TROUBLE ON THE ARK is a Walt Kelly book, done using the pseudonym Tony Maclay. I don't know why he used a pen-name.
The scans were provided for us by David Miller, who went out of his way to help me show you this really fine example of Kelly's animal drawings by scanning his copy of this rare book. Thanks, Dave!
TROUBLE ON THE ARK Copyright © 1945 Tony Maclay
It doesn't really scream "Walt Kelly" to me but I can see it around the edges if you tell me it's Kelly. I'm thinking since this was early on, he was probably using a pen name as he was still employed by Disney.
ReplyDeleteSteve, the Pogo Fan Club will sell you reprints of the three Tony Maclay/Kelly books, including preliminary work on TROUBLE ON THE ARK. You can buy them here.
ReplyDeleteWhether it screams Kelly to you or not, Maclay is known to be Kelly. Some sources say that the reason he used a pen-name was due to a contract with Dell, or Oskar Lebeck, under whose copyright early issues of ANIMAL COMICS, FAIRY TALE PARADE, etc., were published.
Oh, I'm familiar with the Maclay Books as being Kelly. And with the fan club's making them available. I was just saying that unless I knew It I doubt I would have recognized it.
ReplyDeleteBTW--I'm linking to your cool post in my I.T.C.H. column this morning.
I guess I misunderstood you, Steve. I appreciate you clearing it up.
ReplyDeleteI had the same feeling when I first saw the art. It looked Kellyish, but by someone else. I wonder if he disguised it to avoid contract problems?
ReplyDeleteI can't think of Walt Kelly signing anything with a pen-name unless it was for contract reasons.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you! I have been looking for this book for over 50 years. I had it as a kid and read it over and over - and over.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hummingbirdplaypuppets, for your note.
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