While not as disturbing as Superman's upper lip, looking at our Starving Abner sometimes just feels wrong. Take a little gander at Ozark Ike -
I can imagine the meeting that led to Ike...
Ray Gotto sitting down with his Editor, who tells him that they want to cash in on this hillbilly craze -
Most passing strange.
Ozark Ike's other angle was to take advantage of that hillbilly physique and make him an athlete, starting with a bit of down home pigskinning and then to professional whumping in his first tale. After that, it was mostly Baseball and Football with a touch of Basketball. Perhaps because comics go on, even when the season ends? Or maybe it was just more fun to be able to hop boundaries at will. Never underestimate the power of fun.
Ike and his bat (also named Ozark Ike) premiered in the pages of Four Color Comics #180 in February of 1948 and did well enough to earn his own series later that year, which ran for 15 issues. While his book focused on short tales, usually 8 pages a most, that first adventure ran a full 32 pages; and i was dumb enough to prep them all.
So, let's - shall we?
Well, at least he's headed home a rich man.
I can imagine the meeting that led to Ike...
Ray Gotto sitting down with his Editor, who tells him that they want to cash in on this hillbilly craze -
"Whatdya got for me?"It's not an art style thing - everybody else in the strip looks quite well fed, or even overfed. It seems to be a conscious decision for his look.
"Well, the dolls really swoon for that stick, Sinatra... what if we did that kind of guy here?"
"Yeah, sounds great! Just don't change the body. We want to keep that big hunk from the hills thing going."
"Um... okay. Sure. I guess I can do that."
Most passing strange.
Ozark Ike's other angle was to take advantage of that hillbilly physique and make him an athlete, starting with a bit of down home pigskinning and then to professional whumping in his first tale. After that, it was mostly Baseball and Football with a touch of Basketball. Perhaps because comics go on, even when the season ends? Or maybe it was just more fun to be able to hop boundaries at will. Never underestimate the power of fun.
Ike and his bat (also named Ozark Ike) premiered in the pages of Four Color Comics #180 in February of 1948 and did well enough to earn his own series later that year, which ran for 15 issues. While his book focused on short tales, usually 8 pages a most, that first adventure ran a full 32 pages; and i was dumb enough to prep them all.
So, let's - shall we?
Well, at least he's headed home a rich man.
page art by Ray Gotto from Four Color Comics #180 (1948)
