Dell Giant #21

Summer mischief is fully underway on this Dell Giant "Picnic Time" issue, where Tom the cat stands wide-eyed on the shore, scolding or directing a group of young bears and a floppy-eared puppy, while a picnic basket — stuffed with food and occupied by two mice — drifts merrily into the water. Harvey Eisenberg's cover art captures that irresistible M.G.M. charm, with every character's expression telling its own little story before you've even opened the cover. For 25 cents in 1959, this oversized Dell Giant offered a generous helping of Tom and Jerry fun perfect for lazy summer afternoons.