• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Post Your FOUR COLOR Comic Covers Here
15 15

What are the odds that every cover to Four Color Series I and II can get posted in this thread  

24 members have voted

  1. 1. What are the odds that every cover to Four Color Series I and II can get posted in this thread

    • choice1
      10
    • choice2
      7


3,791 posts in this topic

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. 

1342175420_FC403.thumb.jpg.a339d2cda89b326c5957179fd15e8673.jpg

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.

1593478726_FC403-WolfCallLesson.jpg.53f84d8ae59cacbb2f5acd4a45b5fb95.jpg

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 -

1018853406_FC403-ChickenConundrum.thumb.jpg.e3568cc561886bf579d439959be9b26c.jpg

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 -

1680934638_FC403-GoodFairyIntervention.thumb.jpg.552b78cc3537798efea172ff96d934fd.jpg

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

# 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 -

778483066_FC404.thumb.jpg.ec0e9298e515736334c1e25e25f2779e.jpg

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]

1300275909_FC404-PaleoWhat.thumb.jpg.b35164ed13dfd93def6141fdab8608e3.jpg

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 -

722936845_FC404-Burial.thumb.jpg.c5c9ae85471d9ef77c186ee0fea4804c.jpg

1291508007_FC404-Riding.thumb.jpg.b6cd1a505dd1e0052956d8c8317d6476.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

# 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.

984586896_FC405.thumb.jpg.001df5ef0aa984423e9f7f6b36d77231.jpg

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 … -

1662857152_FC405-WoodyAtlas.thumb.jpg.b81603d687ae2a96b329c3269fd4c0ee.jpg

… 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 … -

1068374086_FC405-IronWoody.thumb.jpg.edc482a9c85403714e9d7a074e88082b.jpg

...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 -

2006478141_FC405-SavedbytheRake.thumb.jpg.2390e6006a4e8e6f0d270dccfc032027.jpg

Here's a pleasant visual gag from the first story -

243729239_FC405-PlunkBamOof.thumb.jpg.555358ee585592c5a5940f6c5f7547c8.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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)...

16555013921_e705059874_c.jpg

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!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
15 15