{"id":2452,"date":"2014-11-04T15:29:00","date_gmt":"2014-11-04T23:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/?p=2452"},"modified":"2024-01-08T15:34:16","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T23:34:16","slug":"maggies-world-023-tis-the-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/maggies-world-023-tis-the-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Maggie’s World 023: ‘Tis the Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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MAGGIE’S WORLD BY MAGGIE THOMPSON<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maggie’s World 023: ‘Tis the Season<\/h1>\n\n\n
Maggie Thompson<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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November kicks off one of those chunks of time we call a season, as we lump together the celebrations of November, December, and January as \u201cThe Holiday Season.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which led me to think about the way comics intersect with time and the moments we sometimes relive, as we pull our treasures out of their shortboxes. Do some comics images capture a particular season for you, as they do for me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The August 1972 issue of\u00a0Batman<\/em>\u00a0made it clear to those with a magnifying glass that the series wasn\u2019t being published monthly.
\u00a9 1972 National Periodical Publications, Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While we consider that, let\u2019s tip the Thompson topper for \u201cskip months.\u201d For many years, indicia obsessives noticed the tiny type that proclaimed that some supposedly monthly titles really weren\u2019t. And series could change. In 1972, for example, DC\u2019s Batman<\/em> (edited by Julius Schwartz) was \u201cPublished monthly, (with the exception of Apr. and Oct.).\u201d [And, no, I have no idea why there was a comma after \u201cmonthly.\u201d] In any case, that\u2019s what it said in the issues dated January, February, March, May, and June. But with the August issue, #243, the tiny type was changed to say, \u201cPublished monthly, (with the exception of Jan., March, July and Nov.).\u201d What was up with that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Years later, we have to figure that such schedules were involved with times at which comic-book customers were deemed less likely to be checking newsstands for the latest issues. Now that we have destination-driven customers, the skip-a-month syndrome is less apparent, though newsstand-driven series may be affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to less-specific considerations: In olden times (when many, many comics were aimed at kids) some of the covers, if not the stories inside, were season-driven. And it hadn\u2019t really occurred to me till now, but that seemed especially to be the case in comics produced by Western\/Dell, which seemed to aim at a pre-teen audience. Was an editor looking for a freestanding, off-topic cover image? Why not tie it to the month?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mind you, the cover date was not guaranteed to be the time it was to be on sale, so the winter issue might actually be on the stands well before the solstice. When we look at seasonal covers for Dell\u2019s Raggedy Ann + Andy<\/em> anthology title from late 1946 to late 1948, we can see occasional suggestions of such changes. In 1946: November had a Jack O\u2019Lantern cover; December featured a pine branch with ornaments. In 1947: January displayed a penguin and igloo (and was, of personal interest, the earliest comic book that I bought from the newsstand of which I still have the original copy); February displayed valentines; April brought spring\u2019s bunny and flowers; November featured a bird with a multi-colored ear of corn; December showed a puppy\u2014with holly and a candy cane. In 1948: January snow offered sledding with a jolly bear; October featured Raggedy Ann and Andy carrying their schoolbooks riding on a sheep (a \u201cMary Had a Little Lamb\u201d reference?); October returned to the theme of a Jack O\u2019Lantern; December at last starred Santa Claus. Yes, it\u2019s the comics for the younger readers that seemed especially tied to the time of year. Issue after issue of Walt Disney\u2019s Comics and Stories<\/em>, for example, carried seasonal covers\u2014and many of us remember that Uncle Scrooge McDuck was (appropriately) introduced in a Christmas story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom and Jerry Winter Carnival<\/em>\u00a0#1 featured Tom, Jerry, Tuffy, Barney Bear, Benny Burro, Wuff, Big Spike, Little Tyke, Mooseface McElk, Bertie Bird, and Dip.
\u00a9 1952 Loew\u2019s Incorporated.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the 1940s and 1950s, a larger seasonal special could introduce readers to the characters in an anthology series, though the \u201cgiant\u201d issues still tended to be aimed at younger readers. On the other hand, a super-hero anthology title that wasn\u2019t published on a monthly basis might still feature a non-story-connected seasonal cover. Prime among such series was World\u2019s Finest Comics<\/em>, which featured in its early days such topics as baseball, snow sports, and even a harvest (Victory Garden) event. Nevertheless, if you\u2019re looking for seasonal pin-ups, here are some of the sort of thing you might find. And, as we consider kids\u2019 comics, I\u2019ll note that P.S.: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly<\/em> created by Will Eisner for the U.S. Army was known to feature a year-end issue with a festive theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Winter is here, and snow is everywhere. It started in December, but then the focuses, where they existed, were gifts and Santa and a decorated tree. In January, there\u2019s snow. (Remember that, in 1972, it was one of the \u201cskip months\u201d for Batman<\/em>.) It occurs to me in passing that such weather-related scenes might have tantalized kids in warmer parts of the country. Is this the place to note the Walt Kelly story \u201cThe Great Three-Flavored Blizzard\u201d in Santa Claus Funnies<\/em> #175 proposed that Santa might have problems, if there was no snow for his sleigh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Valentine\u2019s Day. Hey, wouldn\u2019t that be a natural for covers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

There are wind and kites, maybe a hint that spring might be on the way, but Batman<\/em> added it to the \u201cskip month\u201d list. Of course, the March issues would probably hit newsstands (or, later, comics shops) when the solstice seemed way in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Would showers and more hints of spring attract readers? In its Four-Color<\/em> series, Dell used to celebrate Easter with Easter with Mother Goose<\/em> and even Oswald Rabbit<\/em>. For Batman<\/em>? Another skip month in 1972.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

There are finally flowers! But hey! It\u2019s the one month when today\u2019s<\/em> world of comics celebrates a seasonal event! It\u2019s Free Comic Book Day! You want seasonal? I\u2019ll give you seasonal! Comics shops see lines out the door, as people make the day a family event. (Let\u2019s not forget that the comics are free to the customers, not to the shops. Remember to buy something to accompany that gift, eh?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Ah, school\u2019s out. And summer\u2019s here! Time to read comics.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

July<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s fireworks time\u2014but another 1972 skip month for Batman<\/em>. Kids on vacation might not be visiting their usual newsstand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

August<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Summer\u2019s coming to an end. Maybe covers will feature swimming or baseball. Cling to vacations\u2014especially since comics dated August would go on sale when summer was just getting under way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Kids\u2019 comics in the 1940s were there to soften the blow of a return to school with gags about teachers, classwork, and maybe even truancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Whereas this was another 1972 Batman<\/em> skip month, Halloween covers were a natural\u2014and even today there are comics with scary covers, right? In any case, this is the second seasonal event we celebrate in today\u2019s world of comics, as the dedicated outreach crowd hands out comics, instead of candy, to the hordes of costumed kids at their doors. (When Marvel first produced packs of such treats, marketing guru Carol Kalish joked that others might suggest the slogan \u201cRot their minds, not their teeth.\u201d) Recently, comics shops have begun to distribute comics to folks who drop by for Halloween ComicFest\u2014and there are even comics packs available for people who want to provide comics as Halloween treats. Woo hoo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

November<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s harvest time, Thanksgiving, and (some years) Election Day. And another Batman<\/em> \u201cskip month\u201d in 1972.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

December<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

You know. From stocking stuffers to the highest of high-end treats, kids and adults alike yearn for presents. How many of us spend the holidays reading\u2014and rereading\u2014picture stories?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u00a9 1989 Archie Comic Publications, Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Wrapping It Up<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The eagle-eyed will note that the Archie gang, at least, continues to provide occasional seasonal covers, albeit adjusting for on-sale dates. A mall Santa looked at Archie\u2019s Christmas list in #571, Archie<\/em>\u2019s February 2007 issue. And \u201cThe Elfth Day of Christmas\u201d (Archie<\/em> #615) was dated January 2011, and there was a snowball fight on Archie<\/em> #640, Feb 2013. Archie\u2019s Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun<\/em> #645 (August 2013) featured a seasonal cover (duh!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which reminds me, the Archie folks have even paid tribute to one of my favorite traditional comics events. Archie Giant Series Magazine<\/em> #601 was dated October 1989, when the series was published 13 times a year: \u201conce in July and Nov, three times in Jan. and Sept., and five times in Oct.\u201d And on the cover of one of those October issues? Yes, it was a tribute to another seasonal event in the world of comics: comics conventions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maggie\u2019s World by Maggie Thompson appears the first Tuesday of each month here on<\/em> Toucan!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Written by<\/p>\n\n\n

Maggie Thompson<\/div>\n\n\n

Published<\/p>\n\n\n