Number 909


The bear and the gorilla


Jim Tyer was an animator and comic book artist who has a lot of fans. I like animation but Tyer's name was unknown to me until I started posting his work on Mighty Mouse and my more knowledgeable readers told me. It was when I realized I'd grown up with a man's work, both in animated cartoons and in comic books and didn't know it. Tyer, who was born in 1904, died in 1976.

This funny strip, signed by Tyer in the last panel, is from Ha-Ha Comics #4, 1943. There are more hilarious Tyer comic book stories at Animation Archives here.

"Killer Gorilla" is signed "Schwalb," a name I'm not familiar with. The splash panel is surreal, the artwork is minimalist, and it's all very appealing to me. Regular readers of this blog know that--ook, ook!--I've got a liking for comic book apes and gorillas.

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Number 593


Stalwart and the ogre


Pardon me for laughing, folks...I just reread the last panel in this story from Ha Ha Comics #33, 1946. This strip definitely puts the "funny" in funny animal comics. "Stalwart Swinburne" is written by Hubie Karp and drawn by Al Hubbard.

Thanks to David Miller, who was kind enough to scan this funny story so we can both share the laughs with you.

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Number 586


Izzy and Dizzy and the genie of the lamp


Animator/comic book artist and writer Ken Hultgren makes his second appearance here. His first, in Pappy's #408 had me asking a question about Hultgren. Paul Spector told us that Hultgren was born in 1915 and died in 1968. Hultgren was part of the Sangor Shop, which provided comics to the company that became ACG. The artists who worked for Sangor were moonlighting animators.

Dave Miller kindly provided the scans for this story from Ha Ha Comics #33. He also sent me some more scans from this issue as well as other funny animal comics from his collection. You will see more of Dave's comics in the coming weeks as I work with his generous donations of material.

You can see some of Dave's own cartooning--for adults--in Storybored at Hairy Green Eyeball. Dave, you are a very talented guy.

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Number 549


Bank Robber Blues


Here's another hilarious story from ACG's funny animal Ha Ha Comics. "Those Bank Robber Blues" appeared in #59 from 1948.

I don't know the artist. GCD guesses Ken Hultgren. You laser beam-eyed art spotters out there tell me who did it.

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