![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-xoqMmv-9hPsinDHiE3Sb9CVlQxSH_9_syhGVMi1eDCCsCoxTOWS6LGDy1Ymuin-dyaY0ZlqWNopSB2nNDcizK_kZD65bd88yRJ5PPBPfq-lMY4pvjYUgT8nUboeVa2AIzcN5g/s320/01.jpg)
Above is FRENCH CARTOONS, Dell 1954 paperback. "The best in saucy Parisian humor."
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXmvLwe8LB_CDdzbSUhxNNPfggfdZEGNttvdPa_DORWuroIL5OIv2RN7Mxln54nvcd7CX_etFYh9akfun1SZhnQx77oPmMDuka_mLh4mHHnnbHnMO6k01Eb_asoSJat_5vyLNkA/s320/02.jpg)
And it goes on:
French comic artists lead the world in uncensored wit, satire, ribaldry, and -- most of all -- belly-laughs.160,000,000??? Man oh man. French cartoons: once hot, now forgot!
Last year Dell published the first crop (FRENCH CARTOONS, Dell No. 21).
We believe 160,000,000 Americans can't be wrong, so ... we now present -- MORE FRENCH CARTOONS
The cartoons in these books are a little risque, if you're still in a 1955 mentality.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzTmGWxO0kiPAi6oipdfntDBeQctZqrT7cRpd90RO_nbhAKGl26GucsJX1dxAjuSstiXlPKCVOKkML8xSbHfgNOZ4TqKF1bkwdUbcyLsQZm50EGll6DqV1bMy5JoWDmsP1m6n1g/s320/03.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpd9wpC_JLrbY7VJmnKxGsUjyXvO0SljAWIADuFfh2ynlbP2NMW2aabgMZbi9uj6NjIhb-_3dJdChGQNTfgnImXrWFt5SsMtYgYSzam5oj2QA9ZSuoHw-B4IvKDGfNxkKxvMgL1Q/s320/04.jpg)
The Lion Library published CARTOONS THE FRENCH WAY the same year. Nice to see Sempe on the back cover. He is still drawing, and can be seen regularly as a New Yorker magazine cover artist.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4heCaJbLOTzGO6YYqYKaHP9hB_pJTXe6M0U4Nuc7O6oLLa_1IWwYf4wSBKKI4KU8MstOnRUtAXZ0V9ORaIXZBY1VCWcTOnt_Y2alh5gX6hHf5c5W-pwENS3ieqM8KNmnk_p96Q/s320/05.jpg)
LOVE FROM FRANCE "Featuring the Greatest French Comic Artists" is from the Popular Library, 1956.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCW-_WZ0dml5LnC3VO6jh6SZT1jLQ9l07NTTsjQOJhiPSqy2nnXuLIMprEYlHDvCfCIsYRNyIJ2m03KbJM-uAqp7qUwNIFs10tqoF_8TUNPZe2Kc4FIeED-X_XkCm1pZIVxsY_w/s320/06.jpg)
FRENCH AND FRISKY, "a Lion Book," is also from 1956.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7ViiugLvbOKsBIsVur08y6aqNY7alxrkCq3eIUbRI5V2l20GyilJpz3VJta9pAYcS6YjpLgjtpPRvsZIkQJM8az5WRlCJzEY7onSzAnZ5yDJWzzK9fbdRUALzaZS_gMh9zOP7g/s320/lff01.jpg)
Above are 2 cartoons from LOVE FROM FRANCE. Silly little cartoons, hardly risque these 52 years later, but still nicely done.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5k1g3tXpLq7MW2MoBmN5TB2bcqe2g8Pl2wGlGUbLqGfrw5lzPLXtjcQ1RKcQfQcOtEd0hudHVQmganI9R-gCvr-92vernJ3DB5WwMIg4lU0RIeMXHqoyMgAugdohN0RMQ7aTRQ/s320/sempe01.jpg)
A lot of the cartoons are just gag cartoons, like the above terrific Sempe cartoon. I love the look on those kids' faces.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcwAsucYK17qzqEgq6YhPIWpRGBiufOHlw8thVFhzlo73qw5fuRhdRynI7-gsI79bZvpnOKl7bpkN5A7aIVSRWWQncyuCuEW_LMCKqiPu7zzg5bXNocy5vbgAQKyOjX-yJhUGmA/s320/sempe02.jpg)
So, you get some that are a little frisky, and some straight up gag cartoons.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9t-H_nswo6mukAur4cs_SSoHKRsJsMvQj0d1yfvIMhE8K9cGPPg5ingObVKSg454m6Ayi-dNsVDddyscWMIFOHJUuhoKJYCFuxgRSFsB5LI9i4uUfz2C123-GAR44-WvgtWHwQ/s320/mfc01.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQDOeGiPvp1vswRmimy9JRs2xPkOL9gRQlV-bTAu4mJnsqEfgidWt-3zctccyWA_EZTGHhmKHiTYGTuoHIGEBAJjq5EbW2_pvL_5tGQQwkT-Pux5ov7E75JE-CSxpBHgJNnYWyw/s320/fp01.jpg)
Again, a lot of the cartoons in the books tend to be wordless. The hardest kinds of cartoons to think up!
A big hat tip to David King, who has been scanning some of his old cartoon book covers onto his blog. I know you don't know me, David, but please don't hate me for copying your idea!
4 comments:
Oh man, where did you find those books?! Those are great!
And that kid jumping/fire one is so perfect it makes ME want to jump out a window!
More please, these are great.
Yes, lots of fun and getting harder to find!
Mike
Mike--thanks for giving me credit for inventing the concept of SHARING! These covers are great, too
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