When Teenagers Ruled The Earth!

Howie Post created the fascinating Anthro. I've picked up a few issues of the character over the years, but I mostly remember the intriguing ads the comic generated. The premise is that Anthro was the first Cro-Magnon born of Neanderthal parents. That's a bit creaky on the anthropology but it does service quite well as a metaphor for the infamous "Generation Gap" which was a big focus in the 60's. The stories are light-hearted despite some real dangers and feel like a Li'l Abner meets One Million B.C. 

 

Howie Post, the creator of Anthro was a fantastic artist, his lively line giving life to Spooky the Tuff Little Ghost and Hot Stuff and other comics for Harvey Comics. He both wrote and drew the adventures of the caveboy first in Showcase and later in a six issue self-titled run. Below is the original artwork for the first issue. I love the way the logo is blended into the background.

Below is the inside-the-cover black and white ad from the summer of 1968 which was featured in many DC Comics of the time, announcing not only Anthro, but other new DC heroes as well.

Howie Post's Anthro lasted only a brief time, but made a deep impression on me at the time just from the ads. Here is a link with a wonderful interview with Post. And below is an Anthro cover gallery. All the covers feature artwork by Post save the final issue which is inked by Wally Wood. I must say I much prefer the stone logo the Showcase debut features as opposed to the slick logo used on most of the issues. Most likely that logo was the work of Gaspar Saldino, but for my money it seems far too smooth and slick for a prehistoric saga.

Anthro ran its course and then disappeared. He did resurface some years later in Crisis on Infinite Earths and has been folded into the larger DCU in a few different way. But never to my knowledge have those tasty issues of an entertaining comic ever been reprinted. I think they'd be receive quite well by a modern audience which is trained to appreciate ironic comics.

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