Laff-a-Lympics

 

cover art by Mark Evanier (layout); ? (from Hanna-Barbera model sheets)

[cover credit copied directly from the Grand Comics Database]

Before I stumbled onto a copy of Marvel's Laff-A-Lympics #1 (March 1978), I didn't know that Marvel briefly published comics based on Hanna-Barbera characters. I don't know why I didn't know this. Normally, I know everything. (For instance, someone currently reading this post has a piece of spinach stuck in his or her teeth. I won't say who so I don't embarass anyone.) But I didn't know about the Marvel/HB thing.

This is after HB comics had been published by Charlton and Gold Key, but before HB and DC Comics ended up under the same corporate umbrella. 

Anyway, Laff-A-Lympics #1 (as well as the rest of the 13-issue run) was written by Mark Evanier. This was the best choice of writers--as Evanier is an experienced writer who has worked both in animation and comics. He knows the characters intimately and he knows how to plot out and structure a comic book story.

The art for this issue is by Jack Manning.

As was the cartoon on which it was based, the comic has three teams (two made up of heroes and one made up of villains) competing in a series of olympic events, with the villains constantly trying to cheat their way to victory without ever succeeding.

By the way, the villains are led by the Dread Baron and his dog Mumbly. If the Baron, pictured in the second panel above, looks like fellow Dick Dastardly--well, there's a reason for this. As I understand the tale of woe, the writers of the Laff-A-Lympics cartoon were not sure if they were allowed to re-use Dastardly and his dog Muttley for their new cartoon. So they created two nearly-identical stand-ins. It was only later on that the writers learned that they could have used Dastardly and Muttley.

I believe the comic book eventually identified Dread and Dick as brothers. Certainly, they both shared the same nefarious personality. 

Anyway, the comic book story "The Meet on Mount Ono" involves winter sports. There are a series of gags involving the Really Rottens cheating and still losing. The gags are funny and Evanier's script clearly shows that he understands the quirks and personalities of the various characters.

I think one legitimate complaint that can be made about the original cartoon is that it crammed in so many characters that none of them really get to shine. But Evanier weaves a plot thread throughout this story that works really well. It involves Daddy Doggie and his son Augie Doggy, who is perpetually convinced that his dad is a coward.

There's a couple of panels accompanying each event in which Augie is wondering why his dad isn't participating in that particular sport, then dismissing Daddy's explanation with cries of shame over Daddy's presumed cowardice.

So when Daddy takes it upon himself to climb to the summit of a mountain to win the last event, it's a sweet and even touching moment, with Daddy determined to get to the top on his own even after the Really Rottens give several really rotten tries to stop him.

I need to check out other issues of Laff-A-Lympics when I can find them to see if this pattern is continued, with a specific character given a arc that runs throughout the story. It's an effective way of giving some additional life to the concept.

Next week, we return to the Wild West to look at a comic based on a Zane Grey novel.