Billy is the Norwegian variation of Mort Walker's long successful Beetle Bailey comic strip. This strip seems to have found a way to maximize the Beetle experience by paying close attention to Miss Sheila Buxley, the voluptuous secretary to ever-dim General Halftrack.
The cover above is too scandalous I suspect for the U. S. newsstands (at least those in grocery stores) with Sarge's canine stand-in Otto pulling a fast one and imagining a "bone" for all his nefarious work. Funny but rude. As you can see it was inspired by this vintage bit of "good girl" artistry by Gil Elevgren.
That cover got me to looking for other Billy covers and found several that take the classic Camp Swampy gang and puts them into some other roles. Check out the Marvel heroes variation above. (The "Z" for an "A" on Beetle's brow is dandy.)
The...ahem..."Beetles" seems a natural now that I reckon on it a bit. And since Beetle Bailey is on the cover twice (see the original), it seems appropriate. Strangely Buxley is a brunette (if that's her) in this one and her obvious glam position is taken by her office mate Private Blips.
Not one but two covers spoofing the Star Wars franchise, with a rather oddball sex switch for young Skywalker in the second one. The Norwegians love Buxley!
And finally Jesus himself comes in for some carousing from this gang of idiots. With Buxley involved in the scenario, the idea of virgin birth seems a tad off the mark. Her halo seems to need some assistance from her Camp Swampy boss.
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Are you familiar with the nude Buxley print by Walker himself?
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I have now! Thanks! That is one pretty raucous image, with Plato nestled between her boobs, Killer with his clippers, and Beetle with that ladder. Just where is Halftrack's golf ball headed anyway. I noted that Sarge is running away madly and Flap seems to want to change her tone. Rude but very very funny. Thanks again.
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