In today’s comic book story appropriate for the continuing summer monhts, Chip n’ Dale trick Donald Duck into believing he has the “summer wummies” so they can use him as a motorboat for water skiing.
From Chip ‘n’ Dale #6 (June-August 1956)—cover drawn and inked by Harvey Eisenberg; interior story drawn and inked by the prolific Jack Bradbury.
2021-07-27 15:21:34 +0000 UTC View Post
In this comic book story, Papa Bear thinks he can raise Junior better than Mama, so he buys an instructional book and tries to do everything in order to bring up Junior from the beginning.
Originally published in the Dell Giant magazine Bugs Bunny's Vacation Funnies #2 (July 1952), this story was drawn and inked by Phil De Lara, making it appear as if Bob McKimson directed a Three Bears cartoon.
2021-07-26 16:49:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Tex Avery’s Hollywood Steps Out, released in 1941, is mostly seen in its “Blue Ribbon” reissue from October 1948. Many animation fans are aware that this version of Avery’s film excised a few sequences, including its ending.
During the conga sequence, Gary Cooper and Shirley Temple were included in the original 1941 version but were cut in the reissue, due to the irrelevance of...
2021-07-13 13:34:51 +0000 UTC View Post
Here’s another rare Captain and the Kids cartoon presented here on Patreon—Buried Treasure, released September 17, 1938. In this entry, Hans and Fritz draw up a phony treasure map that manages to fool both Der Kaptain (Billy Bletcher) and Long John Silver (Mel Blanc).
This is sourced from a screen recording via the WatchTCM app, so the frame rate might not be ideal. However, this is one of a handful of Captain and the Kids cartoons not inc...
2021-07-03 16:27:40 +0000 UTC View Post
Apologies for the slight delay, but now I am able to present a restoration comparison on Jail Birds (1931), starring Flip the Frog!
Sourced from the original 35mm fine-grain master positive, this was already a relatively crisp-looking raw scan, though there were some sections that had their share of problems. One example I showed last week involved a series of horizontal streaks that needed to be erased. Usually in the Flip cartoons during a pivotal moment such as this scene, t...
2021-06-28 13:32:21 +0000 UTC View Post
Nothing like a nice, cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day—in this comic book story, Bugs Bunny starts his own lemonade stand, but finds he is missing a few key ingredients, especially ice.
From Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #56 (June 1946)—drawn, inked and lettered by Tom McKimson.
2021-06-23 17:58:42 +0000 UTC View Post
As some of you might now, I’ve been chipping away on digital clean-up for Jail Birds, a solid Flip the Frog cartoon from 1931. The above left/right comparison is an example of how far I am willing to go above and beyond to make these films look great. This being a pretty clean-looking raw scan, this was the only real “problem frame,” as I like to call them—using some intricate masking and Photoshop work. It might not be entirely perfect, but I’m pleased with the results. 2021-06-19 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
In today’s comic book story (drawn and inked by Phil De Lara), Chip n’ Dale try to find a way to keep cool from the intense summer heat. From Chip n’ Dale #14 (June-August 1958).
2021-06-12 15:11:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Like “The Hitch Hikers” with Heckle and Jeckle, previously shared on this Patreon, today’s comic book story is an adaptation of a Terrytoon with the same name, The Wolf’s Pardon, released December 1947. Interestingly, this six-page story (drawn by animator Carlo Vinci) far surpasses the cartoon in m...
2021-05-30 15:56:40 +0000 UTC View Post
The votes have been cast and I've decided to put the idea into motion!
As I've mentioned recently, I will share three animator breakdowns of Warner Bros. cartoons directed by Bob McKimson in a randomized order at the $10 level, starting tomorrow. Then in two weeks, the first video in line will be presented by itself at the $3+ level, and another title will assume its place.
Just to clarify - The Shell-Shocked Egg (...
2021-05-22 11:21:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Greetings, readers and loyal Patrons! Today, I’ve come to ask you for your suggestion. As many of you know, director Bob McKimson saved almost all of the animation drafts for his Warners cartoons and were acquired by the late Dave Butler. (The drafts for Hollywood Canine Canteen and Hobo Bobo have not been able to be located, sadly.) Many of these have been sold for auction in the...
2021-05-11 13:10:51 +0000 UTC View Post
Here is a special comic book story centered around Mother's Day featuring little Henery Hawk! In this story, Henery treats all his classmates to their local movie theater to win a set of fine china as a prize as his Mother's Day gift. Also featured in the story is Tweety Pie, in one of his earliest comic book appearances on the first page.
From Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #80 (June 1948)—drawn, inked and lettered by Vive Risto.
2021-05-09 12:36:19 +0000 UTC View Post
A few months after his first screen appearance in Bob Clampett's Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid (1942), the dopey buzzard— patterned after Edgar Bergen's Mortimer Snerd— was christened Beaky Buzzard in a series of featured stories in Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics. Soon after, he is mentioned by name in Clampett's 2021-04-28 15:00:22 +0000 UTC View Post
Originally produced as Donald Duck in Nutzi Land, the title of this cartoon changed after a song written by Oliver Wallace became a popular recording by Spike Jones and His City Slickers for RCA Victor a few months before the film’s release. A...
2021-04-24 16:52:35 +0000 UTC View Post
Now here is a real treat—a comic book story featuring Woody Woodpecker drawn by Laverne (Verne) Harding, one of the first female animators in the West Coast. Harding was certainly no stranger to the comics medium, as the artist behind “Cynical Susie,” a syndicated newspaper strip for United Feature Syndicate from 1933 to 1935, after which the penciling duties were succeeded by Bernard Dibble. An accomplished animator in her own right, Harding started at Lantz...
2021-04-22 18:49:56 +0000 UTC View Post
Attention, readers and loyal Patrons - next weekend, there will be an animator breakdown on the Oscar-winning wartime cartoon Der Fuehrer's Face, offered at $3 and above!
This information is courtesy of the invaluable JB Kaufman, who took the time to provide his notes culled from his research on the upcoming Donald Duck (co-authored by David Gerstein) for this video.
2021-04-14 19:00:36 +0000 UTC View Post
Long before Bugs ran up against Yosemite Sam in a mayoral election in Ballot Box Bunny, Bugs was up against “twusty” Elmer Fudd, with Porky as Bugs' “champagne” manager. From Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies Comics #54 (April 1946)—drawn, inked and lettered by Tom McKimson.
2021-04-09 18:36:29 +0000 UTC View Post
For Easter Sunday, here is an animator breakdown video of Funny Little Bunnies! This information is courtesy of JB Kaufman/Russell Merritt’s 2021-04-04 16:41:38 +0000 UTC View Post
I wanted to make this post special by providing animator sheets for this cartoon, but as of now, the UCLA Special Collections that holds the Walter Lantz Animation Archive is still closed. I hope that you will like this post just the same.
The Egg-Crack...
2021-04-03 19:52:36 +0000 UTC View Post
"Freddie, I said time to get ready!"
To start of the Easter weekend special, here is the dream sequence from Michael Curtiz’s My Dream Is Yours (1949), starring Doris Day and Jack Carson and a guest app...
2021-04-02 19:33:27 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey, folks - from Friday to Saturday, I will be posting some Easter-related content, including the live-action/animation segment from My Dream Is Yours, which has been recently been released in high-definition! This will all be offered free for the public and on top of all that, the links will not be taken down - they'll be here to stay. Hope you all like it!
2021-04-01 23:24:11 +0000 UTC View Post
At last, spring is here again! Here is a story featuring Scamp, drawn and inked by Al Hubbard from Walt Disney’s Scamp #13 (March 1960).
A little backstory: In the final sequence of Lady and the Tramp (1955), the couple have a litter of puppies—three daughters that resemble Lady and an ornery son that resembles the Tramp. Even though the unnamed pups only appear in those last scenes of the film, the little boy puppy was well received by King Features Syndicat...
2021-03-22 03:54:15 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here's a story from Mighty Mouse #11, written and drawn by Jim Tyer.
A little trivia: on page 3, there are some inside jokes alluded to key members at Paul Terry's studio. "Mrs. Morrison" is a reference to Tom Morrison, one of the key story men who also provided voices for many of the characters, including Mighty Mouse himself. In addition, "Old Man Donnelly" is a reference to director Eddie Donnelly. However, I'm not qui...
2021-03-16 15:54:48 +0000 UTC View Post
Here is a special Sunday surprise as promised! Steve Stanchfield has recently received a 2K scan of Jail Birds with Flip the Frog, released September 26, 1931. Obviously, no clean-up work has been done yet, but it looks amazing, don't it? Screen grabs 2, 4 and 6 are from scenes animated by Grim Natwick.
2021-03-14 16:56:58 +0000 UTC View Post
If you saw the announcement yesterday, I’d like to present this exclusive animator breakdown of Barnyard Babies! Released May 25, 1935 and processed in two color Technicolor, this is one of the Happy Harmonies produced by Hugh Harman...
2021-03-13 17:22:14 +0000 UTC View Post
Greetings, Patrons! I have stepped out of my absence to bring you a special surprise for tomorrow!
At long last, there will be an exclusive animator breakdown video being offered at the $3+ level. The short is Barnyard Babies, a 1935 entry in the Happy Harmonies series produced by Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising (with Ising as the director.) It might not be the ideal cartoon to elicit sheer excitement, giv...
2021-03-12 22:46:34 +0000 UTC View Post
Here's another winter-themed story from Tom and Jerry's Winter Fun #7 (1958), drawn by Harvey Eisenberg! In this story, Jerry and Tuffy pose as Tom's own children on a visit to his nearsighted Grandpa's winter cabin.
2021-02-24 15:25:32 +0000 UTC View Post
The snow has been relentless this winter, especially in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. I hope everyone is keeping safe out there.
Here is a Fox and the Crow story from Real Screen Comics #50 (May 1952)—script by Hubie Karp, drawn and inked by James Davis.
2021-02-18 17:25:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Apologies for the delay yet again, I’ve been preparing a culinary delicacy, free of charge—a nice serving of Louisiana Back Bay Bayou Bunny Bord...
2021-02-09 17:48:40 +0000 UTC View PostApologies for the lack of content last month—restoration work has kept me busier than ever. I don’t want to reveal what I’m working on just yet, but just note these are important (live-action) shorts films that are long over-due for an HD release.
Since I am grateful for the patience from readers and loyal Patrons, this weekend I’m going to publish an “animator breakdown” video to the public for free!
Also, I would like to share this...
2021-02-05 23:59:57 +0000 UTC View Post