Gerald McBoing Boing and the Nearsighted Mr. Magoo

    (Dell, 1952-1953)
™ and ©1952 Columbia Pictures Corporation

Gerald McBoing Boing was not like other kids. Instead of speaking in words, he spoke in sound effects—usually “Boing! Boing!” or some variation thereof. Little Gerald’s antics were entertaining as animated adventures, but necessarily difficult to translate to the comic book page, where the sound effects had to be represented as graphic icons—a fire-bell, or foghorn, for example.

Much more adaptable to print was Gerald’s partner in comedy, the bumbling, nearsighted old man, Mr. Magoo. Magoo’s premise was just as thin—he would continually mistake objects for other things because he couldn’t see them, and he was too stubborn to admit it. Much of Magoo’s humor depends on the reader imagining the dialogue delivered with the impeccable inflections and comic timing of Jim Bakkus (Mr. Howell from Gilligan’s Island), who provided the memorable voice work for the long-running cartoon series.
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#1

August, 1952
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $10.00 		  
#5

August, 1953
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $11.00