Blue Monday Blues

Hardware issues from last year re-manifesting in the main system, causing much difficulties around here. Posting might get a bit sporadic for a bit. Fortunately, i access the net through an ancient laptop, so we can still get a quickie post up for today's Blue Monday in our adult content back room.

We've got a trio of odds & ends that were in the digital pile - a set of plates from  D. Bruce Berry, whom i know best from his work inking Jack Kirby during his DC time in the 70s. These come to us from the Weirdbook zine back in '79. Following that, a brief History Of Art by Roy Lartigue from 1960's 7 11 magazine. (Whether Roy is a name, or a title for a more well-known Latrigue, i've yet to find time to ascertain) And lastly, Choice Cuts - a short piece by Cary Bates and Russ Heath coming to us from Vampirella 40 years ago.
Here are 4 of the 6 portfolio plates from Berry -

The other two plates, and other two features, may be viewed in the full version of this post on The Other Voice Of ODD!

 pages from Weirdbook #14, 7 11 (March'60), and Vampirella #67 (1960, 1978, 1979)

'Mazing Solutions

Before we get to the mazes, a tip of the hat* to Top Cat James for correctly identified the odd Marvel magazine that sourced our puzzles this week - Pizzazz!

Yeah, i know there's no exclamation point in the printed title, but doesn't it seem like there should be one?

Okay, for anyone who's lost and needs a map to find their way out, here are the keys to yesterday's mazes:

As we saw yesterday, though Spider-Man adorns the cover at the top of this page, the cover of Pizzazz(!) wasn't limited to Marvel characters...

...or even characters from the same franchise...

...in fact, sometimes it could get a little crazy...

...or a little crazed...

Think that might be "Hydra" Cap?

Hell (Demonically presented), sometimes it even got ugly...

...it was a weird little magazine while it lasted.

But let me note, that while i used Ugly for that cover above, i do love Meatloaf and think that Paradise By The Dashboard Light is one of the all-time great rock songs. However, watching  him perform may be a thing of beauty, but it is not pretty. So i stand by the comment for the cover image, but with respect and adoration.

puzzles and covers from Pizzazz magazine (1977, 1978)

===
*(Pork Pie? Boater? What type of hat did Top Cat wear?)

Easter Fool's Day?

Y'know, April Fool's Day and Easter make for a strange mix at the concept level, implying the greatest prank ever pulled. It leaves me to wonder what we'll be seeing today and over the coming week.

Me? I'm not going there just now, even if my mind wasn't bound up with other concerns of late.
Instead, let's reach back to the old web comic once again and pull up some holiday greetings from several years back to kick off our special occasion Sunday Morning Funnies -

Obviously, we like things odd around here.
When it comes to doing Easter Odd, one man has established himself as the Master in the middle of the previous century - Walt Kelly, the brilliant weirdo behind Pogo. Dell published an Easter special in their Four Color title every year from 1946 to 1949, all created by Walt Kelly.

And, sure - They seemed normal enough on the outside...

...but inside?
It got strange...

No, there is not a missing next page - that's it. Though it was scarcely alone...

Just when you think you've got a handle on it, Walt jerks the wheel and it's off careening in  new direction. Suddenly there'd be a visual puzzle...

...and mixed in with the nursery rhyme style shorts were some longer tales in a more traditional comic book style -

If you can find someone who does Easter more oddly, i'd love to hear about it.

Meanwhile, we opened up with a completely unrelated Easter greeting. It seems fitting to me that we wrap this piece the same way -

Enjoy your holiday!

pages from Four Color #s 103, 140, 185, & 220 (1946, 1947, 1948, 1949)

Yogi & Friends Easter greeting from Funtastic World Of Hanna Barbara # 2 (1978)