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Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Number 1602: Frankie goes to Hollywood

Dick Briefer’s funny Frankenstein goes to Hollywood, meets a scientist and travels in a time machine to the past and future.

...does he really, or is it just Hollywood magic?

From Frankenstein #3 (1946):












UPDATE: After posting this story a reader who owns a page of original art sent me a scan. Thanks!




11 comments:

Daniel [oeconomist.com] said...

Definitely a clever story!

(Of course, it works because it is intended to be unrealistic comedy. But I can imagine DC trying to pass-off essentially the same story as if it were serious fiction. We'd have been groaning at the presumption that Hollywood would have the budget for working rocket-craft, &c.)

For those aware of the arc of Briefer's Frankenstein(s), 10:1-3 might pack rather more punch.

I'm glad that the $22 seems to have been returned to its owner; after all, in 1946 that would have bought 220 comic books, each 52 to 68 pages!

Mr. Cavin said...

Absolutely still the best ever. Thanks Pappy!

Pappy said...

Daniel, I went to dollartimes.com, and it said the value of $22.00 in 1946 would translate to $281.70 today. Not anywhere near enough to buy 220 comic books in today's world!

(I remember you telling me once this sort of comparison isn't correct -- or words to that effect -- but I thought I'd throw it in for fun.)

Pappy said...

Thanks, Cavin. Always glad to hear from you.

Odyzeus! said...

I actually own a page from this story. All the tales of Briefer working without pencils and at same size (and on butcher paper!!!) are all untrue. 1 & 1/2 up (not twice up, rare back then), loose pencils (looser inks!) and beautiful!

He was the best. Sweet guy, too.

Pappy said...

Odyzeus! thanks for your input. I heard that Briefer drew on the back of wallpaper, and attributed that to wartime paper shortages and the like. So much for mythology.

What page of this story do you own?

Odyzeus! said...

Yeah, that nonsense was spread around for years. I've no doubt Briefer might have improvised now and again, but I've had two Frankie pages, both at 150%, both penciled first, so there you have it.

Page 8! The one with the full body shot of Frankie in the corner with rapier and hat! It's signed by Briefer, too... little coffee cup ring, which bothered me when I first bought it, but now it adds to the charm. For me, anyway.

Thanks for showcasing Briefer. Still so very, very under-appreciated. His romance and straight Crime work never even gets mentioned. Shame. He could do so much more than horror and comedy.

Pappy said...

Ger, thanks for that information. I assume the detailed artwork and extra shading was part of the gothic look Atlas was trying to achieve in their horror comics.

Pappy said...

Odyzeus, beautiful page, and it is one I'd be proud to own, also.

I have been a Briefer fan since first seeing his funny Frankenstein. All of my personal collection came about during the mid-'70s when I could actually afford them. If you've read this blog for long you know I can't go for very long without featuring something by Briefer

Odyzeus! said...

"If you've read this blog for long you know I can't go for very long without featuring something by Briefer."

I have, and that's one of the reasons I love it.

I lost a huge collection of comics in a storage space dispute (heartbreaking) so I haven't seen any of Briefer's romance work in years. If you have any, or can get your hands on just one story and run it here, I would be so happy and grateful! As you say, you can't afford them anymore (if you can even find them!).

Kind of a tall order, I suppose, but I would so love it, and I think it would be great for other Briefer fans who don't know of his romance work as well.

I any case, Pap, thanks so much for all that you post. A joy ever single day!

Oh, and is there an email address I can use to send you scan of the page?

Pappy said...

Odyzeus, I don't know if I have any romance comics done by Briefer. Do you have any titles or issue numbers you can give me?

My e-mail is ParsLPost1097@aol.com

Thanks for what you have to say about the blog. I appreciate a reader who keeps coming back. It lets me know I must be doing something right, and not just frittering away my senior years in an online version of basket weaving.