The folks at Dark Horse Comics have just released the first of two volumes reprinting Little Annie Fanny, as created by Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder and friends, and published in Playboy Magazine. Perhaps needless to say, what once seemed risqué and adult is now about as naughty as the fart jokes on Bevis and Butthead. Still, the comic is brilliantly written, stunningly illustrated and — most notably — a great record of sixties' issues and sensibilities. Wisely, compiler Denis Kitchen has supplied annotations that decode most of the topical references for those born too late to know that the Bay of Pigs isn't a bad waterfront bar. Anyway, this new collection is a must-have, though I do wish it had the page size and reproduction of the first Annie Fanny collection, issued back in '66.
Since I know none of you ever venture near the Playboy website — which, rumor has it, has pictures somewhere on it of nude women — I'll alert you that there's an article on the book and Mr. Kurtzman there, along with a lame attempt at Flash animation of an Annie Fanny page. Here's a direct link in order to spare you the danger of browsing through the site and possibly glimpsing some centerfold. (Don't stand in awe of my bravery; my computer has a chip that filters them out. Needless to say, it is silicone.)