More Christmas Pan
Here’s the next two weeks of the Peter Pan’s Christmas Story strip, which ran 11-28 to 12-24-1960. It was written by Frank Reilly (who became manager of the Disney comic strip department) and drawn by Manuel Gonzales who did the second to the 24th strip. Floyd Gottfredson did the first one (see the last post). From 1938 to 1981, Manuel Gonzales pencilled and/or inked the Mickey Mouse Sunday page, alternating with Gottfredson for the first few years. He went by the nickname “Gonzy” in the comic strip department. Peter Pan’s Christmas Story was the first of 10 Disney Christmas daily strips. A few of the other story lines were: Pinocchio’s Christmas Story (#2, 1961, Gonzales inked, Chuck Fuson pencilled), The Three Little Pigs Christmas Story (# 4, 1963, Gottfredson pencilled and inked), Cinderella’s Christmas Party (#5, 1964, Gottfredson pencilled, Gonzales inked), Bambi’s Christmas Adventure (#6, 1965, Guillermo Cardoso and Gottfredson, pencilled and inked), Santa Claus in Never Land (#9, 1968, Cliff Nordberg pencilled, Gonzales inked) and A Quest For Christmas (#10, 1969, James Swain pencilled, Gonzales inked). I don’t know #3, 7 or 8’s titles, nor whether the Christmas strip continued after 1969. I miss the days of annual Christmas daily stories, if you go over to the Stripper’s Guide page, http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/ Allan is running an unusual Christmas strip from 1937, called “Santa Claus and Company”, drawn by Royal King Cole and distributed by King Features Syndicate, who also distributed the Disney Christmas Strips.
 Here’s the Myrtle strip from 11-9 to 11-15-1947. I love the 11-12 strip which refers to post-war food shortages, as Bingo chases a rabbit for a between-meals snack; “Wipe that smile off your face, Kid–this ain’t no dress rehearsal!” There’s something very theatrical about that line.
Very soon, we’ll have the fourth week of the first Disney Christmas Daily Strip right here! The Cats will return as well, they are out Christmas shopping this time.
Frederick Wiegand says:
Thanks for posting these Disney Christmas comic strips–a lesser-known aspect of Disney publishing, but with its own strong fanbase all the same. I used to be delighted whenever my local newspaper picked up a Disney Christmas story for December.
Thanks for the clear reproduction of this story. Here’s some tips for anyone who may wish to print these out: Click on the image on the blog post until you get the largest version of each 6-strip set, then Copy. Use Landscape for a page setting and paste. Then by right-clicking use “Format Picture” to crop each page until there are two comic strips. Then expand the two comic strips until they fill the page–OK if part of the image “disappears” on screen at the bottom, because it will print out in its entirety. It looks best on a white page if you set brightness and contrast to 60%.
Repeat the process until you have gotten a clear reproduction of all 6 strips in a set. Continue as needed until you have the whole story.
Also–not to complain, but the introductory strip is missing from your first post–the one that introduces the story. It was reprinted elsewhere online a few years ago, along with the complete version of this story, but in a smaller format that is sort of fuzzy (but still readable) when enlarged to fit the Landscape sized page. Your scan is much more adaptable for printing.
The text of the introductory strip reads: “Don’t miss the greatest All-Star Christmas story ever…starring Peter Pan and Tinker Bell (image of Peter Pan holding Tinker Bell with Tink spouting musical notes)…Mr. Smee…Captain Hook and (image of Hook ranting “Christmas! Bah! Jingle Bells! Carols! Bah” and Smee in a bubble insert cringing with a gift in his hand)…the Seven Dwarfs (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)..and Santa Claus himself. (image of Seven Dwarfs marching at top of panel singing”Heigh Ho” and Santa at bottom of panel holding a wrapped gift) They’re all in Peter Pan’s Christmas Story, by America’s Master Storyteller, Walt Disney.”
Again, thanks!
Mark says:
Sorry Frederick, I didn’t save that introductory strip, nor do I remember the Post-Dispatch running it. These were run six per day for four days prior to Christmas in 1960 by the Post. I’m scanning from the original newsprint which I’ve saved ever since then. My readers are welcome to follow Frederick’s formatting tips. I just open them in Irfanview and hit “print”.
Frederick Wiegand says:
On reading over my previous comment, it looks a little like watching someone wash a window and saying, “You missed a spot.” I hope it didn’t come off that way. I figured you didn’t have access to that strip, which is why I described it in detail. Just thought it might be a point of interest to other fans. I am totally thrilled with these posts and I want my comments to sound encouraging and not otherwise.
Thanks for all of the other stuff you regularly post as well. I am a big fan of this blog.