Shane O'Shea (1909–1974)

Yet another comic series about a young round boy who barely communicates using super-powered lollipops to grudgingly go on surreal adventures through time and space. This time that shopworn trope is treated for laughs and the results are charming.
Apparently no one is sure if Herbie is public domain or not so it seems unlikely we’ll get an omnibus, sadly

Herbie is one of the strangest characters in comics - an unlikely hero with no defined powers, motivation, or goal. This certainly makes him unique and interesting.

However, it also makes this collection too long by half. Once you get the premise of Herbie, the "stories" don't really go anywhere. It's quirky Scooby-Doo with a Bugs Bunny sensitivity, but not nearly as memorable.

This is totally a comic you should be familiar with, but you don't need to read more than about 5 issues.

Created and written by American Comics Group editor [author:Richard Hughes] under one of his many pseudonyms, Herbie chronicled the adventures of the most unlikely of heroes, the rotund, everyman Herbie Popnecker. This most memorable title from ACG relied on sharp witted scripts and [author:Ogden Whitney]'s understated art. Energized by his arsenal of magical lollipops, Herbie exhibited a wide range of powers in a variety of genres against an odd assortment of villains. Fifty years after its show more initial publication, this handsome collection of the first sixteen Herbie stories demonstrates that these tales still supply a simple, near perfect parody of superhero comics and its fandom while remaining uniquely its own entity.

(Sample Story) show less

incredible. just *incredible*