Weird plasticine smell from this comic!

Every so often I find a book in the cheap bins, that I'm positive has to be a mistake. I'll usually ask to make sure, if I'm at a proper comic shop; but at EntertainMart? Nope! Yoink! Grabbed this one and hauled right off with it. From 1988, Gumby's Winter Fun Special #1, written by Steve Purcell, art by Arthur Adams.

Somehow, I was never exposed to Gumby as a kid? This comic would've been towards the tailend of Gumby's 80's revival, post-Eddie Murphy and Saturday Night Live. The only short I know I've watched was a 50's one, "Robot Rumpus," because it was on Mystery Science Theater 3000! ("Just work the lumps, Mike!")

Art Adams is doubtless the big draw for this one...man, he was huge then, this feels like a very weird book for him to do; but he won an Eisner for Best Single Issue for Gumby's Summer Fun Special the year before with Bob Burden. The Gumby books are mentioned in Adams's Wikipedia page under "Diversification and experimentation!" But, I'm glad to have Winter Fun, because of Steve Purcell, of Sam & Max fame. (You can see a toy lagomorph--er, rabbit-shaped thing, and a dog with a very distinctive hat in one panel!)

This issue, after an explosion at the toy mine, Gumby and Pokey try to help the trapped miners, which leads to meeting the mole people, and being sent on a mission to Heck to rescue Roy Crabbe, aka Santa Claus! Giant kaiju monsters and mail-away prizes are both involved. And, for good measure, I scanned the back cover so you can make the little diorama! That oughta keep you busy for a bit; don't use the good scissors.