Cotton-Top Katie-Harry Lampert-1948

This was a series that ran in later issues of ALL-AMERICAN COMICS. The obviously Sheldon Mayer-inspired artwork is from Harry Lampert (as "Harrielle," Harry L, get it?), the first artist on the Golden Age Flash and later an internationally recognized expert and author on the game of Bridge.

Rusty-George Pal's Puppetoons-1947

George Pal's Puppetoons were a hit novelty short subject in theatrical programs for years before Pal graduated to feature films. That's why the characters in this cute story, although obviously in a comic strip, are drawn to look like they're puppets.

Vigilante-Dan Barry-1950

Mort Meskin is justly remembered for this long-running series but here's some smooth art from Dan Barry, long-time FLASH GORDON artist. Does anyone know if Gil Kane was perhaps working with Barry at the time? Dan was known for subcontracting his work in later years but I don't know about early on. He continued working for decades after this, illustrating both PENTHOUSE COMIX and Marvel's BILLY RAY CYRUS one-shot in the 1990s!

Screamy Mimi-Al Wiseman-1956

Couldn't find a Mother's Day-related strip but Mimi's mom figures prominently in this amusing trifle from the back of a 1956 DENNIS THE MENACE comic book. WE ran another episode of this back in 2012 as I still continue to get caught up on missing out on the cartooning  genius of Al Wiseman.

Little Eva-St. John-1952

By request, here's more of LITTLE EVA. I'm revising my earlier pronouncement to say that LITTLE EVA definitely is more in the LITTLE LULU mold than the DENNIS THE MENACE mold. Very cute face and character work and some amusing scenes but I find no online info as to whom to credit with the work. Anybody? LITTLE EVA lasted for 25 issues with the later ones reprinting the earlier ones.

The Human Torch-Dick Ayers-1954

In tribute to the great Dick Ayers, who passed earlier this week, here's a story in which the original Human Torch and Toro battle Godzilla. Well, it LOOKS a lot like Godzilla doesn't it? The thing is that while GOJIRA was released the same year this was published, the Americanized version (with Raymond Burr) didn't show up until nearly two years later. So apparently this was Dick channeling Godzilla from the future! Man, he was good!

For a remembrance on Dick Ayers, written by myself and Craig Yoe, go here.

Altron Boy-Larry Ivie-1967

Larry Ivie passed away this week...according to Kim Deitch. I had heard not long ago that he had passed a while back. Ronn Sutton says that, yes, he died in January.  Either way, here's a tribute to him. 

Ivie was, in a way, a wannabe who never quite made it. But he was part of the birth of CREEPY, part of the creation of THE T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS, and a major part of early comics fandom. He's perhaps best remembered by nostalgic fans, though, for his short-lived MONSTERS & HEROES magazine. Not just another monster mag, it also dealt with serials, jungle movies and comic books, going so far as to serialize Ivie's own ALTRON BOY, of which here we see the first chapter. A tad amateurish perhaps, but so was the work of Wrightson, Kaluta and Jones in those days. 

R.I.P. Larry Ivie