Yogi Bear Weekend Comics, July 1967

Funny animal cartoonists had to know how to draw more than funny animals. Yes, there were trees, mountains, lakes and other settings. But there were other things. Cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, equipment. There are some fine examples in the Yogi Bear Sunday newspaper comics 50 years ago this month.

I don’t know if Gene Hazelton was responsible for the layouts, but they really are great this month.



Check out the perspective in the comic from July 2nd. Some of the panels are looking from the ground up. Ranger Smith has some interesting fingers; see the first panel in the second row and the final panel.


Cindy Bear is on a pic-a-nic two comics in a row. The dancing, waving Boo Boo in the final panel of the July 9th comic is a nice addition.


The artwork is really nice in this July 16th comic; too bad the scan isn’t the best. The screeching train is beautifully drawn. And what a nice perspective on the tracks in that first drawing of the middle row. The opening panel is, again, well laid out, with a good use of foreground, background and detail. Top work.


Again, a fine job of perspective in the first panel of the second row of the July 23rd comic with Yogi swooshing around the airport control tower. Interesting to see Jellystone Park has not only an airport but a zoo.



By contrast, the backgrounds are much more sparse in the July 30th comic. And now you know how to make a shadow elephant.

Click on any of the cartoons for a bigger view. My thanks again to Richard Holliss for sharing the colour comics from his archive.