George Scarbo - The Comic Zoo - Blackie Bear - 1943

This wonderful The Comic Zoo Sunday page topper is from November 7, 1943, and features Blackie Bear in his search for "adventure". He finds it in Baby Owl, as he tries to show the young owl his chops, which, of course, backfires. The strip also features a "Little Tommy Tumble" panel, with a WWII reference.

The backside of the strip features four pencil caricatures by Scarbo, including one labeled "Dick Turner". Turner was a wonderful cartoonist in his own right, having drawn Carnival, another NEA feature, for decades. It is believed that the caricature on the right side is George Lichty.

A tip 'o the Hatlo Hat to Ulrich Merkl!