The Funnies #61
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThe Funnies #61 (November 1941) carries a double significance for Golden Age comics: it is the first appearance of Andy Panda in the Dell Funnies anthology series and the first time any Walter Lantz character stepped into its pages, opening a relationship between Dell and the Lantz studio that would eventually yield a decades-long run of funny-animal comics. Simultaneously, the issue continues the early Dell serialization of Captain Midnight — one of the most popular radio franchises of the era — presenting Jim Albright still dressed in his authentic-looking flight uniform rather than the garish superhero costume Fawcett would impose when it acquired the comics license in 1942, making this a rare document of how the character looked before he was transformed into a four-color super-hero. Together, the two features represent the Golden Age's creative tension between licensed adventure-radio properties and the emerging animation tie-in market that would come to define Dell's postwar identity.
In "A NEW Life Begins for Andy Panda," the beloved talking panda finds unexpected friendship when naturalist Marion and her brother Tommy stumble upon him in the jungle. With the help of the siblings, Andy hopes to start a new life far from the wild—but not before facing danger from two hunters who’ve heard rumors of a talking panda and are determined to capture him. Written by Gaylord Du Bois and brought to life with expressive art by Jim Pabian—pencils, inks, and lettering—this 1941 classic from Dell features a vibrant cover by Dan Gormley, capturing the adventure’s heart and peril in a single striking image.
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The issue went on sale September 30, 1941, published by Dell Publishing Co. under the editorial oversight of president George T. Delacorte Jr., vice-president Helen Meyer, and secretary Margarita Delacorte. The Captain Midnight strip — drawn by Dan Gormley, the primary Dell artist on the feature throughout the 1941–1942 run — was an authorized comics adaptation of the hit Ovaltine-sponsored radio serial created by Wilfred G. Moore and Robert M. Burtt, which had been airing since 1938; the storyline in #61 continues the ongoing battle against arch-villain Ivan Shark that had been serialized since the character's comics debut in Funnies #57. The Andy Panda feature brought Walter Lantz's panda star — whose theatrical shorts had been distributed by Universal since 1939 — into the Funnies anthology, with the story placing Andy in Tibet and introducing human companions Tommy and Marion ('Sis') as part of his comic-book origin.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Andy Panda in The Funnies (Dell, 1936 series) and first appearance of any Walter Lantz character in the title.
- Two earlier Crackajack Funnies issues (#39–40) had featured brief Andy Panda appearances, but #61 marks his debut in this specific anthology title.
- The Andy Panda story informally titled 'A NEW Life Begins for Andy Panda' echoes the 1939 theatrical short 'Life Begins for Andy Panda' and establishes Andy as originally hailing from Tibet in the comic continuity.
- Captain Midnight (secret identity: Captain Jim 'Red' Albright) and his ward Chuck Ramsay appear in a continued adventure against arch-villain Ivan Shark — part of a Dell serial run spanning Funnies #57 through #63 (July 1941–March 1942).
- The Dell version depicts Captain Midnight in a realistic tan/khaki semi-flight uniform rather than the iconic red superhero costume; Fawcett redesigned him when it took over the comics license with Captain Midnight #1 (September 1942).
- Captain Midnight was created for radio by Wilfred G. Moore and Robert M. Burtt, originally sponsored by Skelly Oil (1938) and later by Ovaltine; the radio serial ran from 1938 to 1949.
- Artist Dan Gormley, who signed the Captain Midnight features in The Funnies from 1941 onward, later illustrated Walter Lantz characters including Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker for Dell into the early 1950s.
- The issue was published monthly by Dell Publishing Co. Inc. with an on-sale date of September 30, 1941, and a cover date of November 1941, as documented in the Catalog of Copyright Entries.
Cast · 4 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
As a talking animal, Andy Panda is lonely in his jungle home until he is discovered by naturalist Marion and her kid brother Tommy. Befriending the panda, the pair plan to take him back to the United States as a companion, but not before an encounter with two ruthless wild animal hunters who have heard legends about talking pandas - and hope to make a fortune by trapping one.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
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