Here are two very different satirical takes on the Charlie Chan detective movies of the 30's and 40's. The first one is by Joe Maneely, from Atlas Comics 'WILD' # 1, 1954 (for another great story from this same issue, go to Pappy's blog here). The second one will feel more familiar, drawn by Will Elder, from the final issue of 'PANIC' #12, 1956. The reproduction quality of the first story is a bit rough due to age and printing issues, and even though I did manage to clean it up considerably, it still is quite rough, but lots of fun anyway. The second story came from a Gemstone EC reprint, and the reproduction on it is fantastic.
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Apocolyte: What a great post. I didn't know the artist for the first story, but I am glad for the introduction. Very busy panels, but not in a bad way, and crazy violent1 What a strange pleasure. The second story, what can one say! Elder is such a comic statesman/legend that it is easy to forget how truly crazy he was. Again - a great pleasure.
ReplyDeleteGood choices! -- Mykal
Haha, a most honorable post!
ReplyDelete*bows*
I didn't find the first Chan parody to be all that funny.It was sort of lacking in the well detailed and clean work that Will Elder does so well.Although I do appreciate Joe Maneely's art work for other genres of comics.The Black Knight was probably some of his most awesome work.All in all,Elder's Chan beats Maneely's Chan.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, folks!
ReplyDeleteYes, the Elder story comes off much better, but remember Maneely did his two years earlier...nevertheless, Maneely's version suffers in retrospect because of the extreme racial stereotype (just look at those huge teeth!), I do agree with you, Anonymous, and I also still love most of Maneely's other work, including his other humor comics, but this one in fact is not his finest hour.
How much can be attributed to the writing - the first one doesn't even feel like a Chalie Chan movie, where with the Elder version (written by Al Feldstein) I can practically hear the voice of the actor as I read his lines! Just like the old movies!