Necktie Madness: Donald Duck

Sure wish I could find my Uncle Scrooge tie. It's around here somewhere!

Forgotten Books: Marx Western Playsets - The Authorized Guide

When I was a kid my favorite toys were cap guns (and they still are). But my second favorite things were Marx playsets like these. I had Walt Disney's Official Davy Crockett at the Alamo set (of course), and the Zorro set, and the Roy Rogers ranch. I also had non-Western sets like The Civil War, and WWII, and one with knights vs Vikings. At some point, of course, my mother either threw them in the trash or hauled them to a thrift store. I've since managed to reclaim a few bits and pieces, but short of winning the lottery I'll never own the complete sets again.

So, for guys like me, Jay Horowitz wrote this cool book, which was published in 1992. Along with the great photos, it has a history of the Marx company, profiles of the men who made the toys, info on how these sets were manufactured, and lists of what each set (and each variation on each set) included. There's way more in this book than even I'd ever want to know.

The heyday for this stuff was between 1955 and 1965, but the company was still making some of them, on a more limited basis, up until 1978. Complete sets like these, with the original boxes, command astronomical prices.

The official Fess Parker figure is visible just to the left of the top of the gate,
in front of the hitching rack. 

The two rarest pieces of this set are the plastic cave (far right, in the full set photo), and the fragile plastic stairs and balcony on the commandante's office.

Yep, that's Rip, Rusty and Rin Tin Tin guarding the gate.

That's Roy standing with a raised pistol next to the gate. I'm surprised we don't see Dale or Pat Brady in this set. They appear in others.

This is one of the rarer sets. It was issued only once, in 1959. The Lucas McCain figure is especially hard to come by.

This set came with two Ranger figures, seen here flanking Tonto. How can he be the Lone Ranger when there's two of him?

If you have any of this stuff cluttering up your attic, you're invited to donate it to the Lewis Museum. I'll display it with a plaque proudly bearing your name.

Forgotten Books are brought to each week by Patti Abbott. Check 'em out HERE.

Prince Valiant Vol. 2: 1939-1940

Volume 2 of the new Fantagraphics series begins with Val battling the Vikings to win back his father's kingdom. It's a real smackdown, but once over, peace ensues, and Val is soon bored. In search of adventure, he heads for Europe, where the rest of this volume takes place.

Foster weaves a lot of real history into these stories. While rescuing peasants and villagers from the onslaught of the Huns, Val and his friends unknowingly assist in the founding of Venice. On a visit to Rome, they witness the assassination of Rome's last great general (and are blamed for it), then witness the retaliatory assassination of the last Emperor, Valentinian (and are blamed for that too).

Amazing as the artwork in Volume 1 was, it just keeps getting better. I would love to see some of this original art. Anyone know a museum with pages on display?

Art Gallery: Dime Detective

The other day, Laurie Powers, Queen of the West, told us about the new Dime Detective Companion coming from Altus Press. I'll have more to say when my copy arrives. Until then, here are a couple more covers:

 1939

 1934

More Dime covers HERE. 

Overlooked Cartoons: Music Land (1935)

One of the coolest cartoons ever made, thinks I, in which the Land of Symphony and the Isle of Jazz go to war. (Not to be confused with Disney's 1955 animated feature of the same name.)



More Overlooked Entertainment links at Sweet Freedom.

IT'S LOUIE LOUIE DAY!

It's true. Today is International Louie Louie Day, and since this is Davy's second favorite song. we're celebrating.

Why today? Well, mainly because April 11 is the birthday of Richard Berry, the esteemed author of the song. For lots more on Louie Louie Day, and lots more on all things Louie Louie, click HERE.

I, of course, have many favorite versions of the song, but my top two at the moment are the screamers below, by the Sonics and Iggy Pop. First, though, a little history lesson, which features me banging on my guitar (but not singing - that's the multi-talented Drew Bentley of Omaha, NE).

LOUIE HISTORY 101


LOUIE, LOUIE - THE SONICS


LOUIE, LOUIE - IGGY POP

Art Gallery: Charles Starrett

1939

1942

1951

Davy's Jukebox: The Ten Tenors sing "Rawhide"

RAWHIDE by The Ten Tenors