COMIC BOOK STORY: "The Wolf's Pardon" (MM 11) (Patreon)

Like “The Hitch Hikers” with Heckle and Jeckle, previously shared on this Patreon, today’s comic book story is an adaptation of a Terrytoon with the same name, The Wolf’s Pardon, released December 1947. Interestingly, this six-page story (drawn by animator Carlo Vinci) far surpasses the cartoon in many ways.

First, the first minute and a half of footage in the Terrytoon details the future of different nursery rhyme characters, such as Little Boy Blue, Little Tommy Tucker, and Tom Tom the Piper’s Son. It seems to be an attempt from Terry’s studio at cultural relevance, with Little Boy Blue blowing a hot trumpet a la Harry James, or the Piper’s son as a parody of Frank Sinatra, in an audience of screaming bobbysoxers—a subject ripe for parody in post-war animated cartoons. With that said, the titular Big Bad Wolf in the cartoon is not seen until the two-minute mark, with a third of the footage squandered on unnecessary story material. The comic book story begins exactly where it should, with the incarcerated Wolf receiving his pardon.

Page two of the comic book story has a more dynamic approach to the Wolf encountered the three pigs, now independent contractors, whereas the action in the Terrytoon comes across as soft as a pillow fight (as Milton Knight had once mentioned about the violence in the cartoons). In the comic book story, the improved Red Riding Hood appears more like a homely schoolmarm than the attractive blonde wearing glasses in the Terrytoon. The ending of both the cartoon and the comic book story are strikingly different, but it’s best that you read the comic and watch the film for yourself to compare.

From Mighty Mouse #11 (June 1949), which also contains a previously-shown story, “Shamus the Leprechaun” (drawn by Jim Tyer).