![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Comic-Relief-usa-150x99.jpg\")
\nBy many and various (Henry Holt)
\nISBN: 0-03-009093-8<\/p>\n
\nBy many and various (Henry Holt)
\nISBN: 0-03-009093-8<\/p>\n
No, not that one.<\/p>\n
Once upon a time there was horrific famine and desperate privation in Africa – and gosh! How that’s changed! – so assorted talented people in the developed world organised themselves to raise money and help fix the immediate problem.<\/p>\n
In Britain (Sir) Bob Geldoff and Midge Ure’s <\/strong>Band Aid<\/strong> set the ball rolling and <\/strong>USA for Africa<\/strong> swiftly followed as did many other projects across the wealthy bits of the world. The celebrity action promulgated the idea that us better-off folks – whether pop stars, plain Joe Public or even mere school pupils – could organise, contribute and save lives in deprived, impoverished or crisis-wracked parts of the planet: something governments had neither the stomach, resources nor political will to try\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n The comicbook industry on both sides of the Atlantic joined the burgeoning movement, producing benefit publications such as <\/strong>Food For Thought<\/strong>, <\/strong>Heroes Against Hunger<\/strong> and <\/strong>Heroes For Hope<\/strong>, but to my mind the most impressive came from America’s newspaper cartoonist community.<\/p>\n In 1985 Milton Caniff, Charles Schulz and Garry Trudeau picked up their phones, wrote a few letters and talked to some friends and the Cartoonists Thanksgiving Day Hunger Project<\/em> was born.<\/p>\n As explained in the Foreword<\/em> by Kenny Rogers (spokesman for USA for Africa) and Trudeau’s own Introduction<\/em> in this sparkling collection, the idea was to have cartoonists across the nation dedicate and tailor their regular strip or panel scheduled for publication on November 28th<\/sup> (Thanksgiving being a perennial event in US strips second only to Christmas Day) to highlight the famine in Africa.<\/p>\n The result was a universal and near-unanimous favourable response – with many politically astute gadflys also taking the opportunity to sock it to arch-conservative President Ronald Reagan who had ignominiously and disingenuously boasted at the time that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153there is no hunger in America\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n Whether comedy asides, polemical statements, wry and trenchant barbs in humour strips or telling pokes and heartfelt pleas in drama and action strips, everybody involved turned their livelihoods into soapboxes and asked their readership to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153do something\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n The move brought the problems of the world onto the traditionally turkey-laden tables of practically every home in the nation and whilst the net effect was impossible to gauge, a happy by-product was this powerfully evocative tome gathering a legion of brilliant creators and features ranging from global household names to purely local sensations all making a statement that needs repeating as much now as ever\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n The sheer star-content is staggering and I’m going to list them all for their honourable service\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n H\u00c3\u00a4gar<\/em><\/strong> the Horrible<\/em> by Dik Browne, Gasoline Alley<\/em> – Dick Moores, Moon Mullins<\/em> – Ferd & Tom Johnson, Howie<\/em> by Howie Schneider, Drabble<\/em> by Kevin Fagan, Robotman<\/em> – Jim Meddick, The Far Side<\/em> by Gary Larson, Ziggy<\/em> by Tom Wilson, Motley’s Crew<\/em> – Ben Templeton & Tom Forman, Wright Angles <\/em>– Larry Wright, Steve Roper & Mike Nomad<\/em> by Saunders & Matera and Babyman<\/em> by Don Addis.<\/p>\n There’s The Family Circus<\/em> by Bil Keane, Today’s World<\/em> – David Brown, Captain<\/em> Vincible<\/em> by Ralph Smith, Tiger<\/em> by Bud Blake, Steve Canyon<\/em> from Caniff, Adam<\/em> by Brian Basset, Cathy<\/em> by Cathy Guisewite, Bringing Up Father<\/em> by Frank Johnson, Marmaduke<\/em> – Brad Anderson, (Ralph) Dunagin’s People<\/em>, Sally Forth<\/em> by Greg Howard, Agatha Crumm<\/em> – Bill Hoest, Ellie<\/em> by Ray Helle and Grubby<\/em> by Warren Sattler.<\/p>\n A telling editorial panel from Caldwell<\/em> and a Tom Key Hazel<\/em> strip leads to Beetle Bailey <\/em>by Mort Walker, Rose is Rose<\/em> by Pat Brady and a staggeringly powerful assault on Reagonomics by Tony Auth from that day’s <\/strong>Philadelphia Enquirer<\/strong>, before Nancy<\/em> by Jerry Scott, Alley Oop<\/em> by Dave Graue, B.C.<\/em> by Johnny Hart, Cheeverwood<\/em> by Michael Fry and Jeff Danzinger’s McGonigle of the Chronicle<\/em> pack on the pressure\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n Those are followed by Scot Stantis’ Sydney<\/em>, My Grandma\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/em> by Donna Sott, Bizarro<\/em> by Dan Piraro, Popeye<\/em> by Bud Sagendorf, The Crass Menagerie<\/em> by Kyle Baker, Willie ‘n’ Ethel <\/em>by Joe Martin, Leotoons<\/em> by Leonard Bruce & Charles Durck, Boner’s Ark<\/em> by Frank Johnson, Tim Tyler’s Luck<\/em> by Bob Young, Benchley<\/em> by Jerry Dumas & Mort Drucker and Ask Shagg<\/em> by Peter Guren.<\/p>\n Jim Unger’s Herman<\/em> is augmented by Brother Juniper<\/em> from Fred McCarthy, Arlo and Janis <\/em>by Jimmy Johnson, Captain Easy<\/em> by Crooks & Casale, Crock<\/em> by Bill Rechin & Don Wilder. Mr. Men & Little Miss<\/em> by Hargreaves & Sellers, Shoe<\/em> by Jeff McNally and Annie<\/em> by Leonard Starr.<\/p>\n Bill Lee then shows how to fix the problem The Lee Way<\/em>, after which Gino<\/em> by Gene Machamer, Snake Tales<\/em> by Sols, Mr. Abernathy<\/em> by Frank Ridgeway, Miss Peach<\/em> by Mell Lazarus, Eek & Meek<\/em> by Howie Schneider and Brumsic Brandon Jr.’s Luther<\/em> all contribute their own individualistic solutions.<\/p>\n Flash Gordon<\/em> by Dan Barry, Belvedere<\/em> by George Crenshaw, Off the Leash<\/em> by W.B. Park, Sylvia<\/em> by Nicole Hollander, The Small Society<\/em> by Brickman and Yates, Winston<\/em> by Burnett & Sajem, Hubert<\/em> by Dick Winger, Ted Martin’s Pavlov<\/em> and (Jim) Berry’s World<\/em> all add fuel to the flames of indignation.<\/p>\n Further insights and titbits are offered by On the Fastrack<\/em> by Bill Holbrook, Elwood<\/em> (Templeton & Forman), John Darling<\/em> by Batiuk & Shamray, Buz Sawyer<\/em> by Jon Celardo, Henry<\/em> by Dick Hodgins, Stockworth<\/em> by Sterling & Selesnick, Grimsly<\/em> by Harley Schwadron, Winetoons<\/em> by Robert Platt and Spanish-language feature \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Pero Pa’ Lante<\/em> by Harold Jessurun.<\/p>\n Even more cartoon criticism comes from Funky Winkerbean<\/em> by Tom Batiuk, Cooper<\/em> by Mike Keefe & Tom Menees, Doctor Smock<\/em> by George Lemont and an especially savage observation by Bill Day of the <\/strong>Detroit Free Press<\/strong> are followed by Miles to Go<\/em> from Phil Frank, Executive Suite<\/em> by William Wells & Jack Lindstrom, Brenda Starr<\/em> by Ramona Fradon & Mary Schmich and The Underground Surrealists<\/em> by Mick Cusimano.<\/p>\n Bob Schwete’s Laugh Time<\/em> segues into historical panel Return With Us To\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Caring<\/em> (by Bill Owen & Don Sherwood) and a raucously potent Calvin and Hobbes<\/em> outing from Bill Watterson, plus simian contemplation in William Overgards’s Rudy<\/em> and subtly telling observations in Schulz’s Peanuts<\/em>, Dahl Mikkelsens Ferd’nand<\/em>, Buddy Hickerson’s The Quigmans<\/em> and from Lee Holley’s teen queen Ponytail<\/em>.<\/p>\n Dick Tracy<\/em> is on the case thanks to Dick Lochner & Max Collins, as are Moose Miller<\/em> by Bob Weber, the inimitable penguin Opus in Berke Breathed’s Bloom County<\/em>, Animal Crackers<\/em> by Roger Bollen, The Peter Principle<\/em> by Peter & Wuerker, Good News – Bad News<\/em> by Henry Martin, Jim Henson’s Muppets<\/em> (by Guy & Brad Gilchrist), Downstown<\/em> by Tim Downs, Arnold<\/em> by Kevin McCormack and Twitch<\/em> by How Rands.<\/p>\n Potently earnest pleas from K. Bowser’s Vidiots <\/em>and Ed Morgan, Jr.’s It’s Just a Game<\/em> are supplemented with Fenton<\/em> by Wiley, Wee Pals<\/em> by Morrie Turner, Farley<\/em> by Phil Frank, Geech<\/em> by Jerry Bittle, Frank and Ernest<\/em> by Bob Thaves, Middle Ages<\/em> by Ron Jaudon, The Better Half<\/em> by Harris, Winnie Winkle<\/em> by Frank Bolle, Marvin<\/em> by Tom Armstrong and Stan Lee & Larry Lieber’s Amazing Spider-Man<\/em>.<\/p>\n Still making a scene and making a point the cavalcade continues with Momma<\/em> by Mell Lazarus, Virgil & Co.<\/em> by Steve Ansul, Art Sansom’s The Born Loser<\/em>, Stumpy Stumbler<\/em> by Emil Abrahamian, Gumdrop<\/em> by Jerry Scott, Sons of Liberty<\/em> by Richard Lynn, Tank McNamara <\/em>by Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds, Bears in Love<\/em> by Eric Meese, Betty Boop and Felix<\/em> by The Walker Brothers, Fred Basset<\/em> by Alex Graham, Wizard of Id<\/em> by Brant Parker & Johnny Hart and Mandrake the Magician<\/em> by Lee Falk & Fred Fredericks.<\/p>\n Perennial favourite Love Is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/em> by Kim leads to Kit ‘n’ Carlyle<\/em> by Larry Wright, Ug!<\/em> by Tom Wilson Jr., The Phantom<\/em> by Falk & Sy Barry, Sam and Silo<\/em> by Jerry Dumas, Winthrop<\/em> by Dick Cavalli, The Girls<\/em> by Franklin Folger, THE Little MAN<\/em> by Salmon, Hi and Lois<\/em> by Mort Walker & Dik Browne, Rip Kirby<\/em> by John Prentice & Fred Dickenson, Luann<\/em> by Greg Evans and Russell Myers’ Perky & Beanz<\/em>.<\/p>\n The damning testimony resumes with Judge Parker<\/em> by Paul Nichols, The Evermores <\/em>by Johnny Sajem, Garfield<\/em> by Jim Davis, Conrad<\/em> by Bill Schorr, Village Square <\/em>by Chuck Stiles, ADventures<\/em> by Vadun, Kudzu<\/em> by Doug Marlette, Eb and Flo<\/em> by Paul Sellers, For Better or For Worse <\/em>by Lynn Johnston, Apartment 3-G<\/em> by Alex Kotzky, Trudeau’s punishing Doonesbury<\/em> of the day, Archie <\/em>(by an unnamed artist who was probably Dan DeCarlo) and The Neighborhood<\/em> by Jerry Van Amerongen.<\/p>\n Thereafter Jerry Mancus’ Trudy<\/em> begins the final servings, followed by Nubbin<\/em> from Boltinoff & Burnett, Secret Agent Corrigan<\/em> by George Evans, Hartland<\/em> by Rich Torrey, Brick Bradford<\/em> by Paul Norris, Amy<\/em> by Jack Tippet and a trenchant editorial panel by Ben Wicks.<\/p>\n Barney Google & Snuffy Smith<\/em> by Fred Lasswell join the party, as do Tumbleweeds<\/em> by Tom K. Ryan, Sugar<\/em> by Robert Gill and the shopping list of public awareness picture-strips concludes with Peaches<\/em> by Paul Ullrich, Blondie<\/em> by Dean Young & Stan Drake, Quincy<\/em> by Ted Shearer, Dollar$ and Non$en$e<\/em> by Mankoff, <\/strong>Health Capsules<\/strong> by Michael A. Petti, M.D., Duffy<\/em> by Bruce Hammond, Little Farmer<\/em> by Kern Pederson, Broom-Hilda<\/em> by Myers, Gil Thorp<\/em> by Jack Berrill, Tyler Two<\/em> by Leslie Harris, Bugs Bunny<\/em> by \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Warner Bros\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, Rex Morgan M.D.<\/em> by Dal Curtis and The Smith Family<\/em> by Mr. and Mrs. George Smith\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n This splendid compendium of hearts, mind, hands and art supplies working in concert towards a greater good is still largely available through online sellers and shows just what can be done if we’re prepared to make a little effort.<\/p>\n After reading this review why not track down <\/strong>Comic Relief<\/strong> and – if you’re in the UK – while waiting for it to arrive you can contribute to the British TV extravaganza dominating the airwaves tonight\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a9 1986 Henry Holt and Company Inc. All strips, art, text features, and characters \u00c2\u00a9, \u00e2\u201e\u00a2 and\/or \u00c2\u00ae their respective owners and All Rights very much Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By many and various (Henry Holt) ISBN: 0-03-009093-8 No, not that one. Once upon a time there was horrific famine and desperate privation in Africa – and gosh! How that’s changed! – so assorted talented people in the developed world organised themselves to raise money and help fix the immediate problem. In Britain (Sir) Bob … <\/p>\n