As usual, I'm "fishing" for a "hook" for another Separation at Mirth!
It would seem that TOP CAT always follows THE FLINTSTONES!
On TV...
1960
1961
The first FLINTSTONES comic book! (1961)
The first TOP CAT comic book! (Late 1961)
...And, when "Separated at Mirth", with this gag!
Why, they're even hauling-up the SAME NUMBER OF FISH with their octopusses, ...er, octopi... um, octopeeses...or whatever!
"Like, you know, I hate meeces an' octopeeses to pieces!"
Another interesting note... THE FLINTSTONES # 60 was the last Gold Key Comics issue of classic Hanna-Barbera characters before that license went over to Charlton in August, 1970.
And, allowing for advance cover dating, Charlton would duplicate the octopus-fishing gag almost two years later!
...Gosh, the things you learn by visiting this Blog!
Oh, just one more thing...
...Exactly WHERE is Wilma standing on that tiny rock?
19 comments:
Well, we don't see Wilma's feet on the cover of Charlton Flintstones #1 either, but that's because she's standing in water--the only one whose feet are not shown on that cover, I might add. But regarding the Gold Key octopus cover--there is a very good reason why Wilma's feet are not shown. That is due to a piece of 21st century technology that she kept secretly hidden.
Wilma is actually standing on a hover board similar to the kind used by Judy Jetson to get to school. How she got her hands on this sophisticated equipment is as follows: You will remember that the Jetsons and Flintstones met in 1964 at the New York World's Fair. Actually, both families found themselves with plenty of time to chill together while visiting at Flushing Meadows. Note that the Flintstones did not pack up and go home at the conclusion of their final chronicled adventure at the NYWF. That is because they stayed around for a few extra days. The Jetsons, meanwhile, COULD NOT get home immediately because the big bird belonging to the Flintstones' air travel vehicle had eaten up their space car. This meant that they were stranded for a time while Elroy attempted to make contact via radio with Henry Orbit, who could give him some suggestions for putting together a new space vehicle. It is also possible that Henry Orbit was actually somewhere in the US as a young man in the year 1964, (he might even have attended the Fair!) so Elroy may have been able to trace his mentor directly, without having to rely on air waves across several decades. Anyway, while Elroy and George were busy figuring out the building from scratch of a space craft that could take them home, Jane and Judy had plenty of time to visit with Wilma and Betty, and they got to be very tight during that period. I'm sure at this time that Jane may have noted the resemblance between Wilma's voice and that of their robot maid Rosey, who had remained at the Sky Pad Apartments while the family went to the Fair. Jane actually loaned Wilma several small pieces of 21st Century technology, including one of Judy's hover boards. These pieces of technology were guarded in secret by Wilma, who always kept them secret from Fred. Keeping secrets from Fred was not difficult for Wilma; she had kept her pregnancy a secret for two-thirds of a season before springing the happy news on him.
Of course, we know that eventually, George and Elroy figured out a means of transport that got the Jetsons back home safely. This had to have occurred before the mid-1980s because at that time the Jetsons were drafted to perform in new episodes to supplement their original first season from the 1960s--so we know they got back some time in that interval. In fact, they had to get back sooner, because they had to continue starring in their own comic book. So they got back somehow. We just don't have the details.
But that explains why Wilma's feet are not visible during Fred's fishing exploit. Or maybe it was just a lazy artist. There is that.
Yeah, does it look to you like Wilma was added to that cover by editorial decree?
An ingenious idea. Now if only it could be put to practice in reality...
Oh my word. The more I look at that picture, the more I can't unsee Wilma as some sort of leprechaun Fred is carrying around in his pocket to give him good(?) advice.
Which would actually be a killer premise for a Hanna-Barbera-type cartoon, come to think of it — possibly ditching the cavemen motif. Has this been done, to your knowledge?
What I'd like to know is… why does this depiction of what looks like a representative of our organization have six arms? Where did the other two go? There is only one rational response to this. Brother octopodes… TO ARMS! TO ARMS!
Scarecrow:
Are you sure you didn’t write the SEQUEL to “The Flintstones at the New York World’s Fair”… the one called >“The Flintstones FLEE the New York World’s Fair Steps Ahead of an Angry Mob for Whom All-History-Past-and-Future has Changed Due to Fred’s Mucking-Around in 1964”? WHEW! That *was* some long title! Glad I didn’t have to index THAT ONE at GCD!
Perhaps Henry Orbit was even AT the Fair as a young boy, at the same time I was! The episode “G.I. Jetson” (perhaps my favorite of the series) DOES indicate that Henry’s been around for a long time! …And he had that old “1960s automobile” up on blocks once too!
For anyone who has not read it, this is the ULTIMATE Hanna-Barbera comic book, with art (despite what GCD says) by “Our Familiar Friends from Gold Key” Phil De Lara and Pete Alvarado, and covers by Harvey Eisenberg! (I’ll have to correct that someday!)
The Flintstones and pretty much every pre-1964 H-B character in existence – and FUNNY, too! Kinda like SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP, before Scooby-Doo was created! Al Kilgore probably DID write it, per the GCD index, because the dialogue reads very much like his laugh-packed style on the Dell and Gold Key Rocky and Bullwinkle comics! That’s a GREAT THING, BTW!
If only Kilgore could have given Fred just one more “witty-quip” in 1970 to explain the “Wilma mystery”!
If you ask me, Elaine, I’d say she’s placed there by “editorial MAGIC”!
Seriously, I believe that Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm were often added to covers (and even given COVER BILLING) by “editorial decree”. But Wilma has largely had a goodly share of cover appearances from the start! She never took a back seat to Barney or anything like that – and good for Chase Craig for doing so!
…But, “not so good” for excising her lower half in this instance!
Sergio:
Reality? What’s reality?
Achille:
Yeah, this certainly IS one of those things that, once realized, “you can’t unsee” - try as you might!
Perhaps by this time, ten years after the original series debut, Fred and Wilma had evolved from their early constant arguing and habitual deception to falling SO much in love (…wait for it) they’re now (…Oh, it’s a goodie!) - “joined at the hip”!
Pewter Bunde:
Re: Six arms!
What? You never heard of a “SEXtopus”?
Um, do yourselves a favor and DON’T Google that!
And, since there are SIX arms instead of EIGHT… Shouldn’t your rallying cry be “TWO ARMS!” TWO ARMS!”?
Everyone:
Since I had a backlog of comments (yes, my bad), I changed the setting to arrange for my replies to directly follow the comments. You should also be able to add on to these as a thread formation. Please let me know how it looks visually, and if you prefer this, or the way it used to be.
I have no idea how (or IF) this affects older posts. I’ll have to check that out.
I think older posts will be unaffected — but I gotta say, I prefer the old way, all the same. This makes it look like a series of individual conversations, whereas “the old way”, where all the posts are simply in chronological order, built up more of a sense of community. I dunno. I'm not going to run away screaming if you keep it in this way, but my summary first impression is, I liked the old way better.
Looking it over, I tend to agree with you, and pretty much have since I made the change. Unless someone makes a very good case for keeping it, I'll do that before the next post.
...How 'bout it, folks?
"New Coke", or old reliable "Coke Classic"? Blog-wise, that is!
Coke Classic is fine. Even when the comments have piled up on you, you always make it perfectly clear which one you're responding to.
Agreed! Some things are just TOO GOOD to mess with... "Coke Classic", IDW Disney comics circa 2015-2018, and this humble Blog's Comment Section.
I'll regard this post as a noble experiment, and revert back in time for the next post... scheduled for July 03.
You know what? Heads we win, tails we win! Because the prize is the great comments on stuff we like to reflect upon and discuss, with people whose interactions we can savor. That said, I tend to agree with the majority, but even if it went the other way, I would keep coming back--because it's what we've got that matters, not how it is dished up! Thanks, Joe!
Scarecrow:
Truer words about this Blog were never spoken… er, that is “written”!
That is well and truly the “prize” for me! ALL OF YOU AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE! …And that’s what really counts!
The “Comment Stew” will again be served in its traditional way with the next post!
Comments should be "back to normal" starting now!
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