Little Stooges – Gold Key / Whitman – 1972–1974 – Ongoing Series – #1–7

Little Stooges (1972–1974)

📘 Series Summary

During the early 1970s, Gold Key attempted a unique spin on the classic comedy trio with Little Stooges. The series followed the "sons" of the original Three Stooges—also named Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe—as they navigated slapstick adventures and juvenile mysteries. It blended the established personalities of the legendary comedians with a kid-centric focus popular in Bronze Age humor titles.

⭐ Series Highlights

  • Legacy Slapstick: While focusing on a younger generation, the book maintained the iconic "eye-poking" and physical comedy synonymous with the original Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe characters.
  • Mystery Solving: Stories often involved the trio acting as amateur detectives, such as "Burgle Gurgle" (#1), where they attempt to solve a string of local burglaries.
  • Dual Branding: As was common for Western Publishing, issues were distributed under both the Gold Key and Whitman banners, creating logo variants for collectors.
  • Hanna-Barbera Influence: The series launched around the same time as The New Three Stooges animated cartoon, reflecting a renewed interest in the property for younger audiences.
  • Short-Lived Run: Lasting only seven issues, this title is a concise "set" for Stooges fans, often overshadowed by the much longer-running standard Three Stooges Gold Key series.
  • Standard Format: Unlike some of the thicker anthology books, this series followed the standard 36-page, 15-cent format (later 20–25 cents) typical of the early 70s.