Four Color #50

A plump, self-satisfied frog perches atop a large mushroom in the rain, while a cluster of tiny woodland sprites and elves scramble for shelter beneath its broad cap — all rendered in Walt Kelly's warmly expressive style that makes even a rainstorm feel like an invitation to adventure. Published by Dell in 1944 as part of the Four Color series, this issue brings Gaylord Du Bois's "The Magic Garden" to life with Kelly's cover art radiating the kind of gentle whimsy that made this era of children's comics so genuinely enchanting. The ornate golden border framing the scene adds a storybook grandeur perfectly in keeping with the Fairy Tale Parade title.