Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat #74

(August 1956)

[Feet of Bravery?] (Table of Contents: 1)

Felix the Cat / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

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Pencils

Otto Messmer

Inks

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Colors

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Letters

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First Line of Dialogue or Text

What nonsense! - Everyone knows there's no such thing as a giant!

Feature Logo

Felix the Cat [Harvey Comics logo]

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Felix the Cat

Synopsis

Felix talks pretty brave about fighting giants, until he spies a huge pair of feet coming around a corner.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

be-careful-what-you-wish-for; exaggerating one’s importance; feet; giant; wrong impression

Indexer Notes

Pencils and inks credits from Michael Morgan via the GCD Error Tracker (http://errors.comics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10667), 2016-08-26; the previous indexer credited both to "Joe Oriolo ?"

Giant Size (Table of Contents: 2)

Felix the Cat / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Oriolo; Otto Messmer (original concept)

Pencils

Joe Oriolo

Inks

Joe Oriolo

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Golly, am I bored!

Feature Logo

Felix the Cat [Harvey Comics logo]

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Felix the Cat; The Merry Midgets [Tic, Tac, and Toe]; giant

Synopsis

Bored with the cozy life of a housecat and craving adventure, Felix inadvertently summons the Merry Midgets (Tic, Tac, and Toe) who whisk him off to "Fableland" and an encounter with a giant.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

fantasy setting; giant; midgets; quest for excitement; redrawn story; reused story; size differential

Indexer Notes

A reworking of many of the elements of the lead story in Felix the Cat Winter Annual (Toby, 1954 Series) #2 (Winter 1954) titled "Felix the Cat and the Merry Midgets", which was reformatted from the "Merry Midgets" continuity of Otto Messmer's original Felix newspaper strips of 1939.

Differing from Messmer's original story, the Merry Midgets (Tic, Tac, and Toe) speak here in rhyme, similar to Walt Disney's Bucky Bug and the Dell/Gold Key version of Beep Beep the Road Runner.

Part One of Three.

[No Fun at the Fun House!] (Table of Contents: 3)

Kitty / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

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Pencils

Otto Messmer

Inks

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Colors

?

Letters

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First Line of Dialogue or Text

Gracious! - I haven't been to one of those places since I was a kitten!

Feature Logo

Kitty

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Kitty; fun house barker; giant

Synopsis

Kitty bonks her head while in a carnival fun house and dreams she's entered a giant's castle.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

carnival; dream sequence; fun house; giant; size differential

Indexer Notes

Pencils and inks credits from Michael Morgan via the GCD Error Tracker (http://errors.comics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10668), 2016-08-26; the previous indexer credit both to "Joe Oriolo ?"

According to Felix expert and historian David Gerstein, author of "Nine Lives to Live a Classic Felix Celebration by Otto Messmer" (1996, Fantagraphics Books), Messmer did some pencil art during the Harvey run - but with different inkers, so his work here less reflects his more classic works of the newspaper strip and the Dell and Toby Press comics. Per indexer's personal conversation with David Gerstein (2022).

The "dream giant" in this story (presumably drawn by Messmer) more closely resembles the giant of Messmer's original story than does Joe Oriolo's giant of our main story.

Tale of a Shoe (Table of Contents: 4)

Felix the Cat / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Oriolo; Otto Messmer (original concept)

Pencils

Joe Oriolo

Inks

Joe Oriolo

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Won't you join us three in this giant cup of tea?

Feature Logo

Felix the Cat [Harvey Comics logo]

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Felix the Cat; The Merry Midgets [Tic, Tac, and Toe]; giant; Felix's mistress

Synopsis

While Felix's mistress looks for her missing cat, Felix and the Merry Midgets are captured by the giant.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

capture; escape; fantasy setting; giant; midgets; redrawn story; reused story; size differential

Indexer Notes

A reworking of many of the elements of the lead story in Felix the Cat Winter Annual (Toby, 1954 Series) #2 (Winter 1954) titled "Felix the Cat and the Merry Midgets", which was reformatted from the "Merry Midgets" continuity of Otto Messmer's original Felix newspaper strips of 1939.

Part Two of Three.

Big "H" Kid News (Table of Contents: 5) (Expand) /

Harvey Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Flyin' High (Table of Contents: 6)

Felix the Cat / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Oriolo; Otto Messmer (original concept)

Pencils

Otto Messmer

Inks

Joe Oriolo ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

How do you do? And just how good are things with you?

Feature Logo

Felix the Cat [Harvey Comics logo]

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Felix the Cat; The Merry Midgets [Tic, Tac, and Toe]; giant; Felix's mistress

Synopsis

Felix and the Merry Midgets escape, thanks to the giant's pepper-induced super-sneezes. The midgets glide away atop playing cards (as seen in Messmer's original story) and Felix is sneeze-expelled from Fableland and blown back home through the mistress' living room hanging picture - which is ripped apart by the cat's reentry. Blaming Felix for the damage, the mistress throws him out leaving him homeless once again.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

capture; escape; fantasy setting; giant; midgets; redrawn story; reused story; size differential

Indexer Notes

A reworking of many of the elements of the lead story in Felix the Cat Winter Annual (Toby, 1954 Series) #2 (Winter 1954) titled "Felix the Cat and the Merry Midgets", which was reformatted from the "Merry Midgets" continuity of Otto Messmer's original Felix newspaper strips of 1939.

Pencils and inks credits from Michael Morgan via the GCD Error Tracker (http://errors.comics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10670), 2016-08-26; the previous indexer credited both to "Joe Oriolo ?" Inks might be Oriolo over Messmer's pencils.

Part Three of Three.

In the Swim (Table of Contents: 7)

text story / 0.75 page (report information)

Script

?

Colors

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Letters

typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

All the barnyard folk knew that old Henrietta Hen was very nearsighted, but even so -- to make such a mistake!

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Henrietta Hen; Henrietta's little ducklings; Teresa Turkey; Claudia Cow; Marrieta Mule

Synopsis

Nearsighted Henrietta Hen adopts a family of little ducklings, raising them as if they were her own. Complications ensue when the ducklings begin swimming.

Reprints

• from Horace & Dotty Dripple (Harvey, 1952 series) #28 (February 1953)
• in Baby Huey, the Baby Giant (Harvey, 1956 series) #3 (Janusry 1957) [renamed]
which is reprinted
• in Playful Little Audrey (Harvey, 1957 series) #7 (June 1958)
which is reprinted
• in Baby Huey Duckland (Harvey, 1962 series) #4 (August 1963)
• in Little Dot Dotland (Harvey, 1962 series) #5 (March 1963)
• in Little Audrey TV Funtime (Harvey, 1962 series) #13 (September 1965)
• in Blondie (Harvey, 1960 series) #163 (November 1965) [Renamed]
• in Blondie Comics Monthly (Harvey, 1950 series) #136 (April 1960)
which is reprinted
• in Hot Stuff, the Little Devil (Harvey, 1957 series) #125 (November 1974)
• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)
• in Hot Stuff Sizzlers (Harvey, 1960 series) #34 (September 1968)

Keywords

adoption; ducklings; farm setting; frequently reprinted story; hen; swimming

Indexer Notes

This appears to be the earliest occurrence of this oft-reprinted text story of the printings indexed at GCD. Should an earlier printing be discovered, this note should be updated.

These Fine Products are Advertised in Our July 1956 Harvey Comics. (Table of Contents: 8) (Expand) /

Harvey Comics / advertisement / 0.25 page (report information)

Fat Chance (Table of Contents: 9)

text story / 0.75 page (report information)

Script

?

Letters

typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

The citizens of Greenwood Valley were buzzing with excitement, for that day the animal community was getting a new citizen - And what's more, he was coming all the way from Africa!

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Regina Rabbit; Franklin Fox; Horace Hippo; Sylvester Squirrel

Synopsis

In an early instance of what we would now call "fat-shaming", huge Horace Hippo arrives in Greenwood Valley and is ridiculed and scorned for his size by the smaller and more fleet-of-foot animals of the community -- until a great flood occurs and "big, fat, foolish-looking" Horace (as he's described in the story) proves his value as a rescuer.

Reprints

• in Chic Young's Dagwood Comics (Harvey, 1950 series) #94 (October 1958)
which is reprinted
• in Blondie Comics Monthly (Harvey, 1950 series) #136 (April 1960) [Renamed]
which is reprinted
• in Spooky Spooktown (Harvey, 1961 series) #11 (December 1964)
• in Richie Rich Millions (Harvey, 1961 series) #36 (July 1969)
• in Playful Little Audrey (Harvey, 1957 series) #97 (September 1971)
• in Hot Stuff, the Little Devil (Harvey, 1957 series) #111 (July 1972)
• in Richie Rich (Harvey, 1960 series) #125 (March 1974)
• in The Friendly Ghost, Casper (Harvey, 1958 series) #29 (January 1961)
• in Blondie (Harvey, 1960 series) #163 (November 1965) [Renamed]
• in Casper's Ghostland (Harvey, 1959 series) #47 (April 1969)
• in Blondie Comics Monthly (Harvey, 1950 series) #136 (April 1960)
which is reprinted
• in Spooky Spooktown (Harvey, 1961 series) #11 (December 1964)
• in Richie Rich Millions (Harvey, 1961 series) #36 (July 1969)
• in Playful Little Audrey (Harvey, 1957 series) #97 (September 1971)
• in Hot Stuff, the Little Devil (Harvey, 1957 series) #111 (July 1972)
• in Richie Rich (Harvey, 1960 series) #125 (March 1974)
• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)
• in Casper & Nightmare (Harvey, 1964 series) #11 (February 1966)

Keywords

"fat-shaming"; community of animals; flood; forest setting; hippo; unlikely hero

Indexer Notes

This appears to be the earliest occurrence of this oft-reprinted text story of the printings indexed at GCD. Should an earlier printing be discovered, this note should be updated.

[Wildroot Cream-Oil gives you confidence! (Burning Building)] (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

Wildroot Cream-Oil / advertisement / 0.25 page (report information)

[Felix's Dishonorable Discharge] (Table of Contents: 11)

Felix the Cat Tee Vee Serial / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Oriolo; Otto Messmer (original concept)

Pencils

Joe Oriolo

Inks

Joe Oriolo

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Felix, aboard a Navy battleship finds himself being the boat's floor mat...

Feature Logo

Felix the Cat Tee Vee Serial

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Felix the Cat; captain; admiral; various sailors; cannibals

Synopsis

Felix escapes the Navy battleship he unwittingly boarded by hiding in an empty artillery shell, which is fired off the ship. Unfortunately, the cat-containing shell lands Felix on an island of cannibals.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

artillery shell; battleship; cannibals; redrawn story; reused story; U.S.Navy

Indexer Notes

Art and coloring simulate a black-and-white television program. Continued from issue #73 and continued in issue #75.

A reworking of several of the elements of a story titled "Felix the Cat Modern Jonah" in Felix the Cat Winter Annual (Toby, 1954 Series) #2 (Winter 1954), which was reformatted from an original Otto Messmer Felix newspaper strip continuity of the 1930s.

Good Double-Entendre: Felix is concerned for his safety aboard this floating instrument of war:
FELIX: "Golly! A cat's life isn't WORTH A DIME aboard a busy battleship like this!" ...This line is not in Messmer's original story.

[To the Moon] (Table of Contents: 12)

Inky and Dinky / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Otto Messmer

Inks

Joe Oriolo ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Look Inky! It says here the moon is made of hydrogen, oxygen and other minerals!

Feature Logo

Inky and Dinky

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Inky; Dinky; Kitty; two guys in gas masks

Synopsis

Inky and Dinky argue over the composition of the Moon, with each determined to prove himself right.

Reprints

• in Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat (Harvey, 1955 series) #110 (July 1960)

Keywords

argument; composition; gas masks; Moon; rocket ship; wrong impression

Indexer Notes

Pencils and inks credits from Michael Morgan via the GCD Error Tracker (http://errors.comics.org/show_bug.cgi?id=10671), 2016-08-26; the previous indexer credited both to "Joe Oriolo ?" Inks might be Oriolo over Messmer's pencils.

Breaks with the issue's overall theme of "giants".