New Funnies #97

A cheerful slice of 1945 Dell fun, New Funnies #97 features a beaming panda character zipping along on a hobby horse, hula hoops spinning around them in a burst of energetic motion — pure animated joy captured on a single cover. The bright yellow background pops against the character's bold red outfit, and smaller character portraits lining the left edge hint at the variety of Walter Lantz-associated stars waiting inside, including nods to Woody Woodpecker, Raggedy Andy, and Oswald. Cover art by Dan Gormley keeps everything lively and inviting, very much in the spirit of the playful comics Dell was delivering to young readers that year.