Database Update

Finally manage to dig out the work pile that was lost during the down time. So a new batch of entries added over the last few days.

Update includes:
Algernon and Doody , Anthony & Cleopatra, Banty, Bernie The Fox, Biff, Bobby Bragg, Boidie, Boogie Beaver, Boris Bear and Sonny, Bouncy Bunny, Buffalo Bunny, Casper Cat, Cedric, Chadwick Crow, Charley Chimp, Chicken Hearted, Chip Chipmunk, Chippo Chipmunk, Dilly, Dodger De Squoil, Dumb Bunny, Dumb Donkey, Earl The Squirrel, Fatso, Fenwell Fox, Fergy Frog, Fin 'n' Haddi 'n' Mammy, Flip and Flopper, Flitty Flicker, Gilbert, Goopie and Soupie, Happy Hound, Hennery Hound, Horatio, Horatio Hound, Jack Rabbit, Judge Pupple, Kangy Roo, Kenneth Kangaroo, Kuddly Kubs, Lardy, Lumps, Marty, Oinkie, Old Tabby,Pa Pig & Junior, Parker Penguin, Peanuts The Monkey, Pete Parrot, Peter Pigg, Piggly Pete, Pinto, Porthole, Private Bobby Beagle, Rollo Rabbit, Rusty Rooster, Sappy The Sportsman, Scallawag Scotty, Shilly & Shally, Simp Squirrel, Snowzer, Sonny Seal, Squirrely, Storekeeper Stan, Sum Cluck, Sylvester, The Street Cleaner, Throcmorton, Torchy The Little Red Duck, Trembly Tim, Tubby Bear, Tuffy, Two-Gun Gilly, Uncle "Awful" Boar, Whitey Weasel, "Wilbur", Wildcat Willie, Willoughby Wolf, Willy & Wally, and Young Hippo.

That's about 80 new listings in the database, bringing the total to...   yeah - I've got no clue. We'll sort that another day.

I think the next update will focus more on filling in holes in information for entries already listed, and adding in more artwork along the way. Maybe we'll even get started on some sort of Creator Index listings.

All Top Chambers

All Top Comics from Fox (not that Fox) ran for 18 1/2 issues starting in the spring of 1946. After that, it changed the title and format to My Experience for four issues, then to Judy Canova for a trio of issues before ceasing publication with issue #3. (23, 24, 3 - comics!)
But, we don't really care about any of that today - just the beginning.

For the first seven and a half issues, the format was Funny Animal comics. Perhaps most significantly, Cosmo Cat began his first adventures in All Top, starting in the first issue.

Those early issues of All Top featured - we think - four tales drawn by Ellis Chambers, including the aforementioned Cosmo Cat story - though that was is merely presumed, not confirmed.
The first two stories ran previously on the main blog. I suspect we'll copy more over time so as to collect it all here.

All Top Comics #1 - Cosmo Cat / The Lollipop Fiend:

For this second tale, Ellis Chambers is the 'best guess' by historians on who drew the tale. When some are trying to deduce the artist,  they note that the bottom of panel two contains what appears to be an box with artist's initials semi-obscured by white-out. While some say it looks like an E.L., they also note that there was nobody with those initials known to be active in the field at the time.

However, that EL could just as easily be a more completely hidden EC, and Chambers was known to draw a box around his initials at times. (He even signed with just an empty box on occasion, but that's not what we're looking at here.)

All Top Comics #3 - Cosmo Cat / The Fourth Dimension:

These next two tales he signed, so there's little doubt to the artist. There are others that he may have drawn during the early run of All Top, but we're sticking with just the four that are presumed to be his work. At least, until convincing arguments are made for other stories.

All Top Comics #5 - Señor Tamale / What Magical Magic!:

All Top Comics #6 - Cosmo Cat / Real Heavy Artillery:

With issue number 8, the format switched to Jungle Comics and Matt Baker was the new look of the book. The animals weren't so funny any more...

page art by Ellis Holly Chambers for All Top Comics #s 1, 3, 5, & 6 (1946, 1947)

Presto! More Howie!

Continuing from our previous post, here's the remaining Presto Pete, The Magic Bunny comics drawn (and signed) by Howie Post -

Animal Antics #15:

Animal Antics #16:

Animal Antics #17:

Animal Antics #18:

Animal Antics #20:

Sharp-eyed readers might note that we jumped from issue 18 to 20 up there. The reason for that is because there's a bit of a problem with the only copy of #19 to which i have access. It's a small thing, but not insignificant. You'll see when we get to the end...

Animal Antics #19:

So - there's the problem. The final panel suffers from a piece torn from the page. We see how it ends, but not the final comment/joke.
And so we have our first bit of discussion fodder/comment bait/creative corner/etcetera -

What should that last panel say?
And - yes, if you have the original issue, you can cheat. Just let us know so that we know what it actually should read.

And, because there are some other oddballs out there - some are going to be like me and want to know - what is that advertisement showing through the page?
Got ya covered -

page art by Howie Post for Animal Antics #s 15-20 (1948, 1949)