Posted By Dan Greenfield on Sep 6, 2025 | 3 comments

SCOTT SHAW! SATURDAYS…

By SCOTT SHAW!

My entry into writing and drawing comic books – and getting paid for it — were underground comix.

Most of my work, though, was juvenile rather than sex, drugs, and social politics with a psychedelic approach. There was a healthy precedent, too: The “overground” comics covers below are every bit as trippy as comix or the surreal art of Salvador Dali.

And speaking of Sr. Dali, here’s a direct parody of his style. It’s not particularly clever or well-drawn, but it’s interesting that Dali was known even to comics readers:

Madhouse #4, Ajax, September-October 1954. Cover artist unknown.

Let’s see: A woman is about to be throttled, or worse, by a bad guy, the basement is on fire, the space is full of smoke, a man is laying on the floor, either unconscious or dead. Bricks are falling, two firemen have arrived, one is throwing an ax, the other is hurling a flashlight, and the cops have showed up. So what’s supposed to be Lucky here?

Lucky Comics #2, Consolidated Magazines Inc., Summer 1945. Cover art by Henry Kiefer.

Steve Ditko’s unique, and often freaky, artwork was the perfect creator for Charlton. The publisher owned its own presses for many types of publications and books, and needed to keep its presses constantly running. Therefore, Charlton’s editors had a rather loose attitude toward their creators. This sometimes led to experimentation, and the Twilight Zone-esque image below feels more like fine art than a comic cover.

Out of This World #6, Charlton, November 1957. Cover art by Steve Ditko.

This obscure one-shot publication’s certainly of professional quality but its weird-but-unfunny gags and loosey-goosey style might point to a drunken cartoonist. Speaking of cartoonists, my friend Howard Chaykin is fascinated by this cover… and who can blame him?

Slapstick Comics #1, Comic Magazine Distributors, 1946. Cover art by Munson Paddock.

Without anything freaky, here’s a slightly mind-bending cover that stars Hanna-Barbera’s animated versions of Bud and Lou, with chubby      Costello trapped on a cover from an entirely different genre – and an actual Charlton series!

Abbott & Costello #14, Charlton, April 1970. Cover art by Bill Fraccio, with inking by Tony Tallarico.

All you need to see are the looks on these two nameless character heads floating near the logo, and it’s immediately obvious by their faces that they’re both significantly stoned – on something, it’s hard to say what! Maybe fumes from the printer’s inks? And “brightly colored pages…”? Based on this cover, it’s too brightly colored, like a bad acid trip, man. (Hey, someone forgot to color that imp’s gloves!)

Krazy Life #1, Fox Feature Syndicate, 1945. Cover art by L. B. Cole.

The Blondie comic books featuring reprints of strips and new stories were published from 1947 to 1976, a looong run. By 1965, surrounded by the new wave of superheroes, Harvey must have realized that something mildly bizarre like this might draw in more sales than the Bumstead family’s usual domestic hijinks.

Blondie #162, Harvey, September 1965. Cover art by Paul Fung.

Finally (for now!), here’s my Greatest Comic Cover As If It’s Physically Real Award, appropriately created by a full-time animator and a co-creator of Hanna-Barbera’s The Flintstones. That explains the cover’s multiple gags and kinetic energy.

Giggle Comics #95, ACG, May-June 1954. Cover art by Dan Gordon.

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Want more ODDBALL COMICS? Come back next week!

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MORE

— ODDBALL COMICS: MARIE SEVERIN, Marvel’s Master of Mirth. Click here.

— ODDBALL COMICS: Dell’s Wild 1960s Series BRAIN BOY. Click here.

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For over half a century, SCOTT SHAW! has been a pro cartoonist/writer/designer of comic books, animation, advertising and toys. He is also a historian of all forms of cartooning. Scott has worked on many underground comix and mainstream comic books, including Simpsons Comics (Bongo); Weird Tales of the Ramones (Rhino); and his co-creation with Roy Thomas, Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew! (DC). Scott also worked on numerous animated series, including producing/directing John Candy’s Camp Candy (NBC/DIC/Saban) and Martin Short’s The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley. As senior art director for the Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency, Scott worked on dozens of commercials for Post Pebbles cereals with the Flintstones. He also designed a line of Hanna-Barbera action figures for McFarlane Toys. Scott was one of the comics fans who organized the first San Diego Comic-Con.

Need funny cartoons for any and all media? Scott does commissions! Email him at shawcartoons@gmail.com.