Keskustelujen arkisto

While writing the José Carioca post I started to go off on a tangent about how Paul Murry's early work was so strong, and stopped myself, as the text was wandering away from the subject of the Sunday strips.

Here, I wanted to show some examples of his art on the short-lived "Buck O'Rue" comic strip 9drawn by Murry and written by Disney animator and writer Dick Huemer). The strip only lasted about two years, from what I can tell it looks to have been sort of a wild west "Li'l Abner" - here's some sample art courtesy of our buddy Joakim Gunnarsson's sekvenskonst blog:

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa436/DuckburgUSA/BuckNewJPG.jpg

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa436/DuckburgUSA/buck_samplex.jpg

In 2008, Joakim's blog mentioned Germund von Wowern and Richard Huemer were gathering the strips for a book collection: Buck O'Rue Artwork

Allan Holtz's Stripper's Guide has a 2005 post on ol' Buck: Obscurity of the Day: Buck O'Rue

For a great sampling of "Buck O'Rue, Ger Apeldoorn's The Fabulous Fifties blog offers some scans to give the flavor and pacing of the strip: Buckle Up

Ger mentions Murry teamed up with Disney storyman and "Big Mooseketeer" Roy Williams for "Buck" - that's very possible. Roy was friends with everyone, and a pretty big talent (besides being a pretty big guy)!

P.S. - If you've never been to Ger's The Fabulous Fifties, click over there now and search around... or wait 'til Saturday, 'cuz you'll get fired for looking at comic strips at work all day long - it's a very deep mine of comic treasures! Like, Terry Fermy deep.

Quote from user: DuckburgUSAIn 2008, Joakim's blog mentioned Germund von Wowern and Richard Huemer were gathering the strips for a book collection: Buck O'Rue Artwork
Planned to be released in Dec-11 (knock wood). It's been a long strange trip.

> Ger mentions Murry teamed up with Disney storyman and "Big Mooseketeer" Roy Williams for "Buck".

Huh? I suppose he means Dick Huemer, who created the strip.

Quote from user: germundPlanned to be released in Dec-11 (knock wood).
Observe the "knock wood" remark ?? I've been around long enough to know that the best of plans have a tendency to require more time than expected. That said, especially Richard (Huemer) is hard at work, the book is making progress fast and it will feature loads of additional material. And it will be self published. The complete run of Buck O'Rue will be included, practically all artwork scanned from proofs (or even better photo reproductions on glossier paper), bar ca 13 Sundays Dec-51 to Aug-52 scanned from newspaper tearsheets. A few of these will also be 8-panel Sundays, as the full 12-panel versions weren't published anywhere, as far as we've been able to figure out. Actually, a lot of the later 1952 strips/Sundays weren't published at all back in the 50s, not even in newspapers, as the book will cover dailies Jan 15, 1951 to July 19, 1952 and Sundays Jan 21, 1951 to Dec 7, 1952. Disappointingly enough we haven't been able to uncover the next to last week of dailies (July 7-12, 1952), but after a decade of searching, I guess one has to decide that enough is enough. There are not too many people with Buck O'Rue proofs around to ask.

I wouldn't mind getting a copy of the BUCK O'RUE book, myself. The infrequently published comic-strip magazine HOGAN'S ALLEY carried an article about Murry's career not that long ago that included at least one of these strips (the second one), plus some cheesecake gag cartoons that Murry did early in his career.

Finally, after years and years of plans, Classic Comics Press will the publish the complete Buck O'Rue this summer. If I may say so myself, being heavily involved in this volume, this is a dream come true for any Paul Murry fan out there And Gerben Valkema has even drawn a wonderful new cover for us.
(I hope noone objects to this posting, but it's a project very close to my heart).

More info is found here:
http://www.classiccomicspress.com/
http://www.classiccomicspress.com/buck/index.html
http://buckorue.blogspot.se/

http://forumbilder.se/images/e32012125847Pc385.jpg

I can't wait for this, Germund??and Mr. Valkema coulda fooled me; that's a perfect style imitation.

Quote from user: germundI hope noone objects to this posting, but it's a project very close to my heart.
No complaints from me - been looking forward to this book since I first heard about it! For what has been nearly a year without actual Walt Disney comic books, this has been quite a good year for books to anyone interested in Disney comic artists. Heaps of gratitude to you, Germund for getting this material gathered and available!

Quote from user: ramapithMr. Valkema coulda fooled me; that's a perfect style imitation.
Indeed - when I first saw it, I figured the art was clipped and re-purposed from individual strips (much like the well done Carl Barks covers from the first two Fantagraphics books). It's not easy to match another artist's style that closely: even Jeff Smith's cover for the Yoe! Barney Bear book is very polished and nicely drawn, but anyone familiar with Barks' art, poses and linework could tell it was by a different artist.

Quote from user: DuckburgUSAQuote from user: ramapithMr. Valkema coulda fooled me; that's a perfect style imitation.
Indeed - when I first saw it, I figured the art was clipped and re-purposed from individual strips
Not to diminish Gerben's skill in any way (hey, I know exactly why I asked just him to do it), the image is based on the New Year daily 1952, but with enough subtle changes to both bring the drawing up to date and make it work on a cover.

http://forumbilder.se/images/b82012123855P4737.jpg