As a kid hanging around Moonwink Grocery, one of my favorite activities (and one of Mark, the owner's, LEAST favorite activities) was reading comic books. Sometimes, these would be Archie, Batman, or Superman. But sometimes, it would be an issue of CARtoons.
CARtoons was a mixture of comics and captioned photography. The comics included cars with outrageous hood scoops, massive engines, and gargantuan tires. The photos often featured clueless cops. It was all irresistible to a seven-year-old kid.
CARtoons got its start the same year that Barbie and I did, 1959. It was the creation of Pete Millar and Carl Kohler. Millar was an artist and a drag racer. Together, the duo produced what became a memory for Boomer youths of the 60's.
The magazine came out every other month. Sometimes, it would come out eight times a year. It was sort of an informal situation. But its fans were many, and, well, fanatical.
In 1964, Unk and them varmints made their debut. They were on practically every cover until the magazine received a 1975 rework. Those blasted varmints were always losing Unk's tools and such.
The format change meant the end of Unk, but was the start of iron-ons that were included. Many a 70's t-shirt was decorated with hot rod art thanks to CARtoons.
The magazine survived until its disappearance in 1991.
CARtoons fans are still out there, though. For instance, the magazine has a Facebook page. There is also a website which has lots of old covers that will bring back memories.
So here's a fond tip of the hat to CARtoons, a magazine which made many of us car lovers before we were old enough to drive.
Comments (4)
Ghewwwwwwwwwwwww how did you get away with that...they always shoo'ed me away...which made me feel like a criminal.
My sister and I were into making up commercials. Especially on car rides.
Sharon
~The Baby Boomer Queen~
Posted by Sharon/Baby Boomer Queen | March 28, 2010 10:08 AM
Posted on March 28, 2010 10:08
How did I never see this? I loved comic books, and Mad (though Cracked and a few other imitators I didn't care for.) Maybe it was with the car magazines instead of the comic books. Ah, well. As for comics, while I loved Superman and Archie and Fantastic Four, I had a special liking for one called (if I remember aright) The Fly. I don't remember how he got his powers, but they were all based on muscidae domestica - wings, super vision, fast reflexes, proportionate strength. He often teamed up with Flygirl (same powers as his) and Jaguar(?), who had animal powers and control. It was an independent comic, I think, or maybe from the Archie publisher. I rarely saw it, so glommed on to it whenever I did, in preference to the DC and Marvel standards.
Posted by OwenKL | March 29, 2010 10:40 AM
Posted on March 29, 2010 10:40
Yeah, I say the same! How did I. miss this one! In fact, I never heard of it! I too a MAD and Cracked reader, this would have been right up my alley? But can say for a fact, I don't remember this one? Oh well!
Posted by Rivers End | April 2, 2010 6:42 PM
Posted on April 2, 2010 18:42
I started reading CARtoons in the early ‘60s (circa ’62) but soon graduated to DRAGtoons (also by Pete Millar) as I was a motorhead with a penchant for drag racing and the big block cars of the day. I was fond of the loosely serialized stories of Ed Roth’s Rat Fink and Gilbert Shelton’s Wonder Warthog.
I was fortunate to have my driver’s license by 1965, just in time to experience the crushing accelerating g-forces of either a HiPo 327 cubic inch (375+ HP) Chevy or a Chrysler 426 ci hemi (425 HP.) The Pontiac 389 and the Ford 390’s were darn powerful as well.
The computer controlled “drive by wire” cars of today have some nice features (my Buick Lacrosse is sweet) but can’t hold a candle to those 1960’s “Muscle Cars” that were often featured in the CAR & DRAG toon mags.
Posted by Burt | April 5, 2010 6:13 PM
Posted on April 5, 2010 18:13