Sheldon Mayer was one of DC's earliest and best editors. He was involved in the choice to put Superman in Action 1, in the creation of the All-American comic characters (Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, etc.), in training other editors, writers, and artists. After a decade or so, he went freelance working on humorous strips which led to the creation of
Sugar and Spike.
While S&S are his most famous creations,
Scribbly, the Boy Cartoonist, was perhaps nearer to his heart. Sheldon created him when Sheldon was 19. He decided to tell stories about what he knew - being a boy cartoonist. The stories featured a very young Scribbly using his drawing ability to help support his family. They started in DELL comics, but migrated to DC eventually.
The image on the left shows an unused cover intended for Scribbly #13. The one on the right is a recreation done by Sheldon Mayer in the 1980s. Both pieces came from the estate of
Harlan Ellision, the famous SciFi writer and were sold
at auction by the estate through Heritage Auctions.
I have a few "e-friends" who knew Harlan and I decided to try and learn what I could about the history of these pieces. So, what have I learned?
- No one available to me knows where/how he acquired the original.
- Maggie Thompson wrote, "I'd bet that Harlan commissioned the re-creation, no matter how he acquired the Mayer original: a way to help support creators he admired."
- On the same post, Josh Olson agreed and wrote, "I wouldn’t swear in a court of law, but I’m pretty sure he told me he’d commissioned it."
- They hung (with others works) in the main bathroom of Harlan's house per Josh Olson. On that post, he wrote, "It was in the main bathroom. If you were a frequent guest, you've seen spent a lot of time looking at those drawings. And yes - the bathroom - like literally every other room in the house - was an art gallery."
I hope to learn more about it going forward.
Bob Heer has a
blog post where he discusses these pieces and finds that though the cover was not used for Scribbly, the idea was used on
Buzzy 33 (see Additional Images).
I think the recreation has a better expression of the gag - Scribbly is in trouble because he was sketching the pretty girls (note the broken pencils and the sketch pad) and not because he's a voyeur (see the binoculars in the original).
I also like that the beach ball is visible in the recreation. :)
And I like that Scribbly is wearing a checkered swimsuit which echos the dress of Harlan's Harlequin.
One last item from Ken Keller, like Maggie and Josh, a member of
The Harlan Ellison Facebook Fan club. Ken writes on that post that he thinks he knows why Harlan liked this cover.
Ken wrote, "I simply love this cartoon! The young guy wearing a horse bit and blinders, with the young woman firmly holding on to the halter--a sure way to keep her boyfriend from ogling anyone *but her.* (And of course the hidden implication that only she "can take him for a ride, *ahem* whenever she wants/needs to (not very likely on that crowded public beach in this case...) I can well understand why Harlan wanted this recreation from Mayer. He was always well known (yes, I saw this myself several times) for his pursuit of the opposite sex before Susan came into his life)."
I never met Harlan, but I suppose it could be true! :)
Bob Heer and I have deciphered - we think - the various notations on the piece.
At the top, there is pencil writing that concerns repurposing the idea for use as the cover to Buzzy 33. We think it says:
1st line: Dear ... [maybe starts with a G?] Eliminate boardwalk
2nd line: Leave BG for sky. Also note
3rd line: Buzzy and Susie are okay in
4th line: position. Show other girls
5th line: All [being] seated and standing
6th line: in BG looking toward Buzzy.and Susie
7th line: Smiling flirtatiously and some just
8th line: Smiling (not as Sheldon
9th line: Interpreted them)
("BG" means "background")
Bob believes - and I agree - that it likely a note to Graham Place. I no nothing about the gentleman, but his work is attributed
to several Buzzy stories in Mike's Amazing World of Comics. The
GCD has information, too.
-------
Bottom:
1st Stamp: J. I. G. & Co. 1951
2nd Stamp: WRITTEN OFF 9-30-51
Above 2nd Stamp:
Sheldon Mayer
46 Meadow Place
Rye, NY
Big Note: BRING THIS WITH YOU RY
Small note above the Big Note: the only man at the a summer resort
3rd stamp (embossed): STRATHMORE
