Sunday, June 5, 1949

Having recently celebrated a milestone birthday, today I present a 75-year-old comic section from New York Sunday Mirror (no, I’m not that old!). 

As usual, Ham Fisher’s JOE PALOOKA ran on the front page, followed by Milton Caniff’s STEVE CANYON and MICKEY FINN by Lank Leonard. Next up are KERRY DRAKE (Alfred Andriola/Allen Saunders), SUPERMAN (Wayne Boring), an ad for Ludwig Bauman electric drill (boring in more ways than one), and Frank Miller’s BARNEY BAXTER IN THE AIR.

Then it’s the good stuff. No offense to THE FLOP FAMILY by Swan and Marty Links’ BOBBY SOX—I am, of course, referring to Kreigh Collins’ MITZI McCOY.

The June 5, 1949 episode of MITZI McCOY features the reunion between a runaway boy and his parents, and is notable for the absence of Mitzi herself. In lieu of the page from the Sunday Mirror comics section (which MITZI shared with a forgettable ad for Super Suds detrergent) is a version of the episode that I cleaned up for my MITZI McCOY book.

The second half of the comic section starts with a page with Roy Crane’s CAPTAIN EASY, drawn here by Walt Scott, and V.T. Hamlin’s ALLEY OOP, plus HENRY by Carl Anderson. Then it’s REX MORGAN, MD by Bradley and Edgington, BOOTS by Martin, and Merrill Blossar’s FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS (plus the topper strip HECTOR). Harry Hanan’s silent comic LOUIE, an ad for Camel cigarettes (I don’t think cancer sticks are advertised in the funnies anymore!), OUT OUR WAY by J.R. Williams, and OUR BOARDING HOUSE follow.

Taking its usual spot on the back cover is LIL’ ABNER by Al Capp.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Want to See More of Mitzi?

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy” features the entire run of Kreigh Collins’ first NEA feature.

Mitzi McCoy Cover 150

MITZI McCOY ran from 1948 to 1950 and showcased Kreigh Collins’ 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 in “The Complete Mitzi McCoy” 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.

The collection includes an introduction by Eisner Award-winning author Frank M. Young, an Afterward by Ithaca College’s Ed Catto, and previously unpublished artwork and photos. Longtime comics artist Butch Guice also provides a new pin-up of the character Mitzi McCoy.

The book is available for $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, please add $25 to cover first class shipping. To place an order, leave a comment below or email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information. Thank you!

_______________________________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Sunday Driver

Stub and Tim awaken from their stupor to in front of a very interested government agent. Meanwhilke, Mitzi and Sgt. Douma are in hot pursuit of Zoe and her gang.

The June 18, 1950 episode inspired the cover of an Australian comic book—Tip-Top Special No. 3. In addition to this story arc about the Counterfeiters, Special No. 3 also includes MITZI McCOY’s two previous chapters, “Tiny to the Rescue” and “The Living Pinups.”

In an extremely dramatic episode, the surprise to me was finding out how much Mitzi prized her car! The spirited lass was certainly one of the Sunday funnies’ stereotype breakers.

In choosing the cover artwork for the MITZI McCOY collection I assembled, a solid option would be the splash panel from the August 28, 1949 episode.

However, the chapter with the counterfeiter gang was always my preference. The previous episode’s splash panel was exciting, but Mitzi wasn’t in it. I went with the chapter’s final episode. The episode itself is wonderful, and is a star performance from the comic strip’s titular character.

What MITZI McCOY artwork do you think would have best suit the cover of the book? Please let me know by commenting below or sending an email to brianedwardcollins1[at]gmail.com.

_______________________________________________________________

So… about that book.

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy” features the entire run of Kreigh Collins’ first NEA feature.

Mitzi McCoy Cover 150

MITZI McCOY ran from 1948 to 1950 and showcased Kreigh Collins’ 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 in “The Complete Mitzi McCoy” 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.

The collection includes an introduction by Eisner Award-winning author Frank M. Young, an Afterward by Ithaca College’s Ed Catto, and previously unpublished artwork and photos. Longtime comics artist Butch Guice also provides a new pin-up of the character Mitzi McCoy.

The book is available for $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, please add $25 to cover first class shipping. To place an order, leave a comment below or email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information. Thank you!

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Goofballs

As more is revealed about the counterfeiter gang—Zoe, Gar, and Greenbax—the darker the chapter becomes.

Despite his strong reaction to being blindsided by the thuggish Gar—including a two-fer knockout punch—Tim Graham gets blindsided a second time by the blackjack-wielding Zoe.

Clearly the brains behind their operation, Zoe is also the gang’s secret weapon, with her arresting appearance. The cold-hearted Jezebel does show a bit of a conscience in a beautiful throwaway panel, but she immediately reverts to form, dosing Tim and Stub with barbiturates.

Sgt. Douma was a recurring character. His previous appearance was about a year earlier—shown in this half-tabloid from the New York Sunday Mirror. (I love those old advertisements!)

Knowing her car’s capabilities, Mitzi convinces the skeptical Sgt. Douma to take the wheel of Stub’s hotrod.

To be continued…

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Femme Fatale

In a slight twist of the old “let me show you my etchings” pickup line, it’s Stub who is vulnerable.

Stub knows something fishy is happening, but how could he ignore this gorgeous gal?

Not only does Stub have girl trouble, but now the Secret Service is after him!

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Stub’s New Hobby

MITZI McCOY existed for less than two years, only enough time for 11 distinct chapters. The following story arc was the second-to-last chapter, and is one of my favorites.

All of the following episodes are taken from the Pittsburgh Press, which featured MITZI as the lead comic in its collection of Sunday funnies.

It’s a light-hearted affair, wrapping up the previous chapter. It features some slang I had to look up (“hay burner” = horse), and references the Winston Churchill’s painting hobby (a contemporary development; this episode appeared less than five years after the end of WWII).

Stub soon learns that landscape painting is a young man’s game—something that Kreigh Collins had discovered himself. He was 42 years old at this point, and had been working professionally for over 20 years. During the first fifteen years of hios career, he worked primarily as a painter. He started with landscapes, learning from the esteemed Michigan painter Matthias Alten. Later, in the Depression years, he produced numerous large murals as well as portraits, but his painting career was cut short by a shoulder injury suffered in the mid-1930s. His recovery led to his new focus on pen and ink illustration, which eventually led to his gig as a syndicated Sunday comic strip artist.

I haven’t seen any evidence of my grandfather having ever taken up etching, but for the purpose of the storyline, it makes sense for Stub to take up something “easier” than landscape painting.

While doing research for my MITZI McCOY book, I learned that Collins based Mitzi’s appearance on Rita Hayworth… I wonder who his inspiration was for his new femme fatale (whose name, Zoe, would be revealed in a later episode).

To be continued…

_______________________________________________________________

About that Mitzi McCoy Book…

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy” features the entire run of Kreigh Collins’ first NEA feature.

Mitzi McCoy Cover 150

MITZI McCOY ran from 1948 to 1950 and showcased Kreigh Collins’ 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 in “The Complete Mitzi McCoy” 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.

The collection includes an introduction by Eisner Award-winning author Frank M. Young, an Afterward by Ithaca College’s Ed Catto, and previously unpublished artwork and photos. Longtime comics artist Butch Guice also provides a new pin-up of the character Mitzi McCoy.

The book is available for $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, please add $25 to cover first class shipping. To place an order, leave a comment below or email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information. Thank you!

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Was Bill Watterson a Fan?

I think pretty much everyone is a fan of CALVIN AND HOBBES. Even folks who don’t like comics probably like Bill Watterson‘s amazing creation. But is it possible that Watterson was a fan of KEVIN THE BOLD?

In the spring of 1991, Calvin assumed a new identity.

Calvin the Bold! Though it caused befuddlement in Calvin’s universe, the name sure rings a bell for me!

CALVIN AND HOBBES ran in 2,000 newspapers. To have been the (likely) inspiration for Watterson is quite an honor. KEVIN THE BOLD had been out of print for decades.

Would his new identity last? That would be so cool.

Well, yes, but for only three days (April 8–10, 1991). Besides, it’s bad form to give yourself a nickname. In polite society, sobriquets should be bestowed by others.

December 10, 1950

_____________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

The Iron Turtle

This final installment of this story arc with Leonardo Davinci’s return features another tabloid I received from my late friend Thomas.

Seeing a tabloid example of a late-period KEVIN THE BOLD, remember that when the episode is run as a third-page, the entire fourth tier is deleted—such a giant throwaway panel which eliminated the need for Collins’ original artwork to be severely cropped (as shown in the final episode at bottom).

Leonardo’s “moveable house of armor” goes into action in an episode pieced together from a third-page and a black and white half-page. Reading it closely, I wish that this had been timed to coincide with Major League Baseball’s (semi-) recent Opening Day (it was four weeks ago). Why?

Realizing that love is in the air, Count Vega’s demeanor suddenly changes. In the second panel, he quotes the Song of Soloman (which I hadn’t realized was considered an erotic poem until now—talk about missing the message!) I just knew it as the Biblical passage that former Detroit Tigers announcer (and Hall of Famer) Ernie Harwell would quote each year on Opening Day (“The Voice of the Turtle“). Go Tigers!

The action transitions to the South Sea Islands—a story of buried treasure. Only two more chapters of Kevin’s saga would follow!

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Testing the Catapult

The action continues with a couple black and white half pages. It’s too bad, because this chapter is pretty inspired, from start to finish.

I sense some foreshadowing… what could possibly be in store?

Following the two black and white episodes, a nice color tabloid example is just what the doctor ordered. It’s beautifully illustrated and the witty scripting was likely done by Collins, the Da Vinci enthusiast.

After discovering his blog, I was befriended by a prominent illustrator from Denver. In the post I came across, Thomas Haller Buchanan had featured a late period KEVIN THE BOLD episode that he’d clipped and saved as a teenager. After an email exchange in which I told him my plans to publish my grandfather’s work, Thomas mailed three tabloid episodes to me. He was the first long-distance comics friend I made as I began researching my grandfather; sadly, he passed away this past September. I am most grateful for his kindness and encouragement—and I can certainly understand the appeal these tabloids had to a fifteen-year-old art buff!

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Leonardo Redux

In the ninth chapter of “KEVIN THE BOLD,” Kreigh Collins introduced a character from the pages of history, Leonardo Da VInci. (Other real-life characters occasionally appeared in the comic strip—most notably, King Henry). Fifteen years later, in KEVIN’s 75th chapter, Leonardo reappeared.

Leonardo must have been a favorite of Collins. Only three more chapters would run before the strip morphed into UP ANCHOR!, and injecting Da Vinci into the continuation required a bit of flexibility in the timeline. (The previous chapter was about Captain John Smith, dating the action around 1604, while Leonardo Da Vinci died in 1519). So be it.

Kevin learns that that the Italian inventor is an Artist, Sculptor, Mechanic, and Naturalist—no wonder Collins squeezed Leonardo into the action once more.

Da VInci is shown as an elderly man—he died aged 67 in Amboise, France—despite the glitch in the timeline, Collins had obviously done his research.

To be continued…

_______________________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.

Wanderlust

Currently on view at the Ada Historical Society’s Ada History Center is an exhibit on Kreigh Collins. Located at 7144 Headley St SE, in Ada, Michigan, the wonderful collection of comics and memorabilia will be on view until September.

My uncle Kevin will be speaking, and I will be making a presentation on the international reach of my grandfather’s comic strips. This live event is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024.

More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/adahistorycenter

_____________________________________________________

For more information on the career of Kreigh Collins, visit his page on Facebook.