Christmas In October

When I blogged the Coogy Columbus Day post, I found out that they were already celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada! What the heck is going on here? The absolute nerve! Not to be beaten to the punch again, I'm skipping this coming November's scheduled T-day post and going straight on to Christmas. On December 25th, expect my July 4th post, unless somewhere else someone is celebrating their Independence Day before that.



I have no idea who drew this card. Likely, the conversation went this way:

ARTIST (to Spec): Uh, Spec, what are we going to do about an Xmas card?

SPEC: Good idea -- hadn't thought about it. Would you like to do it?

ARTIST: I'd love to.

And so there ya go.

You're in the army now...

...You're not behind a plow
You'll never get rich
By digging a ditch...

Hey, you know that old military tune, don't you? Well, here's a bunch of mugs that I doubt ever dug ditches in the Army. More than likely, they never even had to get behind a plow; rather, they were behind lightboards. That would be my own dad, front-right. The identities of the other guys are open to your suggestions.

The above photo had to be taken when many of the Army Signal Corps Animation Unit was moved from Astoria (Queen, NY) into Manhattan. How can we tell? Check the date-stamp at the bottom of the photograph.

Here's an envelope that Vince Fago -- then at Timely -- sent my dad while he moonlighted comics during his Army stint (and he wasn't the only one doing that.) I wonder what was in it.

Funny Frolics #1? That's his penciled handwriting on the cover. I guess he wanted some credit.

My dad was so delighted that eight years later he snuck Vince into the New York Herald Tribune! Check out the name on the green door, middle tier center.

However, life can be tough in the military, especially when you have to draw all day long. I own plenty of drawings from those days, although I'm usually hesitant to attribute them to my dad unless I have some sort of corroborating evidence. As my dad was often hesitant to sign his work, I am always grateful when I can find a single drawing with his signature that leads me to believe that I can, by drawing style, accredit more to him. Now, I'm not saying whether the artwork is good enough or not to be post-worthy, I'm just saying they exist, so why keep them in a box?

Troop dismissed!

Watch This

COOGY: Columbus Day Special (Black and White and Sunday Color)

Yes this post is premature, as Columbus Day is celebrated in the States a few days from now, this coming Monday the 12th. Yet, this post came together so quickly that I figure we might as well get a jump on the matter and trump all those other bloggers whom I know will try and do the same thing.

I put Special in the title because not only do I have the originals but also their corresponding published Sunday color strip, and so now, for the first time on Spectorphile, we get to see them side by side. Now, to some that might be redundant but I figure it was more than just a serendipitous event because I actually have only three of the five episodic originals and likewise the same exact ones for the colors. We can not deny the hand of fate, my friends. Plus, rather than teasing you by serializing it and making you return here over the next few days until Monday, I'm giving it to you all at once!

Politically, Columbus Day divies up people, depending upon which point of view one takes. But Spectorohile doesn't deal in politics, we just deal in cartoony stuff. However, we will say that if you are foolish enough to attempt a crosstown drive in Manhattan this Monday during the time the parade strolls down the Avenue, you will be cursing Columbus's arse over the fact that he ever left port in the first place.

October 21, 1951:

November 4, 1951:





November 18, 1951: