Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Ch'p and Howard The Duck


Many a superhero fan began their love of comics with funny animal characters.  It's not surprising that animal heroes would strike a chord with them as they are a bridge between the two genres.  The question is, how realistic to depict them?  For me, it's different for each character - I prefer a more cartoonish Howard and a more naturalistic looking Ch'p.
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19 comments:

  1. Bob GreenwadeNovember 1, 2017 at 11:31 AM

    Well, at some point you're just going to have to partner up Ch'p with Rocket Raccoon.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 1, 2017 at 11:44 AM

    Wasn't the Silver Age Ch'p a sentient raccoon?

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  3. RossNovember 1, 2017 at 11:48 AM

    Bob, they already met on the blog. Issue #1514

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  4. CarycomicNovember 1, 2017 at 12:29 PM

    @Anon: he certainly resembled one on the cover of STF #644.

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  5. David WelshNovember 1, 2017 at 6:16 PM

    Ch'p was always a squirrel. He started out as a realistically drawn one by Don Newton. Joe Staton turned him into a funny animal type.

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  6. Bob BuetheNovember 1, 2017 at 6:22 PM

    @Anon: He was supposed to be a sentient chipmunk; hence, his name. Maybe it was the mask that made him look like a raccoon. What a great disguise!

    @Ross: To me, the appeal of Howard was the fact that he was a funny animal drawn realistically, in a realistic, Gene Colan (or Frank Brunner) world. A cartoonish Howard has no appeal for me. It makes him just another funny animal. Ch'p, on the other hand, I prefer somewhere in-between. I found Joe Staton's version too cartoonish, but Cully Hamner's more naturalistic version didn't work for me either. I think Gil Kane got him just right.

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  7. Bob BuetheNovember 1, 2017 at 6:24 PM

    Just want to point out that his name is Ch'p, from the planet H'lven (Alvin), and his best friend on his homeworld was named D'll (Chip and Dale).

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  8. AnonymousNovember 1, 2017 at 9:57 PM

    Like the furniture factory...or the (ahem!) nightclub?

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  9. CarycomicNovember 1, 2017 at 9:59 PM

    @Anon: Seriously?!

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  10. GlennNovember 1, 2017 at 10:03 PM

    Ch'p should meet Squirrel Girl.

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  11. RossNovember 2, 2017 at 8:51 AM

    It happened in STF #644, Glenn

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  12. GlennNovember 2, 2017 at 10:18 AM

    Thanks Ross. I must have blanked it out since it was part of a Two Pack. Should have checked for Ch'p's previous appearances like II usually do.

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  13. Bob GreenwadeNovember 2, 2017 at 2:08 PM

    Re: Ch'p and Rocket -- so they did. I should have checked.

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  14. AnonymousNovember 2, 2017 at 2:36 PM

    Now, if Ch'p could just meet the critters from THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HEDGE.

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  15. AnonymousNovember 2, 2017 at 2:55 PM

    My bad! That should have read "...critters from OVER THE HEDGE."

    Haste does, indeed, make waste.

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  16. CarycomicNovember 3, 2017 at 12:24 PM

    Is that image of Dr. Bong a slightly altered Dr. Fate? I only ask because of the blue-and-gold costume.

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  17. RossNovember 3, 2017 at 1:08 PM

    No It was actually Dr. Bong

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  18. Bob BuetheNovember 3, 2017 at 4:54 PM

    @Anon #2: I'm probably being whooshed, but on the chance that I'm not...

    No, like the Walt Disney chipmunk duo.

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  19. AnonymousNovember 4, 2017 at 12:23 PM

    @BB: Ohhhh! Thanks for the update. :-)

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