Martin Branner

Sjors No. 45 – Kevin O’Kelly

Finding new foreign versions of KEVIN THE BOLD is exciting, but someone else doing the research and taking the time to send me scans of a new incarnation of Kevin is incredible. A huge thank you to my friend Arnaud from the Netherlands, who sent me scans of an entire comic book. In addition to the images, Arnaud provided me with a load of background information on the other comics included, for which I am also grateful.

Sjors No. 45 was published in November, 1968, and this issue is likely the only one to feature Kreigh Collins’ hero, renamed KEVIN O’KELLY for the Dutch market. I always wonder if my grandfather was aware of these overseas publications, but no doubt he would have had a particular fondness for this one. Kreigh’s wife, Theresa, was born in Michigan, but her parents had both emigrated from the Netherlands c. 1900. The envelope of a mid-1940’s Christmas card from Kreigh to “Teddy” didn’t have her name on it, but had an illustration of a pair of wooden shoes.

The comic book’s cover illustration was created by Bert Bus, a Dutch comic legend who specialized in science fiction comics (CLIFF RENDALL, 1963–1965; and LANCE BARTON, 1967–1968). Outside of the Netherlands, he is known only for his take on ROBOT ARCHIE, originally a British comic strip. Besides the four spreads featuring KEVIN O’KELLY, Sjors No. 45 featured about a dozen other comic titles, plus a couple of extras, a “Parade of Stars” that featured current music acts, a page on sports cars, and a crossword puzzle.

I dig the Electric Prunes, but wasn’t familiar with the Eddysons (a bubblegum pop group from Rotterdam with at least one charming music video) or David Garrick, a British musician who achieved some success in Germany and the Netherlands (his video is also pretty sweet).

KEVIN O’KELLY begins on page 4, and consists of 13 KEVIN THE BOLD episodes from early 1966, condensed somewhat to fit a comic book format.

Much of the original artwork for late-period KEVIN THE BOLD is included Syracuse University Library’s Special Collections Research Center, including most of the episodes featured in Sjors No. 45.

I have not yet featured this story arc so these colorful Dutch renderings will have to suffice for now.

Besides the editing done by resequencing and eliminating certain panels, another difference is the elimination of any monochromatic or two-tone panels that widely appeared in the originals. The result is a much more colorful story presentation.

The March 13, 1966 episode features the splash panel that inspired Bert Bus’ cover illustration. That episode also includes a nasty bit of violence by the thuggish Gar against the lovely Nancy—but fear not, soon enough the brave lass gets sweet revenge with a small sledge hammer.

Next up is a version of BILLY BUTNER, by the British cartoonist Reg Parlett, renamed BILLIE TURF for the Dutch market, and a host of other comics for which I have no background information.

The final spread, above, contains the comic book’s titular comic, the Dutch version of Martin Branner’s PERRY WINKLE. Originally titled SJORS, the name changed to SJORS EN SJIMMIE when the Black character Sjimmie was added to the strip. Unfortunately, Sjimmie was originally drawn as a racial stereotype, but a year later (1969), his appearance changed so that it was less offensive.

The back cover featured SKIPPY DE KANGOEROE, who apparently knew how to surf.

Thanks again to Arnaud for the scans and background information, and apologies for this hastily-written post.

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

December 25, 1955

Caught in a sticky situation in the French royal hunting preserve, Kevin solves one problem by making friends with the French king. But with Vasco lurking, trouble is in store.

Speaking of trouble, for a second week KEVIN THE BOLD didn’t run in the Chicago Sunday Tribune. (Thanks again to Dale for pointing out this anomaly to me). Beggars can’t be choosers and I suppose I should be happy with my Florida Times-Union KEVIN THE BOLD half page, but it’s a shame this one has so much show-through.

So what’s the funny business in the funnies?

Other than DICK TRACY running on the first page, the Tribune doesn’t seem to have a set order for its comics section.

Chester Gould’s strip is followed by some third-pagers: DAVY CROCKETT, FRONTIERSMAN (Jim McArdle, scripting by Ed Herron; Columbia Features); MOON MULLINS (Frank Willard); and DENNIS THE MENACE (Hank Ketcham; Post-Hall Syndicate). The third page features a mash-up of seven Tribune Syndicate comic strips as a one-off Christmas special: BRENDA STARR, REPORTER (Dale Messick); MOSTLY MALARKY (Wallace Carlson); SMILIN’ JACK (Zack Mosley); SMITTY (Walter Berndt); LOLLY (Pete Hansen); AGGIE MACK (Hal Rasmusson); and THE FLIBBERTYS (Ray Helle). Underneath the holiday greeting was a half-page LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE (Harold Gray). Next up were GASOLINE ALLEY (Bill Perry); WINNIE WINKLE (Martin Branner); AN OLD GLORY STORY/DANIEL BOONE (Rick Fletcher, scripts by Athena Robbins); TERRY AND THE PIRATES (George Wunder); DONDI (Irwin Hasen, script by Gus Edson); JED COOPER, AMERICAN SCOUT (by Dick Fletcher, scripts by Lloyd Wendt); FERD’NAND (Henning “Mik” Mikkelsen, United Features Syndicate); SMOKEY STOVER (Bill Holman); TEXAS SLIM (Ferd Johnson); TINY TIM (Stanley Link); and THE TEENIE WEENIES (William Donahay).

The Trib’s comic section again skipped three of its standards: KEVIN THE BOLD (Newspaper Enterprise Association), CAESAR (William Timyn), and KING AROO (Jack Kent, McClure Newspaper Syndicate). Omitting these and combining seven others into a single half-page opened up space for the Tribune to feature a rendering of Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Credited to Don Sinks (illustrations) and Leon Harpole (text adaptation), the story, distilled into a dozen panels, appeared on the back page of the comics section.

I was unable to come up with any biogrphical information on Sinks, but for Harpole it was easier. From 1924 to 1956, Harpole was employed by the Chicago Sunday Tribune—as editor of the early mail editions, assistant Sunday editor, acting Sunday editor, and rotogravure editor and picture editor of the Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine. That’s quite a few hats for one head to wear, and points to a successful 32-year career at the Trib.

Harpole’s biographical information appeared in a story from the Friday, April 10, 1959 edition of the Florida Southern College’s daily, The Southern. In fact, Harpole had left his gig at the Tribune for a faculty post in Lakeland, Florida, as Director of Journalism at Florida Southern (where he was an adviser to The Southern). I’m assuming the curriculum included tips on cross-promotion.

Six years earlier, Kreigh Collins’ retelling of The Christmas Story was featured in the Tribune; generic half-page MITZI McCOY episodes ran on Saturdays for five weeks. For Collins and his syndicate, it was a feather in their cap—the first time an NEA comic strip had appeared in the Trib. However, despite concerted efforts by NEA, the paper declined to add MITZI McCOY to its roster of Sunday comics. Now, to have KEVIN THE BOLD (his “brainchild”) bumped like this must have stung.

As December drew to a close, perhaps some Tribune readers were also wondering what the new year would bring.

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

December 18, 1955

After a nice, long run of half pages from the Chicago Sunday Tribune, there is a hole in my collection—and for good reason, it turns out. Fortunately, I have 105 episodes from the Florida Times-Union for the years 1955-56. These were the first KEVIN THE BOLD episodes I purchased, nearly 20 years ago. Due to the way they had been stored, there was a lot of ink showing through from their reverse sides, and their coloring wasn’t that great to begin with (so much magenta!), so the initial thrill they gave me has subsided to a degree.

But I digress. Kevin, Brett, and Sari have set off for Paris to try to clear up the mystery surrounding Sari’s birth. Kevin was prepared for trouble, and found it soon enough.

The most rewarding part of blogging my grandfather’s comics over the past six-plus years is making the acquaintance of so many of his fans. The insight and knowledge they share is always appreciated, and what has been most surprising to me is how the most passionate fans seem to come from overseas. While my newest comics buddy is from the United States, I include him with the overseas group since he lives in Hawaii. Dale clued me in to the reason for the hole in my run of Tribune episodes—in late 1955, the esteemed comics section actually dropped KEVIN THE BOLD!

I was aware that the paper had dropped my grandfather’s strip for good at the end of the decade, but this development took me completely by surprise. A look at the Trib’s complete comic section for December 18 proves Dale’s point.

Nearly all of the comics were from the Trib’s own syndicate. As usual, DICK TRACY (Chester Gould) leads off. It is followed by a string of third-pagers: TINY TIM (Stanley Link); SMITTY (Walter Berndt); AN OLD GLORY STORY/DANIEL BOONE (Rick Fletcher, scripts by Athena Robbins); BRENDA STARR, REPORTER (Dale Messick); MOON MULLINS (Frank Willard); MOSTLY MALARKY (Wallace Carlson); SMOKEY STOVER (Bill Holman) and a couple of third-page ads (for Pacquins Anti-Detergent Hand Cream and Ben-Gay). Next up are half-page episodes of LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE (Harold Gray) and TERRY AND THE PIRATES (George Wunder). These are followed by more thirds: JED COOPER, AMERICAN SCOUT (by Dick Fletcher, scripts by Lloyd Wendt); WINNIE WINKLE (Martin Branner); and THE FLIBBERTYS (Ray Helle). Beneath a half-page DONDI (Irwin Hasen, script by Gus Edson) is LOLLY (a third-page by Pete Hansen) and the topper ZE GEN’RAL (Bob Leffingwell). Toward the back of the comics section is another raft of third-pagers: SMILIN’ JACK (Zack Mosley); FERD’NAND (Henning “Mik” Mikkelsen, United Features Syndicate); DENNIS THE MENACE (Hank Ketcham; Post-Hall Syndicate); DAVY CROCKETT, FRONTIERSMAN (Jim McArdle, scripting by Ed Herron; Columbia Features); TEXAS SLIM (Ferd Johnson); and THE TEENIE WEENIES (William Donahay). The back page of the section has a vertical half page version of GASOLINE ALLEY (Bill Perry) flanked by an ad for Mennen gift sets.

Tribune comic sections didn’t usually run so many ads, but this was the Christmas season, and something had to give. Besides KEVIN THE BOLD (Newspaper Enterprise Association), the section was also missing CAESAR (William Timyn) and KING AROO (Jack Kent; McClure Newspaper Syndicate).

Continued next week…

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