Wednesday 22 June 2016

Flintstones Weekend Comics, June 1966

Pebbles took an awful lot of the spotlight in the Flintstones newspaper comics, but the Sunday colour ones from 50 years ago this month revolve around Fred (with one exception). Frankly, that’s the way I prefer it. The cartoon series originally revolved around the grouchy, occasionally-scheming Fred barking at his wife and his best friend and I wouldn’t have minded if it had stayed that way.


Fred reading a girly magazine? That’s what it appears in the opening panel of the June 5th comic (Cave Boy instead of Playboy). He’s also maintained his subscription to Golf magazine, I see. There are jagged expression lines around the annoyed Betty in the first panel of the middle column. The final panel has not only a run-down Christmas tree, but birds nesting in it. Fred has a nice weary expression.


The idea of Dino and Pebbles “talking” in the newspaper comics isn’t something I’m taken with, but it opened more story possibilities, such as the one in the June 12th comic. And a dinosaur that shaves? (third panel, top row). The last panel is my favourite with the full moon, the dark clouds, Dino in silhouette and the volcanoes in the background.


Fred’s got great expressions in the June 19th comic. I like the composition of the opening panel, with a good use of foreground and background space to avoid making it look cluttered. This two-tone comic is from the Richard Holliss collection, as is the full-colour one above. I guess some papers wanted to save money. Bill Hanna would appreciate that.


Fred’s swearing in the opening panel of the June 26th comic is creatively lettered. Same goes for the SLAM! in the rare round panel in the middle row. The foreman not only smokes a cigar, but has a watch chain, like someone out of the 1900s.

Click on any of the comics to enlarge them.

7 comments:

  1. The one with Dino in love reminds ME of a CERTAIN Season 5 Flintstone (hint: Henry Corden, the later Fred, had a guest shot as the "Fred like neighbor", only unlike in this June '66 comic, Fred WASN'T (except in the beginning) taken with Dino being in love....

    (The Loudrock one, forgot the title though the 8mm Columbia home version was called "Dino and Juliet":))SC

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  2. The official title of that episode appears to be "Dino and Juliet." It offers a great opportunity to study the contrast between Alan Reed's voice and Henry Corden's...of course Corden's later Fred voice was toned down considerably from his interpretation of Loudrock.

    Dino also had his own comic book published by Charlton in the mid-70's.

    The Christmas tree gag is one of the best of the Sunday gags. It's an example of humor that speaks to adult situations but is still suitable for kids. And it's something that happens...although hopefully most people don't wait until June to take the tree down!

    The Father's Day gag is reminiscent of gags in the TV series. This one would have played well on TV.

    One thing I don't get is why the comic strip often shows Fred working elsewhere than the gravel pit. The comic strip writers don't seem to have been aware of Mr. Slate, although I recently read an interview in which more than one of the strip writers claimed to have regularly screened the episodes during the time when the show was running concurrently with the strip. I guess it's just one of those mysteries like the sound effect of the car door slamming when there is no car door.

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    Replies
    1. Scarecrow33, thanks for the episode info.SC

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    2. Or like why sometimes the Flintmobile can only hold two and sometimes it can seat the Flintstones and the Rubbles. One thing I never understood is why sometimes it needs gas when Fred uses his two feet. Oh well no matter. I just enjoy them.

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanx. Gene Hazelton, of course, was the one who created and designed Pebbles Flintstone to begin with.:)

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  4. The Father's Day in the USA occurs in the 3rd Sunday of June.
    Here in Brazil, the Father's Day occurs in the 2nd Sunday of August.

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