Don't Open Till XMas...!

 

Under the Tree...

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Surprises!

by Rick Marschall

I have been sharing Christmas cards and drawings from my collection, and I wanted to share a rare "corporate" card, and then miscellaneous cards from a variety of artists... no theme except Christmas itself. All the cards were produced for the three Fs -- family, friends, and fans. That is, not for stationers marketing in stores. Enjoy!

Back during the high-flying (literally) days of EC Comics, this was the "corporate" card Bill Gaines sent out. Among the elves are John Severin, Maries Severin, Al Williamson, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder, Joe Orlando, Wally Wood, and Bernie Krigstein.

As with many of the cards here, if a Christmas came and went without certain cartooning friends' cards, it would feel like a bleak midwinter. Wonderful Edwina Dumm, the creator of creator of Tippie the dog and Jaspurr the cat (her strip was the long-running Cap Stubbs and Tippie), sent cards every year. Some were privately printed; some were hand-drawn. As my children met her, and she cherished them, she often wrote greetings to them too.

This card was sent by Sidney Smith, before The GumpsThis 

In the last year of his life, the greatest mixing in a touch of his perennial themes. He was optimistic about the world's future...

Hal Foster, sans Prince Valiant

Fred Lasswell, in his early Barney Google and Snuffy Smith cards, emulated the style and shading that the strip's creator Billy DeBeck used in his cards.

Even after retirement from his great Toonerville Folks panel and strip, Fontaine Fox sent out cards -- literally, postcards. His drawn greeting was printed, but every card would have some pen-and-ink addition, and, always, hand-coloring.   

The great (and great friend) Al Kilgore usually sent custom-drawn images. In 1964 he reprinted a daily strip of his great BullwinkleThe great (and great friend) Al Kilgore usually sends custom-drawn images. In 1964 he reprinted a daily strip 

How to read a Nancy Christmas card...?

The great Cliff Sterrett drew Polly and ALL her pals, ca. 1927

Walt Scott's card was a custom silk-screen printed, a true and charming craft-driven creation. The characters are his classic Little People from his Sunday comic strip. 

Christmas With The Cartoonists

🕭

ERNIE BUSHMILLER

🕭

RM

🕭

Ernie Bushmiller

Ernie Bushmiller was born in the Bronx borough of New York on 24 Aug 1905. He landed a job as a copy boy on the New York Evening World and attended night classes at the national Academy of Design. His first published work for that paper was a crossword puzzle design which he carefully initialed.

Fritzi Ritz appeared in 1922, created by Larry Whittington, and was a quick success. Bushmiller took over the strip in 1925. In 1931 the World ceased publication and Bushmiller signed a contract with United Features. Nancy originally appeared in the Fritzi Ritz strip and eased the heroine out of the title role in 1937. Nancy appeared both daily and Sundays.

Bushmiller’s working day started around 2 o’clock in the afternoon and often carried over into the wee hours of the morning. He started drawing his strips with the final panel, the “pay-off gag,” and then worked back through the beginning panels.

Bushmiller died at his home on August 15, 1982.

*Top Jan 21, 1931

*Jan 7, 1933

*March 18, 1933

The author of the cool bottom illustration is unknown but appeared in a newspaper article about Bushmiller in November 7, 1988.