Duck-themed comics flourished during the Golden Age of Comics, with Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories standing out as one of the most influential. First published in 1940, it prominently featured Donald Duck alongside other beloved Disney characters. Surprisingly, these comics achieved immense popularity, frequently surpassing superhero titles in sales. You’d be surprised by how many duck comics there were during the Golden Age, and there are many in the public domain that can be found on some sites, such as Comic Book+.
Dizzy Duck was an anthropomorphic duck character created by Vince Fago in 1948 for Standard/Pines Comics, also known as Nedor Comics. The comic featured funny animal stories and ran from 1948 to 1958.
Dizzy Duck was from Nedor/Standard/Pines Comics, and what makes him stand out is that Vince Fago created him. Who is he? Well, he was the editor of Timely Comics from 1942 to 1945 while Stan Lee was in the service. Later, he worked at Golden Press and took over the Sunday comic strip Peter Rabbit.
Issues of Dizzy Duck included various humorous adventures, often alongside other animal characters like Percy Pig, Buster Bunny, and Cuffy Cat. The stories were lighthearted and aimed at younger readers, fitting into the funny animal genre that was popular during the Golden Age of Comics. But here’s the thing—I’ve read some of those issues, and they were amusing. No, they don’t read exactly like today’s comics, but they were fun and are all ages.
Another Nedor/Standard/Pines Comics duck comic was Lucky Duck. It ran for four issues in 1953. They were illustrated by Irving Spector, a talented artist known for his work in animation and comics. His son Paul had a blog that featured his dad’s work.
During the Golden Age, DC stuck with the heroes, but Timey Comics did have several animal comics, including Ziggy Pig in Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal. Al Jaffe created Ziggy—go look him up! He’s important–and got his name from Stan Lee. Ziggy was the “straight man” to the aptly named Silly Seal.
Ziggy and Silly have both appeared in recent years. They both appeared in Deadpool #8 from 2018, with Silly hiring him. In 2022, they had their series again as part of Marvel Unlimited’s Infinity Comics line that ran for eight issues.
Then there is Super Duck, which you would think was from DC. Nope! It came from MLJ Comics, which we know today as Archie Comics! Super Duck, known as “The Cockeyed Wonder,” was introduced in 1943 by Al Fagaly for MLJ Comics (now Archie Comics). Initially conceived as a Superman parody, he sported a red and blue costume, but his superhero identity was short-lived. By 1944, the series shifted toward lighthearted, Disney-style humor.
The Super Duck Comics series ran from 1944 to 1960, totaling 94 issues. His supporting cast included his girlfriend Uwanna Duck, his rival Dapper, and his mischievous nephew Fauntleroy Duck. The series is also a fun read, and many issues can be found on Comicbook+.
Al Fagaly was a prominent comic book artist during the Golden Age of Comics. In the 1940s, he contributed to Marvel Mystery Comics, illustrating backup features such as The Patriot and Angel, alongside work on Captain America and various funny animal stories. His talents also extended to Lev Gleason’s Crime Does Not Pay and Fawcett’s Captain Marvel series.
Now, Duck, Duck, and Go check out some of these silly and still funny Golden Age classics. Fans should always be looking outside of what they find at their comic shops. There are weeks. There are tons of comics out there waiting for you to find and enjoy.
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