The San Onofre Collection
Kite Fun Book nn 1953 Pacific Gas and Electric Company

COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Kite Fun Book #nn Universal
Grade: 4.0
Page Quality: OFF-WHITE TO WHITE
Certification #: 0162937001
Owner: San Onofre Collection

SET DETAILS

Winning Set: The San Onofre Collection
Date Added: 11/23/2009
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Pinocchio Learns about Kites (sometimes called Pinocchio Kite Fun Book) was the first in an annual series of giveaways starting in 1953 and given away by various utilities. It is by far my favorite of the series, as well as the hardest to find.<br /><br /> Pinocchio first appeared in 1883 in The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Pinocchio in Tuscan means "Pine Nut," given to the boy who was carved from Pine. Pinocchio fame grew greatly when, on Feb 7, 1940, he premiered in Disney's second full length animated motion picture.<br /><br /> Pinocchio's history in Comics actual dates a few weeks prior. On 12/24/1939, he started with his own newspaper comic strip. Coincident with the re-release of the film to theaters in 1945, he first appeared in Walt Disney Comic & Stories in issue #63. The next year, in 1946, he first appeared in his own one shot comic, One Shot Comics #92.<br /><br /> The second re-release of the motion picture occurred in 1954. Coincident with that re-release is Pinocchio Learns about Kites. It was prepared (and copyrighted) in late 1953 for release to school in the spring of 1954. Artwork has been attributed to Carl Buettner or Jack Bradbury (I have seen both names noted,) story writing to Del Connell, and story editing to Craig Chase. Kellogg Adams (Writer, letterer, and inker) has also been mentioned as working on this book.<br /><br /> Two variations of this book have been identified: Pacific Gas & Electric and Florida Power & Light. These were probably printed from different plates, as the lettering differs on the back cover. The PG&E has "PG&E" in the text of the story on the last page and FP&L has "Power Company" in the text on the last page. (This is in reference to who to contact if your kite is stuck in the power lines. A total of 276,500 copies were reportedly printed based on royalty payments to Disney. Inside the book one finds 6 pages of comic strip wrapped around a 2 page centerfold of kite making instructions. A total of 8 pages.<br /><br />This PG&E copy, as CGC 4.0 (Very Good) with White to Off-White pages is the only CGC copy of this variant as of 5/20/2010. Note the glued spine has been carefully repaired with yarn who knows how many years ago. I left the yarn there when getting it graded.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
  
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