Kevin and Smith set to meet the Pasha; they are wise to be leery.
For the September 3, 1967 episode, I found an image of the original artwork from an online auction; a third-page version follows (minus a hookah and the Pasha’s nefarious thoughts).
Regrettably, I only have a third-page version of the next episode. (What was illustrated in the bottom tier?!)
The fact is, this episode has the most cold-blooded killing I can remember from “Kevin,” (but remember, it was Smith who wielded the dagger).
At the time these episodes were running, Kreigh Collins’ comics had been appearing in Sunday sections for 20 years. Adventure strips like “Kevin the Bold” were dying out, victims of the changing times. A vivid sign of the times appeared on the opposite side of the tabloid at the top of this post… groooovy!
“Gasoline Alley” appeared alongside the advertisement; at the time, it was being handled by Bill Perry. At any rate, the very traditional-looking strip is quite a contrast to the Great Shakes ad.
A couple copies of the record are currently listed on ebay, and it looks pretty sweet. (Judy Hoots at least thought so!)
Need a great holiday gift idea?
(No, not “Shake-Out 2!”) You’d be hard pressed to find a more charming collection of Golden Age comics than The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins: The Complete Mitzi McCoy.
Drawn and scripted by Kreigh Collins, Mitzi McCoy showcased the artist’s skill as an illustrator and storyteller. His picturesque landscapes, lovely character designs, and thrilling action sequences brimmed with detail and charm, and the strip’s ensemble cast rotated in and out of the spotlight taking turns as protagonists in the dozen story arcs collected in this volume. The last story collected here is the narrative bridge that set Collins and his characters off on a new journey, beautifully told for the next couple of decades in the much-lauded adventure strip Kevin the Bold.
Edited and restored by the artist’s grandson, Brian E. Collins, with an introduction by Eisner Award-winning author Frank M. Young, an Afterword by comics columnist Ed Catto, and a new tribute illustration of Mitzi by Butch Guice.
Available HERE from Lost Art Books.
For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.
Kreigh’s Comics 