We continue our “Flintstones at Fifty” celebration with a look at my personal favorite Flintstones comic book – THE FLINTSTONES # 28 (August, 1965). Art by the great Harvey Eisenberg.
Previously, I’ve said that my favorite seasons of THE FLINTSTONES were Season One and Season Five.
This comic was not only released during Season Five (An August cover date would have had it appear in June, 1965!), but it was as perfect a reflection of the tone of Season Five as has ever been seen outside of the 1964-1965 episodes themselves!
I wish I had a scanner because the interior art of the lead story (also by Eisenberg) may very well have been the GREATEST SINGLE ARTISTIC EFFORT ever published under the Gold Key Comics banner! And, considering that Disney legend Carl Barks was Gold Key’s most famous artist, that’s REALLY saying something!
Eisenberg gives us incredible designs for the Flintstone and Rubble characters (better than they EVER looked on TV), the props and backgrounds, and the “guest villains” – a pint size pirate and his huge prehistoric parrot.
In addition, Eisenberg also varied the panel composition in ways rarely seen in the Silver Age. Tilted panels, characters breaking out of panel borders, panels within panels, darker than normal inking to indicate mood… I don’t think even Jack Kirby could have done a better job on this one!
I got my original copy of this treasure via mail subscription in 1965. It is so well etched into my consciousness that I didn’t even need to look it up before preparing this Blog entry.
And, for those who didn’t care for the Fifth Season tone, the backup (with art by Pete Alvarado) was a more “conventional” tale where Dino swallows Fred's walkie-talkie, with the usual ensuing hilarity.
If you get only one FLINTSTONES comic book in your life, get this one!
Previously, I’ve said that my favorite seasons of THE FLINTSTONES were Season One and Season Five.
This comic was not only released during Season Five (An August cover date would have had it appear in June, 1965!), but it was as perfect a reflection of the tone of Season Five as has ever been seen outside of the 1964-1965 episodes themselves!
I wish I had a scanner because the interior art of the lead story (also by Eisenberg) may very well have been the GREATEST SINGLE ARTISTIC EFFORT ever published under the Gold Key Comics banner! And, considering that Disney legend Carl Barks was Gold Key’s most famous artist, that’s REALLY saying something!
Eisenberg gives us incredible designs for the Flintstone and Rubble characters (better than they EVER looked on TV), the props and backgrounds, and the “guest villains” – a pint size pirate and his huge prehistoric parrot.
In addition, Eisenberg also varied the panel composition in ways rarely seen in the Silver Age. Tilted panels, characters breaking out of panel borders, panels within panels, darker than normal inking to indicate mood… I don’t think even Jack Kirby could have done a better job on this one!
I got my original copy of this treasure via mail subscription in 1965. It is so well etched into my consciousness that I didn’t even need to look it up before preparing this Blog entry.
And, for those who didn’t care for the Fifth Season tone, the backup (with art by Pete Alvarado) was a more “conventional” tale where Dino swallows Fred's walkie-talkie, with the usual ensuing hilarity.
If you get only one FLINTSTONES comic book in your life, get this one!
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