moving

this blog is closing down. All posts will be removed.

try www.sangorshop.blogspot.com for all the comics history material.

Ellis Chambers

Ellis Chambers is an interesting guy. He signed his work both EC and "Holly Chambers"-

leaving me to suspect at one time that he might be an H.E. Chambers. He did sign some material H.R. Chambers. He drew mostly humor comics from 1945 to 1951.

The only thing we know about him is what we know from a Howard Post interview. One, he was a he. Two, he could draw fast -really fast. Three, he wasn't that ethical. Four, he was a heroin and marijuana user. Five, Post knew him as Holly Chambers.

Everything else is even worse speculation. So let's get worse.

There's a Holly Chambers Apartments in Greenwich Village on Washington Square in NYC.

This 16 floors apartments was built in 1931. Up to 1947, it was easy to jam and play in the park.

There's an Ellis Chambers who was a professional musician in the 1940s.

Connection between those three facts? Not necessarily.

Milton Knight says that Post told him that he was "E. Holly Chambers" and that he dropped out of sight in the mid 1950s.

There is a Holly Ellis Chambers living in Texas in the 1950s-1960s, but he was living in Texas from 193o on. Another one recently in Brooklyn, but born way too late.

Raymond Scott's Powerhouse - on harmonicas

Coo Coo comics #2

One of the things that I've noticed is that I don't ID old comic art with certainty anymore.
a few years (ok ok, a few decades) ago, I could pick up an old 1940s humor comic book and tell you who drew it, and likely who might have written it.
Not anymore....

somebody sent me some stuff, and I looked at it and said "I used to know who drew that" ...
I sure hope I wrote those IDs down somewhere.....

I picked up Coo Coo Comics #2 recently - I know need just one or two issues to complete the run - I think the last time I got one of these was about 5-6 years ago and that a late issue with Milt Stein and E. Chambers art.

the first issue had Supermouse by Kin Platt, so I thought this would too - but no

December 1942 Published by Nedor Publishing Company. Ned Pines listed as editor, but actually a product of the Sangor Shop, Richard Hughes editor.

cover is by Victor Pazmino
The Supermouse story is drawn by Milt Stein (signed)
Next story is Algernon and Doody - unsigned by Carl Wessler -or someone with a similiar style
Next is Cinderoola; or The big Slipper. writing credited to Ellen Jenssen. art is unsigned, but looks familiar. I should know who this is
Four Parker Penguin one pages - is this Woody Gelman?
the Lion and the Mouse - aesop fable, lettering by Ed Hamilton, art (and story?) by Kin Platt (signed)
Droopyman - a superhero is next - gee, an origin story. art and story signed by Platt
text story by Alexander Samalman (working for Pines Pulp line), illustration is interesting. This guy comes up in the next few issues - i should look to see who it is - has a Tyer feel, but I dont think it is.
Mortimer Magic, by Victor Pazmino
Bashful Brown by Art Gates. Gates had just left Funnies, Inc. who produced Timely comics for Goodman to freelance. He did alot of comic books from 1940-1956. He was 24 when he was doing this material.
Hoosegow Pete art by Art Gates.
Winken, Blinken and Nod - written and drawn by Bob Naylor. Naylor was moonlighting from his job on staff at King Features. He is famous as a ghost for George Herriman! makes you wonder how he could do that, right? Only did comic books in 1942-1943.
Last story is Kid Bingo by Art Gates.
all this and an ad for Fighting Yank #1

Nice, more like a second line Timely humor comic (with Platt and Gates - and Stein) than the 1943-1948 heyday of the Sangor Shop books though - (the Timelys did enough humor that some are second and some are first rate. wonder if that guy I cant ID is an early Timely guy....)

this comic hasnt aged well - I expect it will be brittle before I am,...

John Lindermayer

John Lindermayer (11 Jun 1915 New York, NY to 23 Jul 1972 San Diego, Ca)
is an interesting lost figure in the world of early comic books.

in comic books from 1935 to 1940. As far as we know, his first commerical comic book work was for Wheeler-Nicholson in the pre-DC comics - NEW FUN COMICS #1, where he wrote and drew OSWALD THE RABBIT and PELION AND OSSA. In 1936, he went to work for the Harry 'A' Chesler shop, working on various strips, mainly for Centaur; before moving to the Eisner-Iger shop for the slightly more high profile work for Quality and Fox. Not that these strips were more memorable. To be honest, if it wasnt for those strips in the "first" DC comic, he would be even more forgotten.

did he stay in NY? join the military? go west as a young man? die while visiting California? I dunno. do you?