Short(est) Lived Comic Series #26 - Walt Disney's Clint and Mac (Dell Comics)

Sometimes you come across something, and you're not sure why, but you just know that you have to have it.  This comic book is one of those things.  While on a recent trip to New York (State, not the City), my friend and I were browsing through an antique store we chanced upon - and while it was definitely filled with antiques, the store reminded us both of the front yard from Sanford & Son - and I happened upon an old Dell comic book with a photo cover featuring two young boys with a tagline that read: "A MYSTERIOUS errand leads to exciting adventure in old London."  Being a fan of children's mystery series, this piqued my interest enough, and while the cover is chipped here and there and the comic is well-read, I paid the $1.00 to purchase the comic.

Walt Disney's Clint and Mac is the story of Clint Rogers, the son of a United States Air Force captain, and Alastair MacIntosh (a/k/a "Mac"), the son of a Scotland Yard detective inspector.  The Rogers are in England while Clint's father is stationed there, and during that time, Clint and Mac have become fast friends.  When Mac informs Clint that his father is commanding the police detail at the lavish birthday party being given for Prince Charles (yes, that truly dates this book, since the current King Charles has not been a boy for a VERY long time!), the boys decide to find the perfect gift for a prince who has everything.  They come across a turtle that they believe will make the perfect gift, but they don't have enough money - so what are a couple of boys to do?  Why, find a job, of course!  And thus starts their adventure, because when they talk a book seller into hiring them as errand boys, little do they realize their first job is to deliver a stolen manuscript to an unscrupulous buyer!  The mystery leads the boys to meet young Pamela Stuart, a proper young girl who takes an instant liking to the boys and who ultimately plays a crucial part in rescuing the boys from the hands of the villains in the story.  They unwittingly give the parcel to the wrong person and as they travel throughout London trying to get the package back, they discover that what's inside is way more valuable than they could have realized.  There is plenty of danger, adventure, and mishaps that makes for an enjoyable story, and, as with any good children's mystery, they manage to solve the puzzle and capture the criminals in a dramatic climax.

As with most comics back in this time period (this was published in 1958), there are no credits given for the writer and artist(s) of the book.  However, some online research indicates that comic legend Alex Toth provided the art for this issue (and possibly the story, as one website suggests).  Toth is a prolific comic book artist, having worked on a number of comics for DC Comics, Dell Comics, Gold Key Comics, and even some Marvel Comics throughout the 1940s, '50s, '60s, '70s, and even into the '80s.  His comic panels go back and forth - from very detailed backgrounds to non-existent backgrounds (showcasing the characters against a plain colored background) - but the style works well for the story, as it keeps the attention on the characters and dialogue when needed, while allowing the reader to still get the full import of the London setting in the detailed panels.

Since the cover to the comic featured what a photo of real boys, I had to assume this was a Disney film or television show from back in the day - and I was not wrong.  It turns out "The Adventures of Clint and Mac" was a serialized story that aired back in 1957 during the third season of the original Mickey Mouse Club.  Well, my friend and I were both curious, so we looked it up and YouTube and discovered that all fourteen (14) episodes, as well as the introduction, were available to watch - and watch we did!  The acting was probably not award-worthy, but Neil Wolfe and Jonathan Bailey did a fairly decent job as Clint and Mac, respectively.  It's funny how the director (Terence Fisher) visually emphasized the difference between the American (wearing a white t-shirt and jeans throughout the episode) from the British boy (who wore shorts with matching jacket, knee-high socks, and a cap).  From what we discovered online, the serial was filmed entirely on location in London.  While neither of these actors went on to film or television success, it is interesting to note that Bailey (Mac) did go on to act in a film version of Enid Blyton's The Famous Five.  The comic does leave out a number of scenes that were in the serial, and the ending in the comic deviates from the serial (leaving one to wonder if the comic is based on an earlier version of the script that was later changed).

While online sources indicated "The Adventures of Clint and Mac" did not fair very well, thus ending any potential for sequel serials, I found it rather enjoyable.  I would have liked to have seen additional tales with these two characters, and it's rather a shame Dell did not produce any additional comics with the further adventures of these two young crime-stoppers.  While they were not brothers, it was clear that they were based on The Hardy Boys, with Mac being the analytical, think-before-you-act "brother" (a la Frank) and Clint was definitely the more physical, jump-head-first into the situation "brother (a la Joe).  With the London setting, I think more stories would have provided the American viewers (and comic readers!) with an opportunity to see more of what life is like across the pond!

 

The comic book is a part of Dell Comics' "Four Color" series, identified as issue no. 889.  What is interesting (at least to me) is that there are no ads whatsoever in the comic - the inside front cover features scenes from the television serial, while the back cover and inside back cover feature short stories by Alex Toth about canine detectives and fingerprinting.  While doing some online research about this comic, I discovered that it was apparently translated into the Dutch language, where it was republished in a serial format, where it was issued in three-page installments.  These can be seen online at Clint and Mac - Dutch.

I'm definitely glad I picked this one up, as it opened me up to an entirely new "detective" pair that, up until now, I had never known!

RATING: 8 exploding fireworks out of 10 for preserving in comic book form this wonderful little piece of Mickey Mouse Club and children's mystery stories history!