Frank Frazetta in Coo Coo Comics may surprise you if you are only familiar with Frank’s Conan covers. Frazetta did cartooning work in Ned Pines’ Coo Coo Comics #29, 34-50 (September 1946-March 1950). He was only 18 years old when he started. In those seventeen issues he did toppers for text stories as F.F. or “Fritz”. He also drew three comics about squirrels. It is easy to forget how good a cartoonist Frank was because of the eye-popping magic of his painting. Several of the text stories that Frazetta illustrated were written by Donald Bayne Hobart.
Issue 29 (September 1946)
“The Magic Numbers” This story was written by Alexander Samalman, the Science Fiction writer. He would be editor of Ned Pines‘ Pulps, Startling Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories and Fantastic Story, in the 1950s. This was probably Frank’s try-out piece because the editors used his work often beginning with #34. And it is not surprising. Most text stories receive the worst artwork, usually done by unnamed assistants.
Issue 34 (July 1947)
“Busy Billy Beaver”
“The Turtle and the Pelican”
“Percy the Puffer Fish”
Issue 35 (September 1947)
“The Lonely Turtle”
“A Word to the Wise”
“Kitty on the Keys”
Issue 36 (November 1947)
“Ferdinand and His Friends”
“Pat Pony Heads West”
Issue 37 (January 1948)
“Maggie the Magpie”
Issue 38 (March 1948)
“The Elephant Who Never Remembered”
“The Playful Bear”
Issue 39 (May 1948)
“Ferocious Lamb”
“Barnyard Hero”
“Flying Possum”
Issue 40 (July 1948)
“Wingtown Drummer”
“The Ambitious Fox”
“The Lion and the Hyena”
Issue 41 (September 1948)
“Dodger” The author of this six-pager is not known.
“Clunky the Elephant”
“The Lamb Who Wanted to Be Someone”
“The Show-Off”
Issue 42 (November 1948)
“Dodger the Squoil” The author of this five page sequel is not known.
“The First to Crow”
“The Strange Little Creature”
Issue 43 (January 1949)
“Small Fry”
“Johnny Sheds His Pride”
Issue 44 (March 1949)
“Wishful Willy”
“Chauncy the Chick”
“A Cure For Chubby Chipmunk”
Issue 45 (May 1949)
With issue 45, the layout for the illustrations became more experimental with a second square illo to follow the banner.
“The Bunny Who Wanted to Know”
“Hardback and Softheart”
Issue 46 (July 1949)
“The Busy Deer”
“Trouble Twins”
Issue 47 (September 1949)
“The Unsociable Turtle”
“Spare That Tree” The writer of this five pager is not known. You can see Walt Kelly’s Pogo influence on this one.
“Kitten and the Mitten”
With Issue 48, the illustrations became boxier, which did not use Frazetta’s abilities as well as the letter box shape.
Issue 48 (November 1949)
“Foolish Spider”
“Head of the School”
Issue 49 (January 1950)
“Forest Hero”
“Nothing At All”
Issue 50 (March 1950)
“Willie the Willing Whale”
I am not surprised, Frank moved on in 1950. Bigger challenges awaited him: The Shining Knight, Thun’Da, Buck Rogers and much more. In 1954, Frank would be the ghost artist on Al Capp’s “Lil Abner”, a job he would hold until 1961. Frank Frazetta in Coo Coo Comics helped him to define that professional style.
All these comics are available free at Digital Comic Museum.