Kokey Koala

    (Toby, 1952)
™ and ©1952 Toby Press, Inc.

Kokey Koala, from Toby Press, was among the more oddball creations to come from the 1950s era of less-violent “funny books.” In the comic, this plucky marsupial pals around with human and animal friends enjoying a mostly peaceful and carefree life. But when danger strikes, Kokey pushes his magic button (from whence it comes, the reader has no idea) that gives him “miraculous strength and powers” and zooms into action. In comic book terms, those powers are pretty standard issue: flight, speed, strength, invulnerability and a few more. But they were sufficient to help Kokey mop up the not-too-menacing bad guys and restore peace and serenity to his little corner of comicdom. Like most funny animal comics of the era, Kokey goes to great lengths to impart a few moral lessons in every issue, evidently hoping to push a few magic buttons somewhere in the minds of his young readers.
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