Mark Arnold

This is Part 2! "No one was ever a fan of Cracked. We would buy Mad every month, but about two weeks later we would get anxious for new material. We would tell ourselves, 'OK, we are not going to buy Cracked. Never again!' And we'd hold out for a while, but then as the month dragged on it just became, 'OK, I guess I'll buy Cracked.' Then you'd bring it home, and immediately you'd remember, 'Oh yeah, I hate Cracked!'" - Dan Clowes, former Cracked artist and Oscar(R)-nominated writer "Are you kidding? Was Cracked anyone's first choice?" - Peter Bagge, former Cracked writer and 'Hate' creator "If you go back and look at Cracked, they're not that funny. I was eight years old and I would read Cracked and didn't think it was that funny, but there was something about it that I kind of liked. I just enjoyed it, but I never thought it was that funny." - Barry Dutter, former Cracked writer For over 40 years CRACKED was the best-selling humor magazine in the world... if you don't count MAD! A remarkable and amusing retrospective by author MARK ARNOLD, recounting the secret origins of the magazine, covering its history with former and future MAD and MARVEL Comics contributors JOHN SEVERIN, JACK DAVIS, DON MARTIN, BILL ELDER, JACK KIRBY, STEVE DITKO and AL JAFFEE, along with CRACKED veterans BILL WARD, DON OREHEK, GEORGE GLADIR, as well its responsibility for launching the careers of award-winning alternative cartoonists including DAN CLOWES, PETER BAGGE and BOB FINGERMAN. Crammed with creator interviews, rare photos and art and a complete checklist of every issue! A must for comics fans and purveyors of popular media!

The History of Cracked Mazagine, Part Too

If You're Cracked, You're Happy (hardback)

"Sick beat the pants off Cracked when they were in competition." - Joe Simon, former Editor of Sick magazine and Captain America co-creator "A book on Cracked; a sure-fire way to land you on the New York Times bestseller list!" - Andy Simmon, former National Lampoon and Cracked Editor "It sounds like an interesting and formidable journey you've taken on. The Cracked history is worth mining, I imagine, and from my limited knowledge I don't believe anyone has done a complete effort yet. If you need anything I can provide please let me know. My memory is as faded as my jeans but I'll do what I can. Thanks for taking the time to send an email that's not about Debt Relief, Mortgage Rates or Penile Enlargement...." - Kit Lively, former Cracked writer For over 40 years CRACKED was the best-selling humor magazine in the world... if you don't count MAD! A remarkable and amusing retrospective by author MARK ARNOLD, recounting the secret origins of the magazine, covering its history with former and future MAD and MARVEL Comics contributors JOHN SEVERIN, JACK DAVIS, DON MARTIN, BILL ELDER, JACK KIRBY, STEVE DITKO and AL JAFFEE, along with CRACKED veterans BILL WARD, DON OREHEK, GEORGE GLADIR, as well its responsibility for launching the careers of award-winning alternative cartoonists including DAN CLOWES, PETER BAGGE and BOB FINGERMAN. Crammed with creator interviews, rare photos and art and a complete checklist of every issue! A must for comics fans and purveyors of popular media!

The History of Cracked Mazagine, Part Won

In 1963, Warner Bros. closed down their long-running cartoon facility that had produced such memorable merrymakers as the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. Director/producer Friz Freleng and executive David H. DePatie faced unwanted early retirement. A generous parting gesture from a Warner executive allowed Freleng and DePatie to lease the former Warner cartoons studio on California Street in Burbank, complete with equipment and supplies, for a few dollars each year. They teamed up to create animated cartoons for advertising, but not everything behind their enterprise was enchanting. They struggled to keep their small animation studio running against odds and obstacles such as rising costs, heavy competition, outsourcing of labor to other countries, strikes, death, changing directions, and buyouts. They never anticipated how they would soon style a series of cartoon characters that would paint memorable colors over movie animation history. When director Blake Edwards produced The Pink Panther starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, and Claudia Cardinale, he envisioned a cartoon character of the same name to illustrate the opening credits sequence. Edwards hired Freleng and DePatie, together with artists at their DePatie-Freleng Enterprises studio, to design the animated sequence. The crafty magenta furry feline minced his way into moviegoer’s hearts. The inspiration behind the ink was the people that worked at the DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (DFE) animation studio. Their hilarious cartoons caused a generation of moviegoers to rock theaters with laughter. Author Mark Arnold returns you to the nostalgic memories of the exhilarating Pink Panther series and other cartoons DFE created. Discover the craftsmen behind the cartoons in an exciting exploration of the Pink Panther, Inspector Clouseau, Ant and the Aardvark, Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, The Lorax, Doctor Dolittle, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Mr. Magoo, The Fantastic Four, Planet of the Apes, Doctor Snuggles, Baggy Pants, The Nitwits, The Barkleys, The Houndcats, The Grump, The Super Six, Super President, Spy Shadow, Hoot Kloot, Blue Racer, Crazylegs Crane, Misterjaw, Tijuana Toads, The Dogfather, The Oddball Couple, Charlie the tuna, David DePatie, Friz Freleng, Blake Edwards, Peter Sellers, and various animators. Over 400 photos and illustrations. Indexed. Appendixes. About the author: Mark Arnold is a comic book and animation historian. He has written for various magazines, including Back Issue, Alter Ego, Hogan’s Alley, Comic Book Artist, and Comic Book Marketplace. He is the author of seven other books, including two about Harvey Comics, two about Cracked magazine, one about TTV (Underdog), one about The Beatles, and one about Disney. He also helped Craig Yoe with a book about Archie. He has also performed commentary for the Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo, and Casper DVD sets for Shout Factory. He is currently at work on a book about Dennis the Menace. He lives in Eugene, OR.

Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng

A good look at the animated 1982 tv series, Pac-Man.

Pac-Man (hardback): The First Animated TV Show Based Upon a Video Game

Recounts the origins of Cracked Magazine, covers its history with former contributors such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko and how it launched the careers of Dan Clowes, Peter Bagge, and others.

If You're Cracked, You're Happy

Dennis the Menace, originally a comic strip introduced in 1951, expanded into a comic book series; an American television series (1959-1963) starring Jay North, Gloria Henry, Herbert Anderson, and Joseph Kearns; a 1986 animated television series; and many subsequent television series, books, and feature films. Comic book and animation historian Mark Arnold covers Dennis the Menace history from its origins through the television series, the playground, and the merchandise. Includes biographies of creator Hank Ketcham and the people behind the scenes, Al Wiseman, Fred Toole, Owen Fitzgerald, Frank Hill, Bill Williams, Lee Holley, Bob Bugg, Ron Ferdinand, and Marcus Hamilton, as well as background on Mort Walker, Charles M. Schulz, Jay North, Gloria Henry, Herbert Anderson, Joseph Kearns, Gale Gordon, Walter Matthau, Don Rickles, Joan Plowright, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, George Kennedy, Betty White, Robert Wagner, and Louise Fletcher. Foreword by Mort "Beetle Bailey" Walker. 460 illustrations, Indexed, and with a Comic Book Index and a TV episode guide. About the author: Mark Arnold is a comic book an animation historian. He has written for various magazines, including Back Issue, Alter Ego, Hogan’s Alley, Comic Book Artist, and Comic Book Marketplace. He is also the author of If You’re Cracked, You’re Happy: The History of Cracked Mazagine(Vol. 1 and 2); Mark Arnold Picks On The Beatles; Created and Produced by Total Television Productions; Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng; The Best Of The Harveyville Fun Times!; Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions. He lives in Eugene, Oregon.

Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace

As a child, you never wondered about the bionics of the comics featuring Little Audrey, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Baby Huey, Sad Sack, Herman and Katnip, Mutt and Jeff, Richie Rich, Little Dot, The Black Cat, Stumbo the Giant, and Little Lotta. Now, the story behind their glory reverberates with renewed discoveries by author Mark Arnold. Alfred Harvey, along with brothers Leon and Robert, established memorable comic books themed with war, romance, Westerns, science-fiction, 3-D, superheroes, and, most of all, humor. Through their artists’ pens and inks, Joe Palooka, Blondie,and Dick Tracy became more famous than some American Presidents. Harvey Comics profusely illustrated history, as told by the people that worked there,includes Alfred Harvey, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Lee Elias, George Baker, Ham Fisher, Ernie Colon, Wally Wood, Jim Steranko, Sid Jacobson, Warren Kremer, Jeff Montgomery, and New Kids on the Block. Family battles, lawsuits, turmoil, scandals, triumphs, and transitions behind the scenes reveal the histrionics behind the comics. Illustrated with more than 800 photos. Comic Book Index, General Index, and a Harvey Who's Who. Foreword by Dan Parent. About author Mark Arnold: a well-known historian of pop culture, is also author of The Best of the Harveyville Fun Times!; Created and Produced by TotalTeleVision productions; Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles; Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions; Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng; Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace “He covers the heyday of Harvey, and the eventual demise, through interviews and discussions with the people who were actually there. No stone goes unturned . .. .” –Dan Parent “The Harvey Comics Companion fills a huge gap in comics history. Comprehensive in its approach, it addresses the characters, writers, artists, techniques, and advertisers that characterized Harvey Comics, along with the media that the comics influenced . . . this book is a godsend, enabling us to understand the Harvey legacy and recall the delightful stories and characters.” -Kathy Merlock Jackson

The Harvey Comics Companion

Michael A. Ventrella

“Here we come. Walking down the street. We get the funniest looks from everyone we meet. Hey, hey, we’re The Monkees!” The idea of creating a tv series about a wacky rock group similar to The Beatles had been unsuccessfully kicked around Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures since 1962, but by 1965, The Beatles were on their second tour, and their Help! album, single, and tour created a popularity wave called Beatlemania. The enormous success of their A Hard Day’s Night album and single convinced Screen Gems to green light the tv series idea, and The Monkees were born. A fake band seemed odd in the real world still reeling from race riots, John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and the Vietnam War, but delightful Davy Jones, peppy Peter Tork, madcap Micky Dolenz, and comparatively serious Michael Nesmith were too busy singing to bring anybody down. Fake became steak by late 1966, and with help from super musicians Tommy Boyce, Bobby Bart, Neil Diamond, Chip Douglas, Carole King, John Stewart, and others, the series skyrocketed to hit status along with #1music albums and hit singles, such as “The Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone,” and “I’m a Believer.” Authors Michael A. Ventrella and Mark Arnold now analyze all The Monkee’s songs and albums produced over 50 years. Discover the band’s detailed history, a listing of all live performances and TV appearances, and a listing of all of their singles and albums that made the Billboard charts. Come and watch them sing and play. Discover the secrets of their recordings: which of The Monkees played what instruments on each song, when it was recorded, how well that song did on the charts, whether there were any interesting cover versions of the song done, and when it first appeared on a record. Profusely illustrated with album covers, single covers, live performance pictures, and trivia pictures.Index. About author Mark Arnold: a well-known historian of pop culture, he is also author of The Best of the Harveyville Fun Times!; Created and Produced by Total TeleVision productions; Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles; Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions; Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng; Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace About author Michael A.Ventrella: a musician, who was tremendously inspired by The Monkees, has published or edited Arch Enemies; The Axes of Evil; Bloodsuckers: A Vampire Runs for President; and the Tales of Fortannis series.

Long Title: Looking for the Good Times; Examining the Monkees' Songs, One by One

(Paperback Edition) A sampling of the best material from the long-running "Harveyville Fun Times!" fanzine featuring articles about various Harvey Comics characters such as Casper, Richie Rich, Hot Stuff and Sad Sack. Edited by Mark Arnold.

The Best of the Harveyville Fun Times!

When Walt Disney died in 1966, many predicted that it might be the end of Walt Disney Productions, but Walt had a number of ideas and concepts that lasted well into the next decade. He also left behind a well-established group of workers that hoped to continually answer the question, “What would Walt do?” with more magical creations that would dazzle and delight. With this book, author and historian Mark Arnold explores the major accomplishments of Walt Disney Productions during the years 1966 – 1985, paying particular attention to their theatrical film output, but also discussing the various new theme park attractions and the TV shows produced during that period. Things went well until the mid-1970s, when ideas started to run thin and repetition set in, causing shrinking box office success. By the 1980s, threats of corporate takeover were knocking at their door, at which time change had become unavoidable if Disney were to survive as an independent company. Disney had to change their already outdated methods of making movies and running a movie studio geared solely towards family entertainment. As a result, Michael Eisner took over and retooled Disney into the mega-empire that it is today. This is the story after Walt and before Michael…

Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions, 1966-1985

It's Comic Book and Animation Historian Mark Arnold's reviews on every song ever recorded by The Beatles, group and solo, released and unreleased. Don't like my reviews? Then, write your own book.

Mark Arnold Picks on the Beatles

“Here we come. Walking down the street. We get the funniest looks from everyone we meet. Hey, hey, we’re The Monkees!” The idea of creating a tv series about a wacky rock group similar to The Beatles had been unsuccessfully kicked around Universal Pictures and Columbia Pictures since 1962, but by 1965, The Beatles were on their second tour, and their Help! album, single, and tour created a popularity wave called Beatlemania. The enormous success of their A Hard Day’s Night album and single convinced Screen Gems to green light the tv series idea, and The Monkees were born. A fake band seemed odd in the real world still reeling from race riots, John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and the Vietnam War, but delightful Davy Jones, peppy Peter Tork, madcap Micky Dolenz, and comparatively serious Michael Nesmith were too busy singing to bring anybody down. Fake became steak by late 1966, and with help from super musicians Tommy Boyce, Bobby Bart, Neil Diamond, Chip Douglas, Carole King, John Stewart, and others, the series skyrocketed to hit status along with #1 music albums and hit singles, such as “The Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone,” and “I’m a Believer.” Authors Michael A. Ventrella and Mark Arnold now analyze all The Monkee’s songs and albums produced over 50 years. Discover the band’s detailed history, a listing of all live performances and TV appearances, and a listing of all of their singles and albums that made the Billboard charts. Come and watch them sing and play. Discover the secrets of their recordings: which of The Monkees played what instruments on each song, when it was recorded, how well that song did on the charts, whether there were any interesting cover versions of the song done, and when it first appeared on a record. Profusely illustrated with album covers, single covers, live performance pictures, and trivia pictures. Index. About author Mark Arnold: a well-known historian of pop culture, he is also author of The Best of the Harveyville Fun Times!; Created and Produced by Total TeleVision productions; Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles; Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions; Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng; Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace About author Michael A. Ventrella: a musician, who was tremendously inspired by The Monkees, has published or edited Arch Enemies; The Axes of Evil; Bloodsuckers: A Vampire Runs for President; and the Tales of Fortannis series.

Mark Arnold

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