The Complete Mitzi McCoy

Le Casseur

“Mitzi McCoy” was featured in several of Pierre Mouchot‘s French comic book titles—first in Fantax, then in Robin des Bois, Le Casseur, and P’tit Gars. In all, about ⅔ of Mitzi’’s episodes appeared in Mouchot’s titles. Le Caseur, featuring Big Bill, had the longest run of the four, with Mitzi appearing in 20 issues (Nos. 32–51). As with the case of most (all?) of the others, an episode (or more) started inside and concluded on the back cover. I haven’t seen interiors of Le Casseur, but I was able to track down a bunch of the covers (with guidance from my friend Gérard).

The examples above show episodes that came from the third and fourth chapters of “Mitzi McCoy.”

If you’re curious how these look in English (and in full color!), see below for information on how to order “The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy.” 

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Happy Easter!

In 1956, NEA offered an illustration for subscribing newspapers to run on Easter Sunday (or in the case of the reproduction shown here, for the Grand junction, Colorado Daily Sentinel, on Saturday, March 31). Kreigh Collins’ illustration ran in full color, which was a rare occasion (outside of the papers’ Sunday comics). My apologies that I don’t have a color example to show.

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Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy,” is available for immediate delivery at a reduced price; it 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introduction by Eisner Award-winning author Frank M. Young, an Afterward by Ithaca College’s Ed Catto, and previously unpublished artwork and photos.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 costs $30 only $20! For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, add $25 for 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 information.

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

Tip-Top Comics Special No. 3

When I started collecting my grandfather’s Sunday comics, I had no idea they had been repackaged as comic books. I soon learned differently, seeing occasional listings of “Australian edition” comics on eBay, usually featuring KEVIN THE BOLD. Atlas Publications seemed to have the longest run, and other titles were published by both Tip-Top Comics and Thriller Comics.

Because I was working on my Mitzi McCoy collection, the comic book that really caught my eye was Tip-Top’s “Special No. 3,” published by Southdown Press of Melbourne, Australia. Until recently, I never saw it listed for sale, only in google image search results.

The copy I snagged isn’t in very good condition, but I couldn’t resist. I wonder what these comics looked like when they were new, because after laying around for 70 years or so, the ones I have managed to collect are a bit beat up. My copy of “Special No. 3” has some other minor problems—the cover has a crease running horizontally near the bottom, and the pages are torn slightly where they were stapled—but otherwise, it’s intact. It runs 24 pages plus cover, and seems to be printed on both pink and white paper stock (the middle eight pages being white).

Inside, it features three of MITZI’s 12 story arcs; they come near the end of the strip’s run, and include a couple of my favorites. They inside front cover has a brief description of Kreigh Collins’ creation; it includes an error which I find amusing. Introducing the comic strip’s characters, it mentions that the dog is “part wolf.” Tiny is, in fact, an Irish wolfhound—a breed specializing in protection against and for the hunting of wolves. “Special No. 3” kicks off with a story where Tiny, a readers’ favorite, plays a major part. It starts with the sequence’s third episode, and while some of the preamble is lost, the story is still coherent. It begins with the episode that originally appeared on January 15, 1950. (This sequence was also featured in the French comic book P’tit Gars No. 1).

Next up is “Living Pinups,” packed with action. Interestingly, one of the original episodes is omitted (for those keeping score at home, its date is March 19, 1950), and another episode appears minus an entire page-wide panel—most unfortunately. In place of this wonderful example of good girl art is a small fractional ad for RED RYDER (another Tip-Top title). To see both the missing episode and the excised panel, please consider purchasing a copy of my book “The Complete Mitzi McCoy,” details at bottom.

The third and final story arc appearing in “Special No. 3” is “The Counterfeiters,” another great sequence that has more of a noir-ish feel to it than any other found in MITZI McCOY. The comic book’s cover art features redrawn art from the story’s penultimate episode (and the final episode contains the panel I used for the cover of my MITZI book). On the inside back cover are four dailies of a comic called VIRGIL, by Len Kleis.

Strangely, the first episode runs without several panels (and crops and scrunches those that remain) in order to squeeze in the same RED RYDER that appeared a few pages back.

The back cover has an ad for three of the titles on Tip-Top’s roster, RED RYDER, BUCK ROGERS, and HURRICANE HAWK. It makes me wonder if MITZI was a part of the gang on the ads that ran on those comic’s back covers—I can dream!

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Don’t Miss an Episode!

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy,” features the entire run of Kreigh Collins’ first NEA feature, and is available for immediate delivery.

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 costs $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, add $25 for first class shipping. To place an order, email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information.

___________________________________________________________________________________

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

Treachery’s Reward

Struken’s perfidy comes with a steep price.

Knowing no other attack route, Moab’s men charge at the mountain pass.

Kismet took Struken; it also brought together a pair of old friends.

Pedro’s project, mentioned by Colonel Santiago, leads to Kevin’s very final adventure.

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All I Want for Christmas

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy,” features the entire run of Kreigh Collins’ first NEA feature, and is available for immediate delivery. Order today to ensure that the collection arrives in time for the holidays.

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 Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, 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 costs $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, add $25 for first class shipping. To place an order, email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information.

___________________________________________________________________________________

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

The Horsethief

As Kevin and Giza chat, Struken becomes enraged.

Missing from the one-third page version is a strong element of menace toward poor Giza. Meanwhile, Kevin finds himself in a more comfortable situation.

Kevin’s act of kindness toward Eugene has landed him in hot water. Traditionally, punishment for horse theft was severe, even if the animal didn’t have a royal pedigree.

To be continued…

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Extra! Extra!

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy,” features the entire run of Kreigh Collins’ first NEA feature, and is available for immediate delivery.

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 Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, 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 costs $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, add $25 for first class shipping. To place an order, email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information.

___________________________________________________________________________________

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

The Lipizzaners

The following story arc ran in mid-1968 and was “Kevin the Bold” ’s penultimate sequence, appearing just before the strip morphed into “Up Anchor!” It ran over the course of 18 weeks and seems to have been deliberately included as sort of a grand finale—its subject matter was something very close to Collins’ heart. I don’t have original examples of five of the episodes, including the first four, but I do have color half pages of most of them, so stick around.

This is the story of the breed of horses known as Lipizzaners.

Being a student of history, Kreigh Collins may have previously heard of Lipizzaners, but his familiarity with the breed grew in the late 1950s. Kreigh’s wife was Theresa (Teddy), and her sister Esther had married a man named Tempel Smith. My great uncle Temp started a steel company in 1945 that prospered mightily in the post-war era, such that after witnessing a performance of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, he and his wife purchased and imported 20 Lipizzan horses, and started a riding school on their property in northern Illinois. Given their royal heritage and striking appearance, Collins knew Lipizzaners would be a perfect feature for “Kevin the Bold.”

Tempel Smith’s daughter, Martha Smith Simpson (RIP) at the 1958 Arrival of Lipizzans to the United States, the start of the Tempel Lipizzans.

In Kevin’s adventures, coincidences abound, and in a stroke of kismet, I found myself in Lipica, Yugolslavia, in the summer of 1988. Now part of Slovenia, it is home to the Lipica Stud Farm, the origin of the Lipizzan horse. I was visiting with my mother and step-father, and taken there by some Italian friends who were acting as guides, so the fact that I had a sort of family connection to the place was indeed a coincidence. Of course, our tour guide at the stud farm knew all about Tempel Smith. (In another bit of serendipity, last night I was going through some of my mother’s old photo albums, and came across these pictures and souvenirs, just in time to include here).

My friend Fabrizia and I making acquaintance with one of the horses.

Kevin has set about a very long journey on foot—he’d likely offer his kingdom for a horse, but alas, he doesn’t even own any land. (Long ago, he set off from Moya McCoy in search of wealth in order that he might return to Ireland and marry her—but those plans seem long dashed).

Because the Austrians have fallen under attack from the Turks, horses are being conscripted into military service. Fritz, the top trainer at the Lipizzaners’ training facility, has decided he can’t bear to send his prized stallion to war unaccompanied.

To be continued…

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Before Kevin, there was Mitzi

“The Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, the Complete Mitzi McCoy,” now available directly from its editor (moi!), 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 Lost Art of Kreigh Collins, 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’s price is $30. For domestic shipping, add $4; for international orders, first class shipping costs $25. (A recent order sent from New Jersey to France took 10 calendar days to be delivered). To place an order, email me at BrianEdwardCollins1[at]gmail.com, and I will give you PayPal or Venmo information.

___________________________________________________________________________________

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