Monday, November 23, 2009

Comic Book Hero


What can I say? Little Lulu was my first literary hero. I hurried to the corner drugstore with a dime clutched tightly in my hot little hand to buy each month's edition the minute it hit the newstands. I collected piles of them and read and reread them. I still have a few, although brittle, and always watch for them at flea markets and antique stores.
In truth, I wanted to BE Little Lulu. I loved her fiesty attitude, her mischievious pranks, and the way she always outsmarted the boys. Sometimes she played detective and called herself "The Spider." When she caught the culprit - usually her father, she always said, "The Spider spins again!"
Her best friends were Annie and Tubby. Sometimes she babysat Alvin, a pesky little boy. Her teacher, Miss Feeny, often sent her on errands, but the truant officer, Mr. McNabb, always ended up chasing her thinking she was playing hooky. Gloria was the perfect, pretty little girl and Wilbur was the rich boy in her class. Willy and Iggy never wanted girls in their club, but Lulu broke that barrier and always figured out a way to make them look stupid.
I named one of my characters Lulu in her honor in my upcoming novel, Back to Bailey's Chase, due out Summer 2010. Go Lulu Moppett!
In fact, I think I'll go read some Little Lulu comics right now.

1 comment:

CA Verstraete said...

I always liked Richie Rich for some readon. Wish I'd saved all those comics!