Customer Reviews

Little Lulu Volume 1: My Dinner With Lulu

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While this is 'volume 3' of Dark Horse Comics' reprint series of Little Lulu, it actual reprints the first 5 of the 10 "Four Color" Little Lulu comics (#74, 97, 110, 115, 120) which were published before Little Lulu got her own title. Hopefully volume 4 of the series will reprint the last 5 of the Four Color issues.

The numbering and publishing order of Dark Horse's "Little Lulu" series is rather confusing. Although "My Dinner with Lulu" was their third release, it is labeled Volume #1 in the series. This is because it reprints the first comic "books" featuring the character; Dell Four Color #74, #97, #110, #115, #120 (published over a two year period, 1945-1946). All 52 pages of content from these five books is included, unfortunately the covers and advertisements are not. And the reprints are black and white, which makes the volumes very affordable if poor substitutes for the original four-color pages.

John Stanley did all the pencils and some of the inking for these five books, in partnership with Irving Tripp. Cartoonist Marge Buell created the characters in 1935 for the Saturday Evening Post and the early comic books had to secure her approval before publication. Judging from the obvious style differences, it is likely that several of Buell's multi-panel one-page SEP stories were included in the comic books and reprinted in this volume.

The 1945-46 drawings are more faithful to Buell's style than later Lulu issues. Note that the characters' mouths are only shown when they are speaking and they have only a single eyebrow line going across their foreheads. Despite this both Buell and Stanley are able to convey an amazing number expressions and emotions.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

I recently finished plowing through the collected paperback editions of the classic 1950s "Little Lulu" comics, and wanted to put in my vote... yes! yes! yes! True, it's a little disappointing that the strips are reprinted in black-&-white and not in the original color versions, but the real genius of these works is in the draftsmanship of artists John Stanley and Irving Tripp, and once you get onto their wavelength, even these half-size B&W reprints are a pure delight. They can say so much with such economy -- a single panel of Lulu's unbridled mischief can have you laughing your head off, and here, in this multi-volume collection, you've got a real treasure trove of some of the best graphic-art humor produced in the 20th Century. Great stuff, highly recommended, and major kudos to Dark Horse for making this artwork both available and affordable.

I have two daughters, ages 12 & 7. Their brother has enjoyed the classic Marvel comic book reprints for years. But have you ever looked for comics for young girls that are worth their reading? Slim pickings! Happily, it's Little Lulu to the rescue!

Both of my girls have had a ball reading and rereading these paperback volumes collecting the classic strip of a bygone era. Even my little one, whose reading skills are just emerging, has her nose in these books constantly (sometimes reading them out loud to me).

They're clever, clean, and genuinely entertaining. My only wish is that they were reproduced in color, instead of b&w. (That would probably triple the price of each installment, though). There is one special color issue, so be sure to snag that one.

I have all the Little Lulu books. I grew up reading Little Lulu comic books and now my children are reading them. Besides being great fun, they tell stories usually involving morals and have great storylines. Why don't they make comics like this anymore?