| Additional Information |
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| Publication | November 1941 | Price: 0.10 USD | Pages: 1 | Frequency: monthly |
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| Content | Genre: War | Characters: Captain Midnight; Phantasmo |
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| Featuring | Joe Snoope |
| Notes | inside front cover |
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| Content | Genre: War | Characters: Captain Midnight; Ivan Shark; Fury Shark |
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| Featuring | Phantasmo |
| Content | Genre: Detective-mystery; Superhero |
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| Text Story | The Rocket Boys in Space Chapter XII (2 pages) |
| Credits | Letters: typeset |
| Content | Genre: Science Fiction | Characters: Mac Harmon; Frank Blade |
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| Comic Story | A NEW Life Begins for Andy Panda (6 pages) |
| Synopsis | As a talking animal, Andy Panda is lonely in his jungle home until he is discovered by naturalist Marion and her kid brother Tommy. Befriending the panda, the pair plan to take him back to the United States as a companion, but not before an encounter with two ruthless wild animal hunters who have heard legends about talking pandas - and hope to make a fortune by trapping one. |
| Content | Genre: Anthropomorphic-funny Animals | Characters: Andy Panda (introduction); Tommy; Marion (referred to as "Sis" in this story); two ruthless wild animal hunters; tiger; movie director (cameo in opening splash panel only) |
| Notes | This is the first appearance of Andy Panda, as well as the first appearance of a Walter Lantz character in The Funnies (Dell, 1936 series). Two prior of issues of Crackajack Funnies (Western, 1938 Series) #39-40 offered Andy Panda appearances of 3 and 2 pages respectively and were the first appearances of a Walter Lantz character in comic books.
After three more issues, "The Funnies" will be rechristened "New Funnies" and later becomes "Walter Lantz New Funnies" (as Lantz characters slowly take over the series), with Andy Panda as its lead feature.
This story kicks off a series of tales where Andy Panda exists as a "talking animal" in a civilized world of realistically rendered humans. Later, Andy will shift to a more cartoon-like setting, eventually taking-on Charlie Chicken (whom Andy hatches from an egg in New Funnies #79) as a sidekick for the rest of his comic-book run.
The unofficial title, "A NEW Life Begins for Andy Panda" is derived from the title of the first Andy Panda animated theatrical short "Life Begins for Andy Panda", which tells the story of the panda's birth. The "NEW Life" title tribute heralds Andy Panda's decades-long "life" in comic books.
Per this story, Andy Panda is said to have originally lived in Tibet (page 2, panel 4), where the tale takes place. |
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| Featuring | Navy Bob Steele |
| Content | Genre: Military; War | Characters: Lt. Robert Steele USN; Captain Frank Vernon USN; "Red" Malone Seaman First Class; LT "Bill" Sheridan USN; Tommy Andrews Gunner's Mate First Class |
| Notes | The main characters (above) are all introduced in the opening splash panel with portraits and accompanying captions. |
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| Comic Story | It's Nature! |
| Synopsis | Facts about flies, ostriches, poisonous snakes; flowers and cicadas. |
| Credits | Letters: typeset |
| Content | Genre: Non-fiction; Nature |
| Notes | Feature occupies approximately 50% of the page, with the rest dedicated to various small advertisements. |
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| Content | Genre: Crime; Detective-mystery | Characters: Mr. District Attorney |
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| Featuring | Black Knight |
| Credits | Script: Gordon Petersen (credited) |
| Content | Genre: Adventure |
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| Featuring | Rex, King of the Deep |
| Content | Genre: Adventure; Military; War | Characters: Rex, King of the Deep; Nan; Butch; Tim; Captain Wolfe (German U-boat commander); German U-boat crew |
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| Comic Story | Philo Vance and the Crossword Puzzle Mystery (6 pages) |
| Featuring | Philo Vance |
| Content | Genre: Detective-mystery | Characters: Philo Vance |
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| Featuring | Speed Martin |
| Credits | Pencils: Bob Hebbert (credited) | Inks: Bob Hebbert (credited) |
| Content | Genre: Adventure | Characters: Speed Martin; Judy Jackson |
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| The data in the additional content section is courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under a
Creative Commons Attribution License.
More details about this comic may be available in their page here |
