FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS was a long-running comic strip, primarily remembered for its continuing
storyline involving a group of teenagers. The stories were set in the peaceful small town of Shadyside
where Freckles McGoosey and his various friends lived. Freckles, may appear at first brush to be yet
another redheaded teenage humor protagonist. His comic strips actually predates other red headed
characters Hap Hazard, Henry Brewster and that Andrews kid. He had a goofy sidekick named Lard, and
the girls at his high school were, of course beautiful.
Although Freckles and His Friends lasted more than half a century and was syndicated in nearly 700
newspapers, the strip was never adapted to radio, movies or television. It also was not a well known comic
book series. For all the series longevity in newspapers as a strip, it only had two comic series. The first comic
book series, published by Standard (Nedor) late in 1947 only lasted eight issues. The second series was
published by Argo in 1955 and lasted all of four issues. The first series, by Standard started at #5 and ran until
issue 12. The second series began at issue #1 and went until issue #4, so the publishing sequence is #5-12 then
#1-4É.weird.
Retro Comic Reprints has all twelve issues. Volume One contains issues #5-9 of the Standard series and Volume
Two collects issues #10-12 of the Standard series and issues #1 through 4 of the Argo series.