[crashryan]

I'm curious what Harvey's thinking was in launching (in 1943) two magazines with nearly identical titles, "Hello Buddies" and "Hello Pal." The latter was a comic book not much different from other comics aimed at kids. The former was a collection of "racy" cartoons and jokes--likely to be frowned upon even by parents who were okay with their kids reading regular comics. Did Harvey figure "Pal" would appeal to older readers? Or was "Pal" intended as a gateway drug to lure kiddies into craving salacious material? Either way, "Pal" only lasted four issues while "Buddies" carried on for years.

Link to the book: Hello Buddies 050

[dwilt]

Well, it clearly wasn't a "South Park" reference, although in retrospect it seems like one.

"I'm not your friend, buddy!"
"I'm not your buddy, guy!"

It could be that "pal" refers to a friend who's a child, whereas "buddies" means a group of grown men (such as shipmates).  But that's not consistent: see the 1980s doll-for-boys called "My Buddy" vs. the 1944 film "My Buddy" (about military veterans who can't adjust to civilian life).
 

[The Australian Panther]

I'm guessing that these weren't necessarily meant for the domestic marker, but maybe were produced under some kind of contract or arrangement for GI's stationed overseas - and that whoever put them together didn't need to be interested in quality because they were already paid for.
But hey, I could be wrong.
I just can't see a domestic market for them in 1951.