America’s rich funny aminal past is primarily visual, of course, but recently I discovered something that isn’t. There is a 1937 radio show called “Cinnamon Bear” that provides all of the wonder and magic of 1930s America that you could ever want or need. I recommend listening to as much of it as possible. It is several episodes long, and it is a complete story. It is very satisfying to draw comics and have this amazing, hypnotic dream playing in your brain at the same time. It has a wonderful cheap, frightening feel mixed with a forced, overbearing, candy-dipped whimsy that feels really good to hear. I have only listened to a couple of episodes so far, but each second of each one was enjoyable and wondrous. It is like drinking the sweetest, most intolerable but amazing mountain water sody pop there is. It gets my highest recommendation. Long live Cinnamon Bear!
You can listen to many episodes from the series here.
These modern drawings of Cinnamon Bear are extremely grotesque and awful, and somehow add to the gritty, teeth-shattering feeling of mixed sunshine and shadows that the show gives me. It makes me want to delve into the world of children’s radio but I can’t imagine it would improve my quality of life.
Dane Martin
