Our Gang Comics #12

Walt Kelly's lively cover for this 1944 Dell title captures the cheerful chaos that made Our Gang Comics such a delight — a blond kid in a spotted caveman costume rides the back of a big, tongue-wagging cartoon dog while a group of wide-eyed children look on in astonishment, a colorful bird perching nearby in the tree. A row of friendly animal character portraits along the bottom — mouse, cat, deer, lion cub, and monkey — gives the issue an inviting storybook warmth. Inside, Carl Barks handles the writing, art, inking, and lettering entirely solo for "The Ghost of Tanaka," making this a showcase of his remarkable one-man storytelling craft.