Walter Lantz New Funnies, #211

Published: September 1954

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Issue Contents:
Lower Level Leak-Protection

Story Featuring Woody Woodpecker

Storyline

Walking beneath Woody’s leaky umbrella, Knothead and Splinter stay dry with little umbrellas of their own.

Credits
The Birthday Cake

Story Featuring Woody Woodpecker

""Hey kids," Woody Woodpecker called, "Are you doing your homework?""

Storyline

Knothead and Splinter surreptitiously bake a cake for Woody’s birthday. Only problem is, they do it two weeks in advance, so that it’s stale and hard on the big day. Buzz Buzzard steals the still-good-looking cake, and cracks his beak on it.

Homer Pigeon Meets Chilly Willy

"Homer, we've started a new air mail service to the south pole... and guess who has been selected to fly it there?"

Storyline

Air Mail pilot Homer Pigeon delivers an electric heater to Chilly Willy at the South Pole. As they hook it up to be powered by an electric eel, good natured but impulsive Burly Bear, who always wanted to fly like a bird, takes an uncontrolled ride in Homer’s plane. Once the plane is recovered, Chilly accompanies Homer for the trip back to the USA - where the chronically cold penguin looks forward to warmer climes… and will have an extended stay with his pigeon host.

Story Notes

This is Chilly Willy’s comic book debut, and an unconventional and indirect one it was. First appearing here as a guest-star in the “Homer Pigeon” feature, Chilly Willy would share several months’ worth of stories with Homer Pigeon (whom he’d quickly eclipse in popularity), finally achieving a feature (in Walter Lantz New Funnies #222) and later a comic book of his own.

Inventor

Story Featuring Woody Woodpecker

"There must be something left to invent!"

Storyline

Wanting to be a great inventor, Woody searches for something to invent that has not been invented before.

Story Notes

Title from Fallberg's notes.

Yellowstone

Story Featuring Andy Panda

"What's that? He is? Oh, this is terrible!"

Storyline

Terrible tourist Charlie Chicken is heading for a vacation at Yellowstone National Park, where his pal Andy Panda is a park ranger. The Chief Ranger assigns Andy to escort his out-of-control, crazy chum around the park and keep him from wreaking havoc. Can Andy do it, or will he turn... chicken?

Credits
Story Notes

Title from Fallberg's notes.

Curious Fox

Story Featuring Oswald the Rabbit

"Aren't you going to take us out to gather nuts today, Poppa Oswald?"

Storyline

Oswald invokes some approximation of the old saying about "curiosity" and "cats", and tries to illustrate the point to Floyd and Lloyd on a nut-gathering expedition. However, it is the kids' curiosity that routs hungry Reddy Fox and saves the day.

Credits
Story Notes

Oswald can’t quite tell his kids, Floyd and Lloyd, that “Curiosity KILLED the cat!” (The "Dell Comics Are Good Comics" Code at work?), instead offering “And you know the old saying about what too much curiosity does to cats!”. Oswald's version seems a bit too roundabout for the usually limited balloon lettering space, suggesting that some sort of editorial intervention may have occurred here. Title from Fallberg's notes.

The Biggest Dollar's Worth of Fun Your Money Can Buy!!

"...A full year's subscription to New Funnies comics!"

Credits
Story Notes

Ad offering one, two, and three year subscriptions to Walter Lantz New Funnies at a discount off the newsstand price, and with a free "genuine Lucky Rabbit's Foot" (hopefully not from Oswald) as an added premium. Illustrations in this ad: Repurposed image of Woody Woodpecker by Dick Hall holding an issue of Walter Lantz New Funnies #211 (this issue) and a realistic rendering of the "Lucky Rabbit's Foot". Black and white ad on inside back cover.

Strength and Fish-ness

Story Featuring Andy Panda

"This looks like a good fishing spot, Andy!"

Storyline

While fishing, Andy and Charlie hook each other's lines. When Charlie is pulled overboard by Andy's line, he declares that Andy is "stronger than [he is]".

Story Notes

Black and white on inside front cover.

How Chuck's Fineline Pen Got Him in the Movies!

"Hollywood's biggest star!"

Storyline

When Gene Troy's autograph-signing pen fails to work as his adoring crowd gathers for his new movie premiere, theatre usher Chuck steps up to offer the star his Fineline pen. The producer in attendance taps Chuck to co-star in Gene Troy's next film. In the final panel, both Chuck and Gene (as floating heads) extoll the virtues of Fineline pens.

Story Notes

"Gene Troy" would appear to be an amalgam of famous cowboy stars Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Both of their "first names" are used in creating the name of "Gene Troy". Color ad on back cover.