Gentle Giant in Popeye

By Vanshil
Posted on: May 17th 2008 at 8:40 AM

Replies: 8

Good morning from Italy, this is my first message in this wonderful forum (congratulations, Don!)

Here is my question:

In Italy Popeye comics were very appreciated until the 80's. From the 60's to the 80's they were made by Italian authors at Bianconi Editions under KFS licence. One of the most loved characters was Grissino, a gentle giant with a small head and a even smaller hat. Grissino's solo adventures even deserved a spinoff magazine towards the mid-seventies. I thought Grissino was an Italian original creation, but recently I read that it first appeared in a Dell/Western comic book in the early 60's, in a Popeye's story entitled "A Dear Friend" or similar (I only know the Italian translation: "Un caro amico").

I would like to know exactly when and where Grissino first appeared, who where his creators and what is his original name ("Grissino" is the name of a thin bread stick popular in Italy)

Thanks!

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Comments:

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-18 at 08:19:15 AM

I'm not familiar with the character. Gentle giants are not unknown in the original E.C. Segar Popeye, but Segar didn't live long enough to do the comic books.

Anyone?

Quack, Don

Posted by: Vanshil

Posted on: 2008-05-18 at 01:48:31 PM

Thank you, you can see Grissino in my profile image taken from the cover of the first issue of the Italian series (click on it to enlarge). Have you ever seen this (big) man?

Ahoy, Giovanni

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-19 at 05:09:20 AM

It looks vaguely familiar, but -- no. Sorry.

Quack, Don

Posted by: Chuck Taine

Posted on: 2008-05-19 at 08:44:42 AM

I am absolutely no way an expert, especially when it comes to Popeye either animated, or, in print. BUT it looks like a variant on the way Blutto is usualy drawn.

Posted by: Rob Allen

Posted on: 2008-05-19 at 09:11:15 AM

Could Grissino have been inspired by Stumbo the Giant, from Harvey Comics?

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-20 at 05:27:43 AM

Nah -- Bluto has a beard and a closer-to-regular-size head, and is instantly recognizable to anyone who reads Popeye (which you really should, Chuck -- good stuff, and he could even be considered sort of a superhero). And Stumbo -- close! but I don't think so.

But thanks for the suggestions, fellas. Anybody else?

Quack, Don

Posted by: Chuck Taine

Posted on: 2008-05-20 at 08:15:38 AM

Unfortunately, no one in my area carries Popeye. If I want to see the current Popeye newspaper strip, I have to subscribe to a web-based comic page. And, thanks to KFS policy, if they are even available, their strips are usually a month, or, so, behind. I'm lucky I found a site that delivers the current Phantom, and, Spider-Man strips, through a direct link to a newspaper that carries them in print and on line.

As for Popeye being a "super-hero," I seem to recall reading that Fawcett used him as a rebuttal in D.C.'s copyright infringement against them.

Posted by: Don Markstein

Posted on: 2008-05-21 at 05:27:14 AM

I was going to suggest finding a newspaper online that carries Popeye, but I see you already use that method for Spidey and The Phantom. But the Dell and Gold Key comic books are certainly high-quality, and since Bud Sagendorf also did the newspaper comics for a long time (in fact, I believe the current dailies are Sagendorf reprints), they definitely carry the "flavor" of Popeye. They're around at reasonable prices, plus, you might be able to find a few on-line.

Fawcett using Popeye to refute DC's claim of copyright infringement is something I hadn't heard (or else forgot). Seems like it would be ineffective, since DC's allegations included the skin-tight costume and the fact that he flew through the air. But otherwise, it's a pretty good case.

Quack, Don