OK, Li'l Abner, Dick Tracy and Rod Serling! EC being familiar to Rod Serling is not hard to imagine. The storytelling contained within these comic books especially when the subject matter focused on race relations would have come to the attention of Rod who had similar concerns. Both the 1940 film adaptation of Lil Abner and the 1950s musical stage play and later musical film version took scenes straight out of the comic strip itself. Dick Tracy being parodied by Fearless Fosdick made our wrist radio ( later wrist tv) wearing hero even more interesting and increased the enjoyment of reading his adventures.
LI’L ABNER, for all its unevenness, is still one of the greatest and most potent works of satire America has ever produced. At its best, ABNER (along with Walt Kelly’s POGO) transcended comics, and also had a direct influence on Harvey Kurtzman’s MAD. Like the great literary works of satire, it was ultimately a commentary on human nature itself. No wonder people like Adam Sandler are still milking it for inspiration half a century later.
Wonderful recollections here, Scott Shaw is a treasure. :-) I've always been a long time Rod Serling fan and Serling's confirmation of a relationship between The Twilight Zone and EC Comics makes perfect sense here.
OK, Li'l Abner, Dick Tracy and Rod Serling! EC being familiar to Rod Serling is not hard to imagine. The storytelling contained within these comic books especially when the subject matter focused on race relations would have come to the attention of Rod who had similar concerns. Both the 1940 film adaptation of Lil Abner and the 1950s musical stage play and later musical film version took scenes straight out of the comic strip itself. Dick Tracy being parodied by Fearless Fosdick made our wrist radio ( later wrist tv) wearing hero even more interesting and increased the enjoyment of reading his adventures.
LI’L ABNER, for all its unevenness, is still one of the greatest and most potent works of satire America has ever produced. At its best, ABNER (along with Walt Kelly’s POGO) transcended comics, and also had a direct influence on Harvey Kurtzman’s MAD. Like the great literary works of satire, it was ultimately a commentary on human nature itself. No wonder people like Adam Sandler are still milking it for inspiration half a century later.
Wonderful recollections here, Scott Shaw is a treasure. :-)
I've always been a long time Rod Serling fan and Serling's confirmation of a relationship between The Twilight Zone and EC Comics makes perfect sense here.
Full interview here: ruclips.net/video/PmFlvE1umxc/видео.html