Wonderland Comics ran for nine issue from Summer 1945 to April 1947. Each issue led off with an adventure of Alex in Wonderland about a little boy who has been "dropped into Wonderland, the fabulous make-believe land of the nursery rhyme characters." These characters are not behaving like they are supposed to -- at least according to the nursery rhymes -- so it's up to Alex and his friend Macaw (a top hat wearing bird) to set things straight. In this issue, the problem is with Little Boy Blue, who would rather belt out a number on his horn than sleep in the hay.
The rest of this issue is crammed with funny animal stories. I use the word "funny" advisedly.
"Hoppy Hare" decides to become an inventor and invents a portable victory garden (actually a tonic that grows vegetables instead of hair when applied to the scalp). What could go wrong?
Nip and Tuck (Nip is a boy who somehow resembles Sluggo and Tuck is a girl who resembles a cross between Nancy and Little Eva) have an adventure in the worlds of Never-Never in "The Land Above the Sky," where they meet cloud and lightning people who are being threatened by flying fish. Nothing strange here, folks.
"Muffy and Duffy" are two bears. Muffy's house is being overrun with mice and he's at his wit's end. Duffy suggests that he get a cat. Problem not solved.
"Ella Funt" has a one-page story ending in a stale joke.
"The Boy Pirate," with the aid of his talking animal friends, helps Ponce de Leon find the Fountain of Youth. A bit off-putting for modern readers when The Boy Pirate vows to help the "old Ponce.'
'Chirpy and Cheery" are two birds. Cheery likes to be the early bird who gets the worm, while Chirpy prefers caterpillars. On this morning their food has grown huge and threaten to eat them! SPOILER: It was all a dream. Nonetheless, Chirpy vows to eat only birdseed from now on.
Willie is a young boy who wants to be a hero but all his attempts at heroism fail. Then one day he rescues a small bird from a carrion. The bird he rescues turns into a beautiful fairy princess who, in turn, turns Willie into "Wishing Willie," with the power to make his wishes come true. Willie is careless wioth his wishes but in the end he promises to do better in further issues (of which there would be only one and I don't think Wishing Willie appeared in it).
For the final story we have "Pussy Willow," a two-pager about belling the cat. Ho-hum.
Seventy years ago funny animals were quite popular in comic books. So, yes, times were simpler then in Comicbookland.
See for yourself:
http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=69415&b=i
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