[Robb_K]

(1) I agree that Dullwit lacked an important ingredient: a "dullwit" that could actually do something smart. I don't think it was intentional but it was borderline contemptuous. At least it had a happy ending.

(2) In summary, I feel like this comic didn't really know who or what audience it was aiming for. It tried to appeal to all but fell short.

(3) Overall, by trying to be less original and focusing on telling more simple or rehashed tales with quality colouring, drawing and penwork, Fairy Tale Parade 8 does a decent job of entertaining.

(1) Yes, Dulwit became an unsympathetic character, who couldn't be a protagonist, when he doesn't even have empathy with his fellow Foxes, enough to do the most simple task of lifting the latch on their cage to free them.  That was a mean blow to them caused by his pain from all his years of taking their mockery.  But a person who doesn't even have enough Humanity left to help his fellow beings when they are in life danger cannot be excused. I agree that the author didn't understand the moral lesson that should come from such a children's story.  Would you want your child to learn that vengeance is what those children deserve.  Science has proven that the constant living with the negative feelings of wanting to get even with people who wrong you takes a toll on your health.  These were young children, most of whom just went along with their immoral leaders in mocking him, just so they could be one of the group.  Those "followers", including Dulwit's best friend, didn't really mean him any real harm.  But he chose to let them be killed by their captor.  Such a great punishment isn't even deserved by the leader, who first made fun of him.

This author lost sight of The 1o nCommandments, The Code of Hammurabi, and common Human decency, and didn't have a good feel for why children's fairy tales and folk tales were told.  Most young comic book authors  from the early and mid 1940s probably didn't have children yet, and so couldn't relate as strongly to the intent of their work.

(2) I agree, as stated in #1, as well.

(3) Yes, The "Fairy Tale Parade" folk and fairy tales were all adaptations of ancient tales told long before they were written down, while the stories in "Adventures in Wonderland 1" were modern, newly-written, with the authors attempting to make them in the mold of the traditional ancient folk tales, but failing to understand why they were written, and in some cases, failing to have their stories teach the proper lessons.

[gregjh]

I take my hat off to you, Robb_K. Your level of comic book analysis is well above mine.

[crashryan]

when he [Dumbwit] doesn't even have empathy with his fellow Foxes, enough to do the most simple task of lifting the latch on their cage to free them.  That was a mean blow to them caused by his pain from all his years of taking their mockery.

I read this scene a bit differently. Dumbwit doesn't leave his "friends" in the cage as retribution. He'd like to free them, but he's so deep into self-loathing that he's sure he can't manage even that important action...and if (when) he fails his friends will berate him. All the same he gives it a tentative try. He fails that first attempt as he expected he would. Sure enough his friends heap abuse on him. Prophecy fulfilled. The end result is the same. Dumbwit abandons the others to their fate. Only the motivation is different. He's so busy hating himself that he doesn't even have the energy to hate others.

Had the story been better written, at this point Dumbwit would go off to call the cops or more likely to hide in a hole and feel sorry for himself. Choosing to stick around and build a fire (?!) is just a device to make the story work out like the writer wanted.