four-Color Comics #54, 1944

Friday, December 12, 2008

"Andy Panda & The Magic Hat," from Four-Color Comics #54, 1944

Apologies for the long absence. My computer problems aren't yet solved. It is a huge patience-drainer to work on a cruddy computer. I didn't want the momentum of this blog to wither away...there's far too many good Stanley stories left to post!

I've wanted to post this story for awhile. It has a number of Stanley firsts: it contains his first witch character, it's his first attempt at a fairytale-fantasy type story, and it's from his first Andy Panda solo comic.

Indeed, this was Stanley's first foray into the long-running Four Color series of one-shot, usually licensed-property, comic magazines.

Stanley's prior one-shots were (according to his records) a pair of "Bugs Bunny" comics published in 1943/4. I hate to differ with his own accounting of a long career, but I honestly don't see any of John Stanley's "tells" in either of those issues (FCs 33 and 51).

If they are indeed his work, they are tentative experiments in comix storytelling. They are of a piece with the lackluster West Coast material that filled Dell's Warner Brothers-based books.

That another West Coaster, Carl Barks, wrote and drew a 1944 "Porky Pig" one-shot, which appeared in FC between these two Bugs comix, makes it seem less likely that Dell's West Coast office would farm out work to New York. They already had a large talent-pool in Los Angeles.

In today's tale, Stanley still struggles to write a long narrative. It fares better than the main feature, a lengthier western burlesque that co-stars Woody Woodpecker's ineffectual nemesis, Wally Walrus.

The things that happen in this story lack consequences. The ideas are imaginative and compelling, but without stakes. Thus, they have a harmless, unrooted feeling.

Stanley's next one-shot, a brilliant "Oswald the Rabbit" book (FC 67), contains two stories in which stakes are high and outcomes uncertain.

I've posted both stories that comprise that landmark issue on this blog. If you haven't read them, seek them out. Compare this story with the "Last Flower" story from FC 67. It fascinates me to see Stanley's quantum leap as a comix storyteller between these two issues.

Well, let's see if this thing posts. If so, hurrah for me, as I've overcome a doddering, grumpy old PC!

"Andy Panda & The Magic Hat," from Four-Color Comics #54, 1944

1 comment:

Prof. Grewbeard said...: that was really fun, witty as heck i thought!; January 4, 2009 at 9:28 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.