Herbie Popnecker
Examples of Recurring Themes

Page Header, with Links to Examples and a Catalog of Stories

Gary Perlman's Compilation and Observations of Herbie Popnecker (the Fat Fury)

Herbie Popnecker is unique among superheroes. Short and fat, he looks less like a superhero than any other, but he may be the most powerful.

Herbie can "fly" by walking through air, or space, or water.
Herbie can travel through time, or the ground, or through walls (some damage occurs), sometimes breaking the fourth wall.
Herbie is the least emotional of any super hero, and one of few words, though he can be impatient.
Herbie defeats many of his opponents by looking at them, but sometimes, he bops them with this here lollipop or just falls on them. This adds injury to the insult that is their silly names and powers. Mind you, everyone has silly names, including Herbie's many nicknames.
Herbie gets many of his powers from lollipops, some of which come from The Unknown.
Herbie is pretty much indestructible, and he's strong, sometimes swinging his adversaries. Herbie occasionally uses magic.
Herbie is a master of disguise and deception, and he meets with a surprising number of look-alikes.
Herbie gets a lot of help from his friends. He is well known to people throughout the world, and throughout time. Herbie knows and talks to animals, who are among his most useful allies.
Herbie has a strong sense of honor and is always ready to take on responsibility, that is, if he notices that something is wrong. Once Herbie takes action, he works methodically, usually thinking about alternatives at each step.
Herbie is adored by all women, unlike his dad), but he can be sensitive about comments about his weight, and sometimes finds himself involved. Herbie appreciates the finer things. He is not shown eating as often as one might expect.
Herbie is mysterious. He sometimes communicates mysteriously, moves mysteriously, and mysteriously, has handy items with him. It's also handy that Herbie has practically any power he can think of.
Herbie is sometimes involved in visual humor, such as embarrassing situations, biting, punching, fainting, sudden stops, butt jokes, plunger problems, and things often get squished or splashed. Everything has sound-effects, of course.

Despite Herbie's fame, his money-worshiping father, business bonehead and all-around idiot Pincus Popnecker, is unaware of his powers (powers Herbie conceals) or the many villains Herbie faces, often refers to Herbie as a "little fat nothing," especially when Herbie is sitting or sleeping or resting. Dad wishes that Herbie was a good student, a great athlete, or anything other than his unwanted son. Herbie shrugs off these criticisms, and sometimes Mom defends Herbie, although halfheartedly.

The Story Behind this Collection

This page started when I realized that Herbie sometimes bit his adversaries. I compiled a few examples, adding to them occasionally, and eventually, it turned into an obsession. It represents all the examples of Herbie's powers, recurring gags, and oddities that I could find. It is not complete for some areas (Herbie's speech comes to mind, and not just his catchphrase), so it gets expanded sometimes. Some compilations might even be controversial (the one on Jewish references comes to mind, as well as racial stereotypes). I hope that the compilations can be used for scholarly work: Herbiology™. I have used them to provide an explanation for Herbie's fatness, and to document why I think Richard Hughes might have been a fan of Jay Ward productions (e.g., Rocky & Bullwinkle).

Some categories here inspired by Bob Hughes' The Popnecker Papers: A Herbie History, Amazing Heroes #173, November 1989.

Recurring Themes

Recurring Story Subjects: Herbie is a teenager who goes to school, thinks about love, and eats lollipops from the Unknown, which give him many superpowers. His dad wishes that Herbie would be more active, especially in sports, but Herbie prefers to relax. Herbie's not lazy, especially when he is helping the family recover from Dad's business ideas, or saving the world from villains
Herbie's Amazing Powers: There are no limits to what powers Herbie has, as long as it fits the need. It might not be the most elegant power, but that helps make it funny.
Recurring Gags: If Herbie comics are governed by any rule, it's "Never pass up an opportunity for a joke." There are different types of gags: visual or physical gags, personality quirks, communication situations, sounds, and so on. Some of Herbie's powers are gags themselves.
Speech Patterns: Herbie's speech is terse, usually leaving out articles, pronouns, even verbs. He also has several expressions he uses repeatedly. When women ask for a kiss, he answers "No kiss." His most famous utterance is his catchphrase rhetorical question "You want I should bop you with this here lollipop?" Much of Herbie's speech seems to have a Jewish basis.
Miscellaneous Collections: Colections of Images from Herbie Comics, including covers, indicia, splash pages for each story, ending-panels for each story, examples for use in a calendar, uncaptioned panels, errors, ads, Herbie's back story and evolution, and information about the creators of Herbie.

Recurring Story Subjects
1. Dad's Ideas Herbie's dad, Pincus Popnecker, is a failed businessman with one terrible business idea after another. When Dad gets into trouble with his idea, he is bailed out by Herbie, makes a pile of money, and thinks that he is a business genius. Created: 2004-10-15 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 11 Examples: 24
2. The Unknown The Unknown is a mysterious world with ghosts, witches, spirits, and monsters in outer space, above the clouds on which it rests. Some of Herbie's lollipops come from the Unknown, and Herbie goes there to learn magic. Created: 2005-03-09 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 11 Examples: 18
3. Love Herbie is a great lover, or so think all the women who swoon for him, and ask for a kiss, but that is just a running gag. Created: 2011-12-31 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 7 Examples: 19
4. Sports Herbie's dad wishes that Herbie would be an athlete instead of a little fat nothing. Created: 2011-12-31 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 19 Examples: 27
5. School Herbie values education and attends school, but he is not a good student, in part because he is so unconventional. Other students make fun of Herbie, but he does not feel bullied by them. Herbie has a lot of empathy for his teachers, and helps them out. Created: 2012-03-25 Updated: 2012-05-08 Stories: 10 Examples: 26
6. Patriotism There are several stories in which Herbie fights for truth, justice, and the American way, often at the urging of high-level government officials, usually from the White House. Both Presidents Kennedy and Johnson ask Herbie for help, as does UN Secretary General U Thant. Herbie is that well-known. Created: 2012-05-13 Updated: 2012-05-18 Stories: 13 Examples: 14
7. Villains/Adversaries Herbie faced many adversaries, including some evil villains who stole lollipops. Almost all had silly names, just like other names. Created: 2005-10-02 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 35 Examples: 46

Herbie's Amazing Powers
1. Travels Back in Time Herbie, with a special time-travel lollipop, rides the family grandfather clock back in time, often finding that history is not as historians have claimed. Herbie is just as famous and attractive to women in the past as in the present. Created: 2004-10-19 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 15 Examples: 27
2. Lollipops Herbie is always eating lollipops, even when sleeping. There are special lollipops for time-travel and bopping, and we learn that Herbie loses many of his powers without lollipops. Herbie is always on the look-out for hard-to-get cinnamon. Created: 2004-11-10 Updated: 2012-05-14 Stories: 31 Examples: 61
3. Famous Herbie is known to people and animals everywhere, throughout history, and he often uses that to his advantage. Presidents and royalty seek his help. He's always exchanging favors. Created: 2004-10-07 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 47 Examples: 85
4. Virtuous Herbie has many virtues. He has a strong sense of honor, a respect for authority, and he is empathetic, loyal, patriotic, generous, modest, and even chivalrous. And from his efforts to cope with his dad's ideas, it's clear that he's loyal to his parents, for which he is rewarded by being called a little fat nothing. Created: 2008-12-14 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 31 Examples: 39
5. Thinking Herbie, and others, are often wondering what to do in difficult situations. Herbie likes to think, arms behind his back, while walking on land, on or under the sea, or even in space. He knows he's GONNA do something because he's GOTTA do something. Created: 2012-04-29 Updated: 2012-04-29 Stories: 26 Examples: 36
6. Talks with Animals Herbie helps and is helped by animals everywhere, throughout time, even in space! It helps that he can speak their language and knows them by name. They are constantly asking for his autograph. Created: 2004-10-07 Updated: 2012-04-20 Stories: 39 Examples: 59
7. Hypnotic Eyes Often, Herbie's hypnotic eyes are all he needs to overpower an adversary. One look and a surrender and confession follows. They may say "anything but that face", but it's the eyes. Created: 2004-10-06 Updated: 2012-05-14 Stories: 20 Examples: 27
8. Flying Herbie fies by walking on air or in space in almost every story, and in those where he does not walk on air, he flies into the past in a grandfather clock or as a costume superhero as the Fat Fury. Created: 2005-03-13 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 49 Examples: 94
9. Falling It's not an unusual power to be able to fall, unless you factor in Herbie's weight, but Herbie (and others) jump or fall into action butt first, often on a villain, resulting in squished adversaries. Created: 2011-12-28 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 12 Examples: 15
10. Travels in Space Herbie walks and talks in space pretty much the same way he walks in air. He and others do not seem to need air, and can talk despite the vacuum. What else would you expect? Created: 2004-11-12 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 10 Examples: 13
11. Travels Underground Herbie can "fly" through the Earth, invariably ending up in Hades. He never flies all the way through to the other side, ending up in China. Flying through the Earth, we sometimes see geological layers like ones sometimes depicted in time-travel. Created: 2004-11-06 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 4 Examples: 5
12. Travels in Water Whether on land, in air, in space, underwater, or on water, Herbie walks the same way. How does he breath? Does he breath? What about the pressure? Where is the light coming from? He seems deep in thought, with his hands behind his back. Created: 2004-11-06 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 8 Examples: 9
13. Travels Mysteriously In addition to flying by walking, in space, underground, underwater, or just time travel, Herbie has other ways of getting around. He can run, ride a bike, push a train, ride a rocket, or a flaming comet, or a horse, or a flaming horse. Created: 2005-03-14 Updated: 2012-04-24 Stories: 14 Examples: 18
14. Punching Herbie did not punch anyone until he got his own comic. Before that, he used lollipops to bop. Sometimes, Herbie is squished by a double-fisted punch. But he can give it as good as he takes, especially in rapid flurries of powerful punches. Created: 2004-11-13 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 16 Examples: 27
15. Can't be Hurt We don't know why, but Herbie can't be hurt (unless it's funny). Bullets bounce off him, punches have no effect, he can't be executed, and he's not affected by fire. In many cases, Herbie is unaware he has been attacked, and even when he is aware, you could not tell by his expression. Created: 2004-10-21 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 21 Examples: 32
16. Breaking In, Out, and Through Created: 2004-11-06 Updated: Examples:
17. Swinging Adversaries Swinging is a great gag power, so humiliating to the swung, enven though it must require considerable strength. The correct technique is by the feet for humans and by the tail or trunk for animals. Under no circumstances should a costume superhero (licensed or not) be swung by his plunger... undignified. After release, who knows where someone will land -- maybe a mountain-top. Created: 2005-02-09 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 14 Examples: 16
18. Strong Despite having all he needs, Herbie seldom displays his superhuman strength. Created: 2005-09-22 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 9 Examples: 12
19. Invisible Early on, it looked like invisibility would be a regular power, but it soon disappeared. Created: 2004-11-07 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 5 Examples: 6
20. Magical Powers Herbie uses magic in early stories, but then, not until the final few stories, when Herbie needs to learn magic because he has lost his lollipop-based powers. Created: 2004-11-14 Updated: 2012-04-26 Stories: 12 Examples: 20
21. Lightning Bolts Herbie could harness the power of lightning, often directing it to someone's butt. CR-RAK! Created: 2005-03-09 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 6 Examples: 6
22. Communicates Mysteriously In addition to his odd speech patterns, his ability to talk to animals, or just his ability to stare down an opponent, Herbie had others ways to communicate. Created: 2005-03-14 Updated: 2012-05-10 Stories: 8 Examples: 8
23. Biting Herbie sometimes bites his adversaries, and sometimes they bite him. It's not the only example of dental humor in Herbie comics, but buck-toothed characters do no biting, even though Herbie bites one. Created: 2004-10-07 Updated: 2012-04-24 Stories: 14 Examples: 19
24. Assorted Powers Herbie's powers are unlimited, in part because the types of magical lollipops is unlimited, and some of Herbie's attacks don't even require lollipops, for which he has handy items. With Herbie, anything is possible. Created: 2012-03-24 Updated: 2012-04-18 Stories: 16 Examples: 20

Recurring Gags
1. Disguises Despite having a unique physique, Herbie is able to use disguises to avoid recognition. It does not take much to fool all of the people all of the time. Herbie find many of his disguises in a chest of costumes labeled "DISGUISES". Herbie's most famous disguise, the Fat Fury, was created in Herbie #8a. Created: 2004-11-09 Updated: 2012-05-05 Stories: 43 Examples: 83
2. Deception Sometimes Herbie and others used misdirection or absurdly bad attempts at deception, such as without the obligatory bad disguise. It helps that everyone, including Herbie, is unobservant. Created: 2008-11-21 Updated: 2012-05-14 Stories: 11 Examples: 14
3. Lookalikes Galore People from both sides of Herbie's family look like him, including his father and grandfather. Random people throughout history bear an uncanny resemblance. Some look-alikes look good to Herbie, but some are ugly to him. Created: 2004-10-02 Updated: 2012-05-10 Stories: 21 Examples: 25
4. Baby Herbie Sometimes by time travel, disguise, memory, imagination, or a fountain of youth, we get to see Herbie as a baby, looking just like him. Created: 2004-11-12 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 7 Examples: 8
5. Fat, Fat, Water Rat Herbie's dad refers to his disappointing son as a little fat nothing, and it's hard not to notice Herbie's shape, a shape Herbie's father once had. But Herbie is never limited by his weight. As Herbie says, "So I'm fat. So what?" Created: 2005-03-09 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 28 Examples: 40
6. Nicknames Herbie's father calls him a "little fat nothing," but Herbie has other nicknames. Some names are used maliciously by his foes, some adoringly by the women who can't resist him, and others, commenting on his fat. Created: 2012-03-18 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 36 Examples: 59
7. Silly Names The villains and adversaries in Herbie stories tend to have silly names. Herbie himself is the son of Pincus Popnecker, a pretty silly name, even compared to Herbie's many silly nicknames. Created: 2012-03-20 Updated: 2012-05-01 Stories: 25 Examples: 35
8. Short While it's obvious that Herbie is absurdly fat, he is also incredibly short. During his evolution, Herbie got fatter and shorter, at times appearing to be well below three feet tall. Created: 2012-03-07 Updated: 2012-05-07 Stories: 12 Examples: 14
9. Women Swoon Women find Herbie irresistible, despite his height, despite his weight, despite his face, despite his ineloquence. Maybe it's his savoir-faire. Created: 2004-11-14 Updated: 2012-04-25 Stories: 24 Examples: 41
10. Eating Herbie was introduced as a fat boy who ate a lot, but in later issues, he is not often depicted as eating (except lollipops, of course). Created: 2004-10-15 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 19 Examples: 21
11. Sleeping Herbie is often sleeping during the day, much to his father's dismay. Herbie sleeps with his glasses on, often with a lollipop in his mouth. Herbie can sleep while sitting, lying in a hammock, and even while eating. Created: 2004-10-17 Updated: 2012-05-22 Stories: 25 Examples: 40
12. Sitting Herbie often sits expressionless in a chair, with arms by his sides, doing nothing. Created: 2012-03-04 Updated: 2012-05-10 Stories: 20 Examples: 26
13. In the Hammock Herbie rests in the hammock, often with a lollipop. Herbie naps in the hammock. Dad does not like to see Herbie in the hammock. Created: 2012-03-19 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 12 Examples: 14
14. Sound-Effects Like many comics, every Herbie story has sound effects, mostly silly, almost all with exclamation points. There are many sound effects with punching, things getting squished, butt jokes, breaking through walls, lolli-bopping, ... Created: 2008-11-22 Updated: 2012-04-21 Stories: 51 Examples: 76
15. Butt Jokes Butts are the butt of many visual jokes, usually with sound-effects. Sometimes, Herbie falls on adversaries, butt first, resulting in severe damage. Created: 2005-02-05 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 42 Examples: 75
16. Herbie is Unwanted This is not the sad unwanted as in love or out of fear because of his powers like those eyes, this is the funny unwanted where people would like Herbie to be elsewhere. Created: 2012-03-21 Updated: 2012-05-06 Stories: 19 Examples: 25
17. Herbie is Surrounded Only a well-coordinated attack can subdue Herbie, and Herbie can be overwhelmed (until he gets impatient) by adversaries coming from every direction. Other times, Herbie's attackers are defeated all at once. Created: 2012-05-05 Updated: 2012-05-07 Stories: 6 Examples: 9
18. Jewish References Herbie stories have many Jewish references in character names, food, and manner of speaking. This may be attributable to the roots of the author of the stories. Created: 2005-07-30 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 16 Examples: 23
19. Shrugging Often in response to Dad calling Herbie a "little fat nothing", Herbie's shrug is asking the reader for relief from his incomprehensible situation. Is this a Jewish expression? Created: 2004-11-07 Updated: 2012-04-30 Stories: 26 Examples: 44
20. Tap-Tap Herbie has to be stealthy to get so close that he can tap them to get their attention. Because he is about three feet tall, he only taps on the shoulder when flying. Herbie has other forms of non-verbal communication, including those eyes of his. Created: 2011-12-26 Updated: 2012-05-01 Stories: 10 Examples: 15
21. Calm, Deadpan While one could call Herbie calm, cool, and collected, one could also call him comically detached or clinically , but he shows genuine empathy for others. Created: 2004-10-05 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 22 Examples: 28
22. Impatient/Busy/Rushed When Herbie is ready to act, he doesn't like waiting around. Enough dilly-dallying, enough shilly-shallying, or just enough. If he's in a hurry to get somewhere, he might try alternative modes of transportation. Created: 2008-12-14 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 19 Examples: 22
23. Do it Myself Herbie is a good guy and wants to help, but he does observe that he always has to take care of problems by himself. The only help Herbie seems to get is from animal friends. Created: 2012-04-28 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 17 Examples: 19
24. Appreciates the Finer Things Maybe it's from being famous and part of the reason that women swoon for him, or maybe it's related to his relationship with Professor Flipdome, Herbie is interested in and appreciates the quality of things. Created: 2008-11-09 Updated: 2012-05-11 Stories: 29 Examples: 51
25. Methodical, Organized Herbie keeps his lollipops well-organized and he can fight and argue methodically. Created: 2012-02-29 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 6 Examples: 7
26. Breaking the 4th Wall Like many cartoons, characters in Herbie comics break the 4th wall and refer to being in a comic and address the audience. Herbie went further by breaking the 4th wall of stories within the comic. Created: 2005-03-13 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 15 Examples: 21
27. Handy Items Sometimes, Herbie just happens to have handy just what he needs. It doesn't matter where he is, the size of the item, or how unusual it would be to have it handy. Never mind where he got it from, either. Created: 2004-11-12 Updated: 2012-04-25 Stories: 13 Examples: 13
28. Squishing No one gets injured in Herbie comics, so to show how badly someone has been beaten, they appear to be compressed, flattened, squished like an accordion. Early on, people were squished by punching, but in later stories, Herbie would fall on villains and squish them with his butt. Created: 2003-03-09 Updated: 2012-04-21 Stories: 11 Examples: 15
29. Splashing Splashing is usually the effect of landing in a liquid (butt first), or an insult from an animal. Sound-effects are required. Created: 2008-11-24 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 14 Examples: 17
30. Coated Herbie gets coated by various substances, sometimes by being splashed, but he always gets out, no worse for wear. Created: 2012-05-10 Updated: 2012-05-10 Stories: 5 Examples: 7
31. Stopping by Sticking Out Feet Herbie and others make sudden stops on land and in the air by sticking out their feet and leaning back SKREE-EEEE! Created: 2008-11-20 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 14 Examples: 14
32. Boxer Shorts Somehow, Herbie often ends up in his underwear in public, which always includes polka dot boxer shorts. Created: 2004-11-11 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 13 Examples: 17
33. Stereotypes They were different times back then. I don't think any of the stereotypes were mean-spirited, but there are examples of African, Native American (Indian), Eskimo, and Chinese stereotypes that today would probably not appear in print. Created: 2011-12-25 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 9 Examples: 12
34. Buck Teeth It's pretty clear that Herbie does not find buck-teeth objectionable. There is more dental humor in Herbie comics: biting. Created: 2004-11-12 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 10 Examples: 10
35. Fainting Women faint, men faint, animals faint. Even Herbie faints. Oh yes, Dad... he faints, too. Fainting is usually combined with an exclamation. Created: 2008-11-29 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 9 Examples: 10
36. Dad is a Masher Pincus Popnecker loved his wife, but thought he was quite a stud. Well, he wished it were so. Women swooned, not for him, but for Herbie. Created: 2008-10-23 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 5 Examples: 9
37. Dad is an Idiot Sure, Dad has bad ideas, so we think he's an idiot, but characters in Herbie stories think so, too. Created: 2011-12-29 Updated: 2012-05-10 Stories: 12 Examples: 15
38. Dad is Unobservant Dad can never see through any of Herbie's disguises, or notice when Herbie ia floating in air. Dad convinces himself that he is imagining things he thinks he sees Herbie doing. Created: 2008-10-23 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 6 Examples: 7
39. Mom Reacting Dad is always complaining about Herbie being a little fat nothing, and Mom often has something to say. Usually at the start of a story or at the end, Mom tries to defend Herbie, or just calm down Dad. Created: 2012-03-10 Updated: 2012-04-24 Stories: 13 Examples: 19
40. Money Mania To Herbie's dad, money was synonymous with success, and nothing showed success better than a big pile of cash. And who has big piles of cash? Men with top hats. Created: 2012-02-26 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 8 Examples: 12
41. Herbie's Secret Powers Although Herbie is famous around the world and throughout history, his parents are unaware of his powers. Herbie thinks that it is better that they not know, especially his father, who likes to think of Herbie as a little fat nothing. Created: 2011-12-26 Updated: 2012-04-10 Stories: 6 Examples: 9
42. Herbie is Oblivious While Dad is unobservant, Herbie can be completely unaware of what's going on around him, no matter how spectacular. Created: 2011-12-28 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 8 Examples: 9
43. Animal Love Several Herbie stories conclude with a main female character falling in love with someone (or something) unusual: a caveman, an alien, or an animal. Created: 2004-11-12 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 9 Examples: 11
44. Plunger Jokes Herbie wears a plunger on his head when disguised as the Fat Fury. It never serves a useful purpose, except as a prop in a gag, usually with its own sound-effect, FWOINNNG!, as Fat Fury plunges into the ground. Created: 2005-02-07 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 6 Examples: 6
45. Mountain Top Placement Herbie puts his foes on mountain tops because it leaves them with no options. They are defeated non-violently. Created: 2004-10-04 Updated: 2012-04-24 Stories: 3 Examples: 3
46. Two-Headed Adversaries Two-headed creatures are the main villains in two stories, and a camel with two elephant heads makes it a trio. They all laugh like this: HAW-HAW-HAW! Created: 2005-03-09 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 6 Examples: 6

Speech Patterns
1. Little Fat Nothing Herbie's father often refers to him as a "little fat nothing". Dad wonders why he should have such an undeserved lot in life as a son like Herbie. Created: 2004-10-13 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 28 Examples: 49
2. Bop you with this here lollipop Herbie often bops his adversaries with special bopping lollipops, which makes bopping a power. But bopping led to his catchphrase rhetorical question "<strong>You want I should bop you with this here lollipop?</strong>" so maybe it's a gag speech pattern. Bopped bad guys would imitate Herbie's catchphrase, "He bopped me with this here lollipop!" Created: 2004-10-16 Updated: 2012-05-18 Stories: 25 Examples: 35
3. Warnings and Threats Herbie gives fair warning when he is about to take action. Usually, the threat and action both involve bopping with this here lollipop, but there are other cliché cases. Herbie either warns someone not to do something, or threatens what is going to happen. Created: 2012-04-27 Updated: 2012-04-28 Stories: 10 Examples: 10
4. Says 'WANNA...' Herbie took many shortcuts in his speech, saying DUNNO, GIMME, GONNA, GOTTA, WANNA, and WOTTA. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-05-14 Stories: 27 Examples: 38
5. Says 'TCH, TCH' Herbie says "TCH, TCH" when he does not like what he sees. So do some others. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-04-05 Stories: 23 Examples: 30
6. Says 'Something...?' Herbie is a man of few words. Herbie uses unusual speech patterns, often leaving out subjects and objects or verbs. Rather than ask "Is something happening?" Herbie will just say "Something?" sometimes in response to an attack. It can indicate being oblivious to what is going on. Also popular: HUH? Created: 2004-11-17 Updated: 2012-05-16 Stories: 11 Examples: 13
7. Says 'HO-HUM' Herbie says "HO-HUM" when he's bored with what he thinks are mundane events. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-03-20 Stories: 9 Examples: 10
8. Says 'OH-OH' Herbie says "OH-OH" when something has gone wrong. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-04-08 Stories: 10 Examples: 11
9. Says 'Always Trouble' Herbie sometimes uses the speech pattern "problem, always problem". He says that for problems he hates. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 8 Examples: 9
10. Says-Schmez Herbie uses some fancy-schmancy language to mock things. Is this speech pattern a Jewish reference? Created: 2005-07-30 Updated: 2012-05-15 Stories: 11 Examples: 14
11. Says 'UH-UH' When Herbie says "UH-UH", he means "No", or he is stammering. He'll also say "Nope." Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 15 Examples: 19
12. Says 'Hate Something' Herbie has a lot of dislikes, some very specific, such as fat jokes and some look-alikes. He doesn't seem to like wise guys, either. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-04-11 Stories: 11 Examples: 13
13. Says 'Wise Guy' A wise guy is someone who does something Herbie does not like, a jerk. Created: 2008-12-01 Updated: 2012-05-14 Stories: 11 Examples: 14
14. Says 'Gangway!' Sometimes someone yells "Gangway!" as they are trying to get away, usually from Herbie. Herbie never says "Gangway". Created: 2012-03-23 Updated: 2012-05-14 Stories: 8 Examples: 9

Miscellaneous Collections
1. Comic Cover Pages All covers in the 1950s to 1960s were by Ogden Whitney unless otherwise noted. Seven were by Kurt Schaffenberger. Created: 2005-10-12 Updated: 2012-04-26 Examples: 42
2. Thumbnails of Covers All covers in the 1950s to 1960s were by Ogden Whitney unless otherwise noted. Seven were by Kurt Schaffenberger. Created: 2005-10-13 Updated: 2012-04-25 Examples: 42
3. Publication Indicia The indicia of a publication includes the official name of the publication, its publication date, information regarding editorial governance of the publication (from Wikipedia). Created: 2005-11-17 Updated: 2012-05-02 Examples: 29
4. Story Splash Pages This page shows the "splash pages" from the first page of all 52 Herbie stories. There are five stories from Forbidden Worlds + 46 stories from 23 Herbie comics + 3 non-Hughes/Whitney stories from the 1990s + a cameo appearance in Unknown Worlds #20 in 1962. Created: 2005-10-13 Updated: 2012-05-14 Examples: 55
5. Story-Ending Panels Herbie stories end with a final panel or two, often with one or more recurring themes, and almost always with Herbie. This page shows the ending panels from all 52 Herbie stories. Created: 2012-01-20 Updated: 2012-04-30 Examples: 52
6. Calendar Examples These examples show Herbie in different seasons and dates. Created: 2008-12-18 Updated: 2012-04-30 Examples: 24
7. Uncaptioned Panels Test your knowledge of Herbie by guessing the captions. Guess the categories. Then look them up in "All themes in this story". Created: 2012-02-21 Updated: 2012-04-10 Examples: 15
8. Errors Errors in Herbie comics included animals appearing out of their natural habitats, typos, and factual errors, often accompanied by letters to the editor. Created: 2005-10-12 Updated: 2012-04-12 Examples: 16
9. Advertisements Herbie ads ran in other ACG comics such as Forbidden Worlds (FW), Adventures into the Unknown (AITU), and Unknown Worlds (UW). Herbie ads in Herbie comics gave a preview of the next issue. Created: 2012-02-17 Updated: 2012-03-07 Examples: 17
10. Background Herbie's backstory is revealed throughout the Herbie series, sometimes as an offhand remark. This page describes Herbie's early life, lollipop powers, and the origin of the Fat Fury. Created: 2012-03-11 Updated: 2012-04-10 Examples: 14
11. Evolution of Herbie Herbie First appeared in Forbidden Worlds in 1958, but did not get his own comic until 1964. Even by 1964, he was still evolving. His shape changed, even between the two stories in Herbie #1. His speech changed. Even his face changed. And so did the humor in Herbie stories. Created: 2012-03-03 Updated: 2012-05-06 Examples: 27
12. Herbie's Creators Herbie was developed by Richard E. Hughes, who wrote the Herbie stories under the pseudonym Shane O'Shea, and Ogden Whitney, who did the artwork. Created: 2012-03-16 Updated: 2012-04-27 Examples: 6
13. Similarities with Jay Ward Productions There are many similarities between Herbie comics and Jay Ward productions like Rocky & Bullwinkle. Herbie and Boris Badenov both wear disguises. Herbie and Mr. Peabody both travel back in time to debunk history. Fractured fairy tales, famous on Rocky and Bullwinkle, are occasionally the setting for a Herbie story. Even animal love appears in Herbie comics and in Dudley Do-Right cartoons. Created: 2012-04-20 Updated: 2012-04-21 Examples: 42

Summary Table of Examples

How to use the table: The format is admittedly dense, but it allows an overview of when and how often the examples appeared.

For each Herbie story (a-e from Forbidden Worlds, 1-23 from Herbie comics, DFA from the 1990s), a "+" is shown for one example, a "#" is shown for more. Hover your cursor over the + or # to see page numbers.
Note that 17b and 23b were reprints of FW94 and FW73 and are blank columns.
Click a column header to see the splash page for that story.
Click an asterisk to see a popup example theme.
Click the label at the right to show examples with commentary.
The bottom of the table shows the number of "themes per story":
("_" for < 15 themes, "." for 15-19, "-" for 20-24, "+" for 25-29, and "#" for 30 or more)
Each symbol links to a page of all the themes in that story.
The final row also shows the ratio of "themes per page" as a highlight: 1.5+ 2.0+ 2.5+

abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA #S #E   Recurring Story Subjects
          #     #      ++   ##          ##   ##      # 11 24 * Dad's Ideas UPDATED
 ++ #    #        #   +        +  +        #   +    +  11 18 * The Unknown
        #      #        #       ++  #           #       7 19 * Love UPDATED
  +# +#     +   ++  ++#    + +  +#      ++   #+      + 19 27 * Sports
+#           # # # #                        ## #    #  10 26 * School NEW
   + ++  +   #     ++    +       + +   ++       +      13 14 * Patriotism NEW
++++#  + ++# +++  #+ +#++# #+++# #++   +## +++ ++      35 46 * Villains/Adversaries
abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA #S #E   Herbie's Amazing Powers
     #  #  #   +    + +   +  #    # +#    #   +  #  #  15 27 * Travels Back in Time
++ #####++    +  +  #+ + #+  + ## #++# #   ++#+# #  #  31 61 * Lollipops
++######+##++#+# #+ +#+++#++++++#+###  +##++ ++#++  #+ 47 85 * Famous UPDATED
  + #+ ++ +  ++# # ++ ++# +   + #+ +++  + + ++#++#  +  31 39 * Virtuous UPDATED
 +     + +#+ +#    #+ ++# + ++  #+ #++  ##   ++ #  +   26 36 * Thinking NEW
+++#++ #+   +#++ #+ + # + ++##++ ++##+ ### +#++#++   # 39 59 * Talks with Animals
   +#  +  ++  +   +   +++#   #+      + +    +##  +  +  20 27 * Hypnotic Eyes
########+++ ##+++#+# ##++#++#+###++#+# ##+##+#+### +#  49 94 * Flying
   +   +     +     +  +++ +    #       +      ##       12 15 * Falling
  #      #+     #                ++ +    + +   +       10 13 * Travels in Space
    + +          #                          +           4  5 * Travels Underground
         +                +  +   + ++         + #       8  9 * Travels in Water
 ++   ++ +   #  #   +  +        ++         #   # +     14 18 * Travels Mysteriously
      +  +   +     + #     +  +  #+#+  #+      #+#     16 27 * Punching
  + # +++  #   +    ##+ +++   #+  +# +   +    # +      21 32 * Can't be Hurt
                                                           0 * Breaking In, Out, and Through
+           ++ +   #  +  +       +++     +     +++     14 16 * Swinging Adversaries
      +  +       # #  +   +            +      +  +      9 12 * Strong
# +  ++  +                                              5  6 * Invisible
 ++ +#  +             +        ++           +  ###     12 20 * Magical Powers
    +        +                  +    +  +  +            6  6 * Lightning Bolts
   + +       +      +  +           ++        +          8  8 * Communicates Mysteriously
         ++     +   #        ++ ++   +  # ++ #   +     14 19 * Biting
   + +# +     +          +++    + ++ #      +#  +#     16 20 * Assorted Powers NEW
abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA #S #E   Recurring Gags
++ +####+ ## ##++#+##++++# #+++++# ++# ++  # #+++# +   43 83 * Disguises
        +     +     #  + + +     ++#           +     + 11 14 * Deception
  +     ++  ++ #     ++ # ++ +  ++  ++ #   ++ +#       21 25 * Lookalikes Galore
          ++            +  #        +        +   +      7  8 * Baby Herbie
     ++ ++ + ++  # +  ++#  +++++#+ + + +# + ## + +     28 40 * Fat, Fat, Water Rat UPDATED
   +##++ + # #++ +++++##+# + #++# ++##  + # +#+ ## +   36 59 * Nicknames NEW
+ +   + +  ++# #++   + ##  +    +## +   +#  #+++   +   25 35 * Silly Names NEW
     ++      + + #  ++# ++       +                   + 12 14 * Short NEW
   +###  #   ### +    + +++  #+   #++#  +#+   + #      24 41 * Women Swoon
#++   +  ++     +  + #++ +     +  + +   + +  +     +   19 21 * Eating
    # +  + #   +  ##+#+##+  #+ #+    #  #+#+   ++    # 25 40 * Sleeping UPDATED
+   +##+ ++   #  +   + #    +  ++ +  +  +     ++   +   20 26 * Sitting NEW
    +     ##  + +++++                   +  + +         12 14 * In the Hammock NEW
+###########++++++++++++++++++##+###++ #++#+++#+++ + # 51 76 * Sound-Effects
+++## #++++ #++ + +##+##+ ## #+####+ # +#+++#++# +   + 42 75 * Butt Jokes
++  ++# + #   +  +     #+ +        + +  +   #  ++#     19 25 * Herbie is Unwanted NEW
           + +        #+           #          #         6  9 * Herbie is Surrounded NEW
  + +       ## #+   +    #       # +     ++#  # ++     16 23 * Jewish References
 +     ++  #####++# +   ++ + +  +   ## +     +##+#  +  26 44 * Shrugging
      +   #        # +      +   +  +     +  #+         10 15 * Tap-Tap
+   + # + +   #    + ++++#  +  + + +#  +   +   + #  +  22 28 * Calm, Deadpan
  +  ++  +  ++     +  +     + + +   ++   ##   ++#   +  19 22 * Impatient/Busy/Rushed
 +    ++ #+  #+ +  +  +   +  +  +    +   +  +   +      17 19 * Do it Myself NEW
+    +   + #+#+#+    ## # #+ #+   + +   ##++#+#### #   29 51 * Appreciates the Finer Things
     +       + #  +       +                   +         6  7 * Methodical, Organized NEW
    +  +  ++   + # ++    +     + ## #      +     +     15 21 * Breaking the 4th Wall
     +       +  +  +  +  +  + +  ++           +++      13 13 * Handy Items
         + +       + +  #  +   +  #    #       +#      11 15 * Squishing
                #+++++      ++ +   # +  +   ++         14 17 * Splashing
                     +      +  #   #       +            5  7 * Coated NEW
 +  ++   ++ ++   + ++  +       +   +         +         14 14 * Stopping by Sticking Out Feet
         +    #   + + ++++    # +    +     +     #     13 17 * Boxer Shorts
   +       +   #  + +         + #  #         +          9 12 * Stereotypes UPDATED
               ++    +        ++   +++         + +     10 10 * Buck Teeth
         +   + + +   ++   +       +      #              9 10 * Fainting
      #                  #  +            ##             5  9 * Dad is a Masher
          +        +     +  #    +     ++++  +#      + 12 15 * Dad is an Idiot
      +       +                + +      #        +      6  7 * Dad is Unobservant
#  #+##  #         +     +  +   + +            +     + 13 19 * Mom Reacting NEW
          ##    +      +    +        +   +    +         8 12 * Money Mania NEW
                             +   +     ## + #           6  9 * Herbie's Secret Powers
       #   +   +        +    +  +  + +                  8  9 * Herbie is Oblivious
      +  +    #+             #     ++    +      +       9 11 * Animal Love UPDATED
                   +   +       +   +   +       +        6  6 * Plunger Jokes
             + +                   +                    3  3 * Mountain Top Placement
         +      +                  +++   +              6  6 * Two-Headed Adversaries UPDATED
abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA #S #E   Speech Patterns
+  #+++ ++#++  ++  + +   #  #  ###   + #    ## # + #++ 28 49 * Little Fat Nothing
  ++ +  ++ ++ + +#   ++  +  ++   # +++    # ###  +     25 35 * Bop you with this here lollipop UPDATED
         +         +   ++  +  ++       ++ +            10 10 * Warnings and Threats NEW
 #    ++  #  ##   +++ #+++ +#+##++  ++  +    #+  +  +  27 38 * Says 'WANNA...'
 +  +     #+ ++# +     #    ++ #    +# +++ +#++# +     23 30 * Says 'TCH, TCH'
   +                     +        #+ # + + +   + +   + 11 13 * Says 'Something...?' UPDATED
    + +  + +               +    +            + # +      9 10 * Says 'HO-HUM'
         +  ++#       + + +   +             +    +     10 11 * Says 'OH-OH'
          +    +    + +  +   +   +     #                8  9 * Says 'Always Trouble'
      #    + # +  +   #      +   +       +      +    + 11 14 * Says-Schmez
       +   +     +++#   ++ # #   +  +  +   +   #       15 19 * Says 'UH-UH'
        #   +         ++ #  ++       + +    +   +      11 13 * Says 'Hate Something'
 +        + #   +          + ++  +  +#     +           11 14 * Says 'Wise Guy'
  +               +          +            + # + ++      8  9 * Says 'Gangway!' NEW
abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA #S #E   Miscellaneous Collections
                                                          42 * Comic Cover Pages
                                                          42 * Thumbnails of Covers
                                                          29 * Publication Indicia
                                                          55 * Story Splash Pages
                                                          52 * Story-Ending Panels
                                                          24 * Calendar Examples
                                                          15 * Uncaptioned Panels
                                                          16 * Errors
                                                          17 * Advertisements
                                                          14 * Background NEW
                                                          27 * Evolution of Herbie NEW
                                                           6 * Herbie's Creators NEW
                                                          42 * Similarities with Jay Ward Productions NEW
abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA #S #E   total examples: 2158
.---++#--#++.###-+-##+####--+#+###+### +#+-++##### ___         themes per orig story: 29.4 (2.4 / page)

The bottom of the table shows the number of "themes per story":
("_" for < 15 themes, "." for 15-19, "-" for 20-24, "+" for 25-29, and "#" for 30 or more)
Each symbol links to a page of all the themes in that story.
The final row also shows the ratio of "themes per page" as a highlight: 1.5+ 2.0+ 2.5+

Herbie PopneckerExamples of Recurring Themes

Page Header, with Links to Examples and a Catalog of Stories

Gary Perlman's Compilation and Observations of Herbie Popnecker (the Fat Fury)

The Story Behind this Collection

Recurring Themes

Recurring Story Subjects

1. Dad's Ideas

2. The Unknown

3. Love

4. Sports

5. School

6. Patriotism

7. Villains/Adversaries

Herbie's Amazing Powers

1. Travels Back in Time

2. Lollipops

3. Famous

4. Virtuous

5. Thinking

6. Talks with Animals

7. Hypnotic Eyes

8. Flying

9. Falling

10. Travels in Space

11. Travels Underground

12. Travels in Water

13. Travels Mysteriously

14. Punching

15. Can't be Hurt

16. Breaking In, Out, and Through

17. Swinging Adversaries

18. Strong

19. Invisible

20. Magical Powers

21. Lightning Bolts

22. Communicates Mysteriously

23. Biting

24. Assorted Powers

Recurring Gags

1. Disguises

2. Deception

3. Lookalikes Galore

4. Baby Herbie

5. Fat, Fat, Water Rat

6. Nicknames

7. Silly Names

8. Short

9. Women Swoon

10. Eating

11. Sleeping

12. Sitting

13. In the Hammock

14. Sound-Effects

15. Butt Jokes

16. Herbie is Unwanted

17. Herbie is Surrounded

18. Jewish References

19. Shrugging

20. Tap-Tap

21. Calm, Deadpan

22. Impatient/Busy/Rushed

23. Do it Myself

24. Appreciates the Finer Things

25. Methodical, Organized

26. Breaking the 4th Wall

27. Handy Items

28. Squishing

29. Splashing

30. Coated

31. Stopping by Sticking Out Feet

32. Boxer Shorts

33. Stereotypes

34. Buck Teeth

35. Fainting

36. Dad is a Masher

37. Dad is an Idiot

38. Dad is Unobservant

39. Mom Reacting

40. Money Mania

41. Herbie's Secret Powers

Herbie Popnecker
Examples of Recurring Themes