Funny Stuff: "Something Funny Is Going On"

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! A couple weeks ago, Groove-ophile Kevin L. asked about Rich Rich Vault of Mystery. Well, Kevin, RRVoM ran for five issues (August 1974-April 1975) before it changed its name to Richie Rich Vaults of Mystery and ran thru issue 47 (June 1982). Just so happens that Ol' Groove has scans of RRVoM #1 lying around (funny how that happens, huh?), so why don't we take a look at the lead story, "Something Funny Is Going On"?

Funny Stuff! "The Great Exploration" by Uncredited

Check it out, Groove-ophiles! Groove-ophile Charlie Horse 47 recently suggested we lighten things up with some humor comics (namely Sad Sack, and I'm workin' on it, Charlie!) and he's right. Besides Marvel and DC, Archie and Harvey Comics (especially Richie Rich) ruled their fair share of the spinner racks, not to mention the Disney and Hanna-Barbera classics that could easily be found during the Groovy Age. So here comes yet another new department: Funny Stuff! We'll spread a li'l "ha-ha" 'round here from time to time. Hope you enjoy! We'll kick off with a cool Richie Rich short, "The Great Exploration". Couldn't find credits for this little gem (pun intended), but it sure looks like Ernie Colon art to moi. From Richie Rich Millions #58 (December 1972), find out what it's like when your house is just too dad-gummed big!

Random Reads: "The Abominable Snow Plan" and "A Snow Thing" by Uncredited

Season's Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Today as we sit back and look over our newly-accumulated Christmas swag, let's look back at the kid who got all the swag every day, Richie Rich. L'il Groove (and a whole lot of other neighborhood kids and kin) loved Richie's travels and adventures--kinda like a rich l'il kid Indiana Jones or something. This two-parter, "The Abominable Snow Plan" and "A Snow Thing", was originally published in Riche Rich Millions #58 (December 1972). Grab a plate of milk and cookies and dig in!

Speaking of swag, here are the comicbook related goodies Ol' Groove got for being good this year:

Hope your Christmas was merry!

Sunday Funnies: Richie Rich

When Richie Rich first popped up in Little Dot #1 in 1953, Casper the Friendly Ghost was the shining star of the Harvey Comics heavens. I don't know what happened (I think it might've been the amazing art of Ernie Colon), but during the Groovy Age everyone seemed to start digging Richie Rich.

During the 1970s, RR headlined no fewer than two dozen comicbook titles! That's more titles than Superman, Batman, and Spidey combined had back then. That's almost as many titles that star the X-Men these days. It was mind-blowing, man! Here's just a sampling of Richie Rich comics circa 1975.


Thing is, even kids who weren't necessarily comics fans dug Richie Rich. I had cousins who wouldn't touch a Captain America or Green Lantern comic with a ten foot pole, but they had huge stacks of Richie Rich comics. Richie's super-power--endless loads of money--was a trip everyone could relate to. Not everyone can come from a distant planet or get bitten by a radioactive spider, but everyone likes to think they have a shot at getting wealthy. Of course, having your rich dad's scientists whip up a tank so you can help save the world isn't exactly realistic, it is, at least, in the realm of possibility. Suuure.

Kids no doubt also loved the fact that Richie had lots of cool adventures. My favorites were the ones in which he and his faithful butler, Cadbury, became the super-team of Crashman and Rippy. Y'know, like in this story from Richie Rich Bank Book$ #18, May, 1975! Enjoy, Groove-ophiles!



(Click 'em if ya wanna read 'em, ya meathead!)