Herbie Popnecker
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Herbie Popnecker, a parody of a superhero, first appeared in Forbidden Worlds #73 in December 1958. It was the introduction of the antithesis of a hero -- short, fat, young -- but this unlikely hero was one of the most powerful and best known beings in history. Deriving some of his powers from genetics and some from magical lollipops from the Unknown, Herbie could talk to animals (who knew him by name), fly (by walking on air), become invisible, and when he got his own comic, travel through time. In Forbidden Worlds (published by ACG, American Comics Group), Herbie made several appearances (#73, #94, #110, #114, and #116, the final two with Herbie featured on the cover), during which his character developed: emotionless, terse, irresistible to women, consulted by world leaders, and more powerful than the Devil. Herbie's parents were unaware of his great powers and fame, and his father repeatedly referred to him as a "little fat nothing". Herbie's dad, Pincus Popnecker, was a financial failure with one poorly-conceived scheme after another, but Herbie would bail him out every time and his dad would take the credit for being a business genius. Herbie also made a brief appearance, completely out of character, in Unknown Worlds #20 in 1961.
Herbie got his own comic in April 1964. The series ran 23 issues until February 1967, shortly before the demise of ACG. The stories were written by Shane O'Shea, one of several pseudonyms of the ACG editor, Richard E. Hughes. The artwork was by Ogden Whitney.
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[edit] The Fat Fury
In Herbie #8 (March 1965), Herbie felt a need to become a costume super hero, but after failing superhero school, he created the Fat Fury by donning full-body red underwear with a drop seat, a blue plastic mask, and a toilet plunger on his head. He was bare-footed. The Fat Fury was featured in even-numbered Herbie comics from #8 to #22. Herbie's father wished that his little fat nothing of a son could be like the Fat Fury.
As the Fat Fury, Herbie did not have any powers beyond the many he had before donning the costume. Although Herbie traveled back in time, the Fat Fury never did.
All 23 Herbie comics from American Comics Group showed "MAKE WAY FOR the FAT FURY..." over the comic title.
[edit] Super Powers
Herbie's powers were many:
- Hypnotic eyes that could defeat opponents by staring
- Famous throughout history and able to depend on the help of others
- By talking to animals, Herbie was able to gather information and use their abilities
- His powerful lollipops (particularly hard-to-get cinnamon) gave him super strength and other special abilities. Herbie is practically always shown with a lollipop, and lollipops are the main subject in several stories. Herbie would "bop" adversaries with his lollipops, immediately defeating them. Herbie would threaten others by asking them rhetorically, in his inimitable style of speaking, "You want I should bop you with this here lollipop?"
- Herbie could punch, often very rapidly
- Herbie could, using a special lollipop and a grandfather clock, travel back in time
- Herbie was indestructible, and was often unaware he was being attacked (at times muttering "Something...?)
- Herbie could fly, but did so by walking upright. In addition to being able to walk on air, he could walk under water, and in space.
- Herbie could also fly under ground and often broke through walls.
- Early on, Herbie could become invisible, but stopped using that power by the third Herbie issue.
- Herbie could use magic and could visit the Unknown, a mysterious spirit world
[edit] Recurring Gags
There were many recurring gags in Herbie comics:
- Herbie spoke very little. He was terse, leaving out many words
- Herbie was unemotional, in spite of everything around him, understating everything he said. Herbie's captions were free of exclamation points!
- Women swooned over Herbie, loving his round physique. Sometimes women who first loved Herbie would eventually run off with an animal (e.g., alien bug king, gorilla, camel)
- There were many look-alikes encountered by Herbie, most of whom he thought were ugly
- Although ridiculously fat, Herbie did not eat much, especially in later issues, although he sometimes slept while he ate. He was always sleeping, much to the dismay of his father.
- Unlike in most comics, Herbie sometimes bit his adversaries, and sometimes they bit him.
- Herbie wore many disguises, most of which were absurd.
- Herbie often appeared, to his embarrassment, in boxer shorts.
- Herbie would sometimes happen to have just the right item for the job: marshmallows in King Arthur's time, worms to drop in Mao's mouth, a bicycle pump in his pocket, or a blowtorch in the frozen north ("Never mind where I got it from, either.")
[edit] Awards
Herbie was the Alley Award winner for Best Humor Comic 1964 and 1965.
[edit] Revival Attempts
In the 1990s, there were some attempts to revive Herbie. A+ comics published six black and white issues of reprints. Dark Horse Comics published two issues in 1992, the first with a new story with words and pictures by John Byrne. Flaming Carrot #31 featured an appearance by Herbie (words and pictures by Bob Burden). America's Comic Group (not related to ACG above) published a story written by Roger Broughton with artwork by Dan Day. None of these recreated the humor of Richard Hughes or the artwork of Ogden Whitney.
