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!

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

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!

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

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…

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

Despite getting away with the gold, the greedy Hammerhead schemes to cut Frenchy out of the deal—and turn him into the fall guy.

However, suspecting as much, Frenchy returns with a plan to turn the tables on Hammerhead. A detail I hadn’t previously noticed was Captain Frenchie’s peg leg. Reviewing the previous episodes indicates it was indeed apparent, but I didn’t catch any references to it in the captions or dialog.

A term that could perhaps use an explanation, the “ship’s boat,” is found in the final panel. Not a redundancy, the ship being a large vessel and its boat being the small utility boat it carried (or towed).

Despite his injured leg, Kevin manages to ensnare Frenchy and alert the soldiers at Governor Pedro’s fort. The chapter concludes, and in an extremely unlikely transition, Kevin and the Elysia are blown a bit off course (more than 8,000 miles!). The storm managed to send the Elysia all the south way from the Irish Sea, until it rounds Cape Horn and eventually settles… in Japan (and another 10,000 miles off course).

That chapter can be found here.

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

A rare case of clumsiness leaves Kevin in a tough spot.

I don’t have any color versions of these three episodes, but Kreigh Collins’ amazing linework really shines in these black and white velox proofs.

Dramatically rendered in three silent panels, Kevin climbs aboard, despite a bum ankle.

Meanwhile, Pedro is nervous about the gold…

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

Hammerhead enlightens Captain Frenchy.

The beautifully-illustrated February 10 episode, and the ones that follow, are brightened by the appearance of Carmine, Pedro’s wife.

Carmine, certainly lovely to gaze upon, is also kind-hearted—but unfortunately, her good nature will lead to trouble.

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

The following chapter of Kevin’s adventures originally appeared 61 years ago, in early 1963. It ran for 12 weeks, and most of the episodes consist of black and white velox proofs, supplemented with color versions wherever possible.

The sequence’s introductory panel introduces the villains, Bill Hammerhead and Captain Frenchy.

The unexpected encounter leads to Bill gaining an ally in his audacious plan to steal gold from King Henry.

Fine-tuning their plan at an alehouse, the two quickly insult Molly, a lovely young barmaid. Everyone takes notice when the royal coach arrives, with Molly greeting Kevin with some of her establishment’s malty refreshment. She also gives him the welcome news that leads to a happy reunion.

Bill Hammerhead’s plan, as yet undelineated, seems to involve the old switcheroo.

To be continued…

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