Not to be confused with the English theologian and philosopher, this Henry Aldrich is the comic book spin-off of The Aldrich Family radio and television shows. A top 10 hit in the 40’s, the show became the prototype for teen-oriented situation comedies that followed. The television series ran from 1949 to 1953, at which time both the radio and TV series came to an end. This comic is dated November 1951.
I am not particularly a fan of this artistic style, here done by Bill Williams. It reminds me more of the comic books and, in fact, television cartoons during the 60’s than the Golden Age. Its probably not surprising then that the prolific Mr. Williams did the bulk of his work in the 60’s and 70’s on the comic versions of the likes of Millie the Model, Scooby-Doo and Dennis the Menace, as well as Rocky and Bullwinkle ads for Cheerios.
What attracted me to the cover is its classic portrait of a gal with haughty attitude pretending not to notice a hapless teenage male whose out of control hormones land him in a less than desirable situation. Interestingly, comics books of the time were able to deal more freely with sexual innuendos than the family oriented television and radio counterparts. Of note to good girl art fans, the seemingly subdued Dell artist Bill Williams was a bit more liberal when penning the curved lines of a very sexy G.I. Jane while moonlighting for publisher Stanhall.
* Sold Copy
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