Number 1348: Jack Bradbury’s hip Hepcats

Jack Bradbury did the artwork for the Hepcats, a cute 1940s series about a bunch of jitterbugging funny animals. The stories are a cultural artifact of the era, post-War America when teenagers were becoming a force in society. It was reflected by the number of comic books (Archie and imitations) about teenagers and their interest in cars, dating and music.

The Hepcats was a series inspired by the pop culture of the day. Jack Bradbury was an animator and it showed, with beautifully designed characters and comic exaggeration in every panel. Bradbury later drew the famous Disney characters for comic books,* but my personal fondness is for what he did with characters like the Hepcats.

From Hi-Jinx #3 (1947):

 *He also drew Beany and Cecil, a Bob Clampett creation.