Li'l Pals #1

Marvel's all-ages funny-animal line gets its own dedicated title with Li'l Pals #1, cover-dated September 1972 and priced at a crisp twenty cents. Stan Goldberg's cover sets the cheerful tone perfectly: a dapper white-haired duck strides confidently away from a ladder, wagging his finger and declaring "You don't catch ME walkin' under a ladder — it's BAD LUCK!" while a scraggly monkey and a wide-eyed bear look on with bemused expressions. It's a bright, breezy introduction to this crew of cartoon pals, promising the "fun-filled animal antics" the cover banner proudly advertises — with Howie Post handling the interior story, art, and inking throughout.