When Teenagers Ruled The Earth!

Howie Post created the fascinating Anthro. I've picked up a few issues of the character over the years, but I mostly remember the intriguing ads the comic generated. The premise is that Anthro was the first Cro-Magnon born of Neanderthal parents. That's a bit creaky on the anthropology but it does service quite well as a metaphor for the infamous "Generation Gap" which was a big focus in the 60's. The stories are light-hearted despite some real dangers and feel like a Li'l Abner meets One Million B.C. 

 

Howie Post, the creator of Anthro was a fantastic artist, his lively line giving life to Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost and Hot Stuff and other comics for Harvey Comics. He both wrote and drew the adventures of the caveboy first in Showcase and later in a six issue self-titled run. Below is the original artwork for the first issue. I love the way the logo is blended into the background.

Below is the inside-the-cover black and white ad from the summer of 1968 which was featured in many DC Comics of the time, announcing not only Anthro, but other new DC heroes as well.

Howie Post's Anthro lasted only a brief time, but made a deep impression on me at the time just from the ads. Here is a link with a wonderful interview with Post. And below is an Anthro cover gallery. All the covers feature artwork by Post save the final issue which is inked by Wally Wood. I must say I much prefer the stone logo the Showcase debut features as opposed to the slick logo used on most of the issues. Most likely that logo was the work of Gaspar Saldino, but for my money it seems far too smooth and slick for a prehistoric saga.

Anthro ran its course and then disappeared. He did resurface some years later in Crisis on Infinite Earths and has been folded into the larger DCU in a few different way. But never to my knowledge have those tasty issues of an entertaining comic ever been reprinted. I think they'd be receive quite well by a modern audience which is trained to appreciate ironic comics.

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"A" Is For Anthro!

Howie Post created the fascinating Anthro. I've picked up a few issues of the character over the years, but I mostly remember the great ads the comic generated.


Howie Post was a fantastic artist, his lively line giving life to Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost and Hot Stuff and other comics for Harvey Comics. He created, wrote, and drew the adventures of the caveboy first in Showcase and later in a six issue self-titled run. The debut issue is featured above. Below is the original artwork. I love the way the logo is blended into the background.


Here is the inside-the-cover black and white ad from the summer of 1968 which was featured in many DC Comics of the time, announcing not only Anthro, but other new DC heroes as well.


Here is that ad flipped for easy reading.


Howie Post's Anthro lasted only a brief time, but made a deep impression on me and others as well I'm sure. Here is a link with a wonderful interview with Post.

And below is an Anthro cover gallery. All the covers feature artwork by Post save the final issue which is inked by Wally Wood. I must say I much prefer the stone logo the Showcase debut features as opposed to the slick logo used on most of the issues. It seems far too smooth for a prehistoric saga.







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Howie Post RIP

This is crummy news. Howie Post had one of the most lively lines in comics, his funny stuff for Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost and Hot Stuff is awesome, so vivid and powerful. The recent reprints from Dark Horse really show off his style.

He's most famous I guess for the short-lived but long-remembered Anthro, a story about a Cro-Magnon teenager.

Here's a link to Mark Evanier's comment on Post's passing. And here's a link to a longish interview with Post about his career.

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