Under the influence of Chas Addams' THE ADDAMS FAMILY New Yorker cartoons (the TV show was a few years off) was Hanna-Barbera's MR. AND MRS. J. EVIL SCIENTIST). The trio (Boris, Goonda and Junior) first appeared on TV in "The Great Diaper Caper" on a Snooper and Blabber animated cartoon as a part of THE QUICK DRAW MCGRAW SHOW in 1961. They also guested the same year on THE YOGI BEAR SHOW in a Snagglepuss cartoon. Their last animated cartoon appearance was on Snooper and Blabber's "Chilly Chiller" on Feb 17, 1962.
They transitioned to comics, first appearing in HANNA-BARBERA BANDWAGON #2 (Western/Gold Key, January 1963) and again in issue #3 (April 1963) in their own story.
Deemed popular enough, they got their own comic book, which ran for four issues from October 1962 - April 1963.
The first issue is shown here today. No credit is given to the writer(s) and artist(s).
TV's FIRST MONSTER FAMILY
"Under the influence" is rather generous in terms of their design. Addams could easily have sued.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if the Scientists were a bigger family? Boris, Goonda and Junior sure could have passed for Gomez, Morticia and Pugsley, though.
ReplyDeleteI found the similarity quite striking.
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