Chase Craig's Bugs Bunny!

[Gerstein, David DK - ECN]

	Hey Joe,

>You appear to be correct in identifying Chase Craig's Bugs Bunny.  About 20

>years ago, Roger Armstrong told me that Craig had drawn the unusual looking 
>Bugs Bunny story(ies) in LOONEY TUNES AND MERRIE MELODIES # 2.  This one
featured 
>all sorts of strange supporting animal characters, including (...as I
recall) 
>a tiger.  
>
>David, if you have this book -- or have access to it - you can now confirm 
>Craig's art style.

	While I would never claim to have a Looney collection like yours,
Joe (envy, envy!) I at least have the majority of the pre-1949 issues,
including an incomplete #2. I'd scan in an image from the story, but I'm not
in possession of it right now (a collector in town has borrowed many of my
LTMM).

	So now we know for certain what Craig's artwork looks like; a
helpful thing for Disneyites too. Yoicks. Craig draws a couple Bugs stories
in the months following as well, but not a large number (some sources claim
he drew a lot, but it simply seems not to be true).
	I spoke of Craig's art being ugly, but "inappropriate" might be a
better word: it seems wrong for Bugs and the gang because it looks more like
children's book illustration than Looney Tunes cartoon art. As you note,
along with the tiger (a wartime military commander for a nonspecific
Axis-type power), there are other oddly anthropomorphic characters as well.

	There's another artist with an ugly Bugs for a couple of issues
around LTMM #6-8; but as I don't think this artist ever drew any Disney
material, we can discuss him outside of the DCML.

	Best, David