European Western Comic Books ~ Gli Albi di Scimmiottino Il re della foresta

 

Gli Albi di Scimmiottino – Il re della foresta

(The King of the Forest)

 

The series Gli Albi di Scimmiottino marks the official debut in the world of a children's publications by the brothers Alfredo and Mario Conte. And it is an entrance with great fanfare, with a character - MONKEY the Friend of Italian Children - which is our local answer to Mickey Mouse. In 1938 the attention to the self-sufficient product is increasingly strong on the part of the Ministry of Popular Culture and Enver Bongrani, a new Disney made in Italy, responds by giving the best of himself in the graphic creation of this character. It was published by the newly created Italian Economic Editions, officially by Mario Conte alone.

Except for a couple of adventurous titles ("The Secret Island" and "The King of the Forest" by Ambrogio Lunati, #28 and #29), called ADVENTURE SERIES, all the books are dedicated to SCIMMIOTTINO, the character created graphically by Enwer Bongrani, alternated with Albano, G. Galletti, Francesco Pelizza and Giuseppe Perego, later replaced by Rino Anzi. The #58 (August 22, 1940) is designed by Giuseppe Virgilio, also the cover artist. The texts are signed by M. Dancalo and Gabriella Maggiore with interventions by G. Benassi, Sandro Cassone, Tino Colombo, Carmelo Marotta, Mirco (Mirko), Giulio Molinelli, Rolandi and Rosita. In the appendix, stories by Enver Bongrani (LE TOMBOLO, ZIO PANCRAZIO), Melfi Bongrani, Giuseppe D'Amico, F. Elefante, Carmelo Marotta, Gianni Merli, Nicola Salerno (Nisa) (TRUFFALDINO), F. Palamidessi (BUBI DRIVER) and Simionato. The covers are mainly by Ever Bongrani, except some by Giuseppe Perego (#1 and #2 of the II Series, #20/23 IV Series) and from #39 (February 15, 1940) by Rino Anzi.

On #75 of GLI ALBI DI SCIMMIOTTINO (December 19, 1941) it is announced that the newspaper becomes a weekly: in fact in January 1941, it is published by the Italian Economic Editions ADVENTURES OF SCIMMIOTTINO in a newspaper version. From #76 (September 2, 1941) with the passage of the magazine to Edizioni Alpe, the series alternates the SERIE ADVENTURE which presents GIANNI E PIERO (GP) (Tim Tyler's Luck by Lyman Young and Tom Massey, here attributed to Solini and Lani) and BAMBOO by Antonio Carozzi and Guido Zamperoni, at the CUCCIOLO SERIES (CU) with the stories written by Federico Pedrocchi under the pseudonym of Antonio Carozzi and drawn by Rino Anzi. In the appendix self-contained stories such as "A strange campsite" by a young Romolo Siena influenced by Chic Young. From January 15 1942 CUCCIOLO inaugurates the new ALBI DELLA FANTASIA magazine.

At least 86 issues come out divided into four series. In the first three series the numbering is not progressive. The fourth resumes from #20. There are #20bis which maintains the physical characteristics of the series and "Coccodé and the Inventor Grandfather" #25bis in larger format (cm 23.5 x 33.3 - 8 pgg. + Cop. Pm - Lire 1.50).

Series I #1 (1938) #10 (Nov 1938)

Series II #1 (Nov. 24, 1939) #6 (Feb 10, 1939)

Series III #1 (10 March 1939) #4 (1939)

Series IV #20bis (April 22, 1939) #84 (Dec 13 1941)

The series was first published in 1938. Beginning with #1 in May of 1938 and ended with #84(86) on December 13, 1941. I was published by EDT in Milan under the direction of Umberto Folliero with each issue varying from 8, 12 and 16 black pages with color covers.