Gahan Wilson: The Unquiet Coven

Don't you hate when this happens?

"Could you please make a little less noise?"
Gahan Wilson
Collier's, October 29, 1954

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Note:  You can help support cartoonist Gahan Wilson's medical needs here.

I want to thank Dick Buchanan for once again dipping into his Cartoon Clip Files and finding the perfect cartoon. This post is his 47th contribution to Attempted Bloggery.

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The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest #42

The downloadable image for the Cartoon Collections Caption Contest #42 contains the string warnedaboutsplashing, which suggests that Drew Panckeri's original caption is something like "Didn't I warn you about splashing?" That's pretty good. Here's what I was able to came up with:

"Now for a spell I once cast on Tom Brady's footballs."
"Didn't I say at lunch to wait an hour before swimming?"
"I have a rule against skinny dipping."
"It's for your safety. I just turned the lifeguard into a frog."
"I'll turn you back for a nice chunk of your pension fund."
"I see the swimming charm doesn't work without a wand."
"Next time I'll look up the correct floating charm."

October 4, 2019 Update:  The Winner

In his analysis of the contest, seven-time New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest winner Lawrence Wood mentions one of my entries and why it doesn't quite fit:

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Drew Panckeri

Witches

Swimming Pools

The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest

The Moment Magazine Cartoon Caption Contest

All These Cartoon Caption Contests and More

Attempted Bloggery's Dog Paddling Index

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Dan Kilgo: The High Cost of Halloween

The U.S. inflation rate hit a whopping 14.4% in 1947 as the postwar economic expansion got underway. That's why the Saturday Evening Post felt its readers that year would be able to relate to a certain price-conscious Halloween cartoon by Dan Kilgo.

"Can you imagine paying two bucks for a lousy broom like this?"
Dan Kilgo
The Saturday Evening Post, October 18, 1947, page 74

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Note:  Once again I want to thank Dick Buchanan for providing Attempted Bloggery with another gorgeous scan from the celebrated Dick Buchanan Cartoon Clip Files. Dick contributes regularly to Mike Lynch Cartoons, most recently a post entitled "From the Dick Buchanan Files: Color Gag Cartoons 1936 - 1967." Really, it's just like being there.

Today marks cartoonist Dan Kilgo's first appearance on the blog. The cartoon is wonderfully atmospheric, no?


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Halloween

The Saturday Evening Post

Dick Buchanan

Attempted Bloggery's Bargain Counter Index

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Arthur Rackham: Hey! Up the Chimney, Lass!

The original 1907 frontispiece illustration by Arthur Rackham to the Rev. R. H. Barham's The Ingoldsby Legends shows a gaggle of witches flying up out of a chimney. Rackham uses an S-shaped composition to convey the  spiralling upward sweep of the witches. He makes sure to put the pretty witch dead center where we can see her. Rackham demonstrates careful control over the forms of the witches, but allows himself uncharacteristic freedom in rendering the fanciful anatomy of the black cats.

The Chris Beetles Gallery sold this spectacular illustration in 2004 for an impressive 65,000 GBP. The work has come back to the gallery for another go, but anyone who hopes to snag it this time around should take note that the price has doubled.

Arthur Rackham
Hey! Up the Chimney, Lass! Hey After You!
Rev. R. H. Barham, The Ingoldsby Legends, 1907

Arthur Rackham
Chris Beetles Gallery Listing Retrieved October 27, 2018

https://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/illustrations/hey-chimney-lass-hey-after-you.html

Note:  The 2004 sale price is referenced in the Antiques Trade Gazette here.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Arthur Rackham

Halloween

Original Book Illustrations

Attempted Bloggery's Ascending Index

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A Sign of Halloween

I spotted a couple of copies of this sign at work. This is a rare opportunity to share a Halloween pun.

Note:  There are a lot more blog posts here about Halloween.

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Arthur Rackham: Long Stories of Ghosts, Witches and Indians

Illustrator Arthur Rackham's 1916 book illustration tells the story of telling a story. Note that the light source is pretty close to the viewer's vantage point, as if we ourself are holding the candle or sitting directly in the fireplace.

Arthur Rackham, Long Stories of Ghosts, Witches and Indians, Washington Irving, Rip Van Winkle,
London: William Heinemann, 1916, page 5

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/children/long-stories-ghosts-witches-and-indians.html

Note:  Arthur Rackham appears on the blog here.

My Halloween posts are here.

The baseball season is over, but the blog posts remain here.

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Arthur Rackham: The Witches' Sabbath

In 1928, Arthur Rackham illustrated Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. His illustration of "The Witches' Sabbath" was published in black and white. The listing from Chris Beetles Gallery explains, "After publication this illustration was reworked and coloured by the artist."

Arthur Rackham, "The Witches' Sabbath," for Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 1928

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/gallery/fairy-fantasy/witches-sabbath.html

February 7, 2015 Update:  The Gallery has raised the price of this piece.

October 30, 2016 Update:  The price is back down to 45,000 GBP.

Note:  Arthur Rackham appears in other blog posts here.

This is the final day to check out my Halloween posts here. Tomorrow it will be Thanksgiving I'm promoting.

Wait till next year! Attempted Bloggery's archive of baseball posts is here.

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