Rootie Kazootie-1954

Rootie Kazootie was a particularly unattractive but surprisingly popular puppet character who had his own TV show in the 1950's. The tie-in Dell comic came late in the run and thus lasted only a few issues. Can't find even a guess at who the artist might be but this particular story has some attractive cartooning (and stars pup Gala-Poochie with thankfully not too much of Rootie!)

Cosmic Carson-George Tuska-1940

"Michael Griffith" is in reality artist George Tuska, making this the earliest piece I've seen by him. Tuska died a couple of years ago after 70 years in comics but only last month had a never before published Marvel one-shot released. The backgrounds here are unusually sparse for a strip so well-drawn otherwise but I do seem to see a hint of an Eisner influence one doesn't usually see in the artist's work.

Nutsy Squirrel-Rube Grossman-1955

The late Jerry Bails---who knew this sort of thing--credits the writing on this National/DC funny animal story to Woody Gelman. Gelman, through his work at Topps and as founder of Nostalgia Press a decade later, would go on to have a significant impact on American pop culture before his death in the late seventies. Art here is by Rube Grossman who drew many of DC's funny animal strips and may be best remembered for the annual RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER comics. He uses some clever fourth wall breaking ideas in this particular story.

The Whip-Homer Fleming-1942

The Whip was a minor DC superhero who was, I suppose, more-or-less a modern Zorro. The artist here is one Homer Fleming who worked steadily in comics in the thirties and forties and die in 1967.

Wildcat-Irwin Hasen-1947

Today, I am told, is National Comic Book Day--a day when one is supposed to share comics with others. Well around here we do that every day! Today's offering is a Wildcat story from my favorite Wildcat artist, Irwin Hasen. In recent years the character has been played as a mostly down-to-Earth masked man but here, along with his mandatory sidekick Stretch Skinner, he meets the Man in the Moon!

Silver Streak-Bob Wood-1941

The ill-fated (Google him) Bob Wood drew in kind of a "Bob Kane" style. Here we see him on Lev Gleason's Silver Streak, an early super speed hero. This issue introduces sidekick, Mercury, the Boy Streak, who almost immediately became Meteor instead.

The Wonders of the Solar System-C C Beck-1951

Artist C C Beck may seem like a one-trick pony with his years of working on the original Captain Marvel but here is a relatively scarce non-Cap piece, a science feature in fact--nonetheless from an issue of CAPTAIN MARVEL ADVENTURES. Beck would draw Marvel's adventures anew in the seventies before quitting in a rather legendary huff and becoming a memorable curmudgeon.

Girl Commandos-Jill Elgin-1945

National had it's BOY COMMANDOS. Harvey Comics had GIRL COMMANDOS! This long-running series in SPEED COMICS was originally drawn by a female artist who, upon her departure, was replaced by yet another one, children's book illustrator Jill Elgin. Women comics artists were relatively rare but this strip had two! The series premise was essentially: Etta Candy and the Holiday Girls in uniform.