Friday, April 02, 2010

Hank Ketcham Roughs


A couple of roughs of Hank Ketcham's are on view at today's Three Men in a Tub blog.

There isn't any context here. Were versions of these cartoon roughs inked and published? For what magazine? I'm thinking that it's unknown, otherwise Ted Dawson would add a comment. I'm wondering if they were ever made into finishes. Obviously, these these are ideas that were penciled and, for whatever reason, not inked.

They both look familiar to me, although they are not part of Fantagraphics' great WHERE'S DENNIS? book, a collection of Ketcham's gag cartoons. Ketcham's non-DENNIS THE MENACE work was prolific and I have to think that these may have seen the light of day.

Regardless, I have never, ever seen Ketcham's rough pencils, ever, ever in the whole wide world. So, it's a kick to see how loosely he creates the cartoons, with the pencil lines whirling around, like little tornadoes.

2 comments:

Mark Anderson said...

Wow! I'd love to know more about these! So loose and awesome!

Ger Apeldoorn said...

The originals were sold on ebay, I think. I recently came across one of these in True, so they may not be roughs but a new style - or maybe someone decided to publish the roughs! That may at least explain why they are out there.