American Funny Animal Comics in the 20th Century: Volume Two

Book excerpt: The Grail of Funny Animals For decades, Italian comics historian Alberto Becattini has been researching and writing about American funny animal comics. In this second volume of his two-part opus, Becattini presents the fruits of his labors, the definitive guide for funny animal fans, collectors, and historians alike. Becattini examines the funny animal phenomenon, starting from its origins in popular and children's literature, and continuing through its appearances in newspaper comics, comic books, and comic magazines. All of the more famous characters are included, such as those created at Disney, Lantz, Warner Bros., MGM, and other cartoon studios, as well as the many lesser-known characters that appeared in obscure comic book titles issued by equally obscure comic book publishers. During the writing process, and while viewing thousands of comic strips and comic pages, Becattini had many discoveries and "epiphanies" that let him shed light on the identities of hitherto uncredited artists and writers. While his aim has been to highlight the talent behind the comics, rather than the stories and characters themselves, he also provides in-depth coverage of virtually every funny animal comic book, illustration, and animated cartoon. A must-have title for any serious funny animal fan!