Herbie Popnecker

Herbie Popnecker
Examples of Recurring Themes

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

Herbie Comic Covers
(Materials on Herbie Popnecker to migrate to HerbiePopnecker.com)
Fat Fury

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

Herbie Popnecker is unique among superheroes. While looking less like a superhero than any other, he may also be the most powerful.

Despite Herbie's fame, his father, business bonehead Pincus Popnecker, unaware of his powers or the many villains Herbie faces, often refers to Herbie as a "little fat nothing," especially when Herbie is sleeping. Herbie shrugs off these criticisms.

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 might get expanded as time goes on. 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 was 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.

Catalog of Stories | Covers and Indicia from Issues | Splash Pages and Ending Panels of Stories | Calendar | Captionless | Errors | Ads

Recurring Themes

Order themes by: Theme Category | Example Count | When Created | When Updated | Theme Label | Theme Name

Recurring Plot Devices

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, and thinks that he is business genius.

Created: 2004-10-15

Updated: 2012-02-13

Stories: 11  Examples: 22

Herbie Popnecker examples: Dad's Ideas

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: 2012-02-14

Stories: 11  Examples: 18

Herbie Popnecker examples: The Unknown

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: 2012-02-14

Stories: 7  Examples: 19

Herbie Popnecker examples: Love

4. Sports

Herbie's dad wished that Herbie would be an athlete instead of a little fat nothing.

Created: 2011-12-31

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 17  Examples: 24

Herbie Popnecker examples: Sports

5. Villains/Adversaries

Herbie faced many adversaries, including some evil villains who stole lollipops. All had silly names.

Created: 2005-10-02

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 37  Examples: 47

Herbie Popnecker examples: Villains/Adversaries

Herbie's Amazing Powers

1. Travels Back in Time

Herbie, with a special time-travel lollipop, rode the family grandfather clock back in time, often finding that history was not as historians had claimed.

Created: 2004-10-19

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 15  Examples: 26

Herbie Popnecker examples: Travels Back in Time

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: 2012-02-15

Stories: 32  Examples: 59

Herbie Popnecker examples: Lollipops

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: 2012-02-18

Stories: 47  Examples: 84

Herbie Popnecker examples: Famous

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: 2012-02-18

Stories: 27  Examples: 32

Herbie Popnecker examples: Virtuous

5. Talks with Animals

Herbie helps and is helped by animals everywhere, 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: 2012-02-16

Stories: 39  Examples: 59

Herbie Popnecker examples: Talks with Animals

6. 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: 2012-02-16

Stories: 22  Examples: 29

Herbie Popnecker examples: Hypnotic Eyes

7. Flying

Herbie flew by walking on air or in space in almost every story, and in those where he did not walk on air, he flew into the past in a grandfather clock or as a costume superhero as the Fat Fury.

Created: 2005-03-13

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 49  Examples: 94

Herbie Popnecker examples: Flying

8. 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 an adversary, resulting in squished adversaries.

Created: 2011-12-28

Updated: 2012-02-19

Stories: 12  Examples: 13

Herbie Popnecker examples: Falling

9. Travels in Space

Herbie walks and talks in space pretty much the same way he walks in air. What else would you expect?

Created: 2004-11-12

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 10  Examples: 13

Herbie Popnecker examples: Travels in Space

10. Travels Underground

Herbie can "fly" through the earth, invariably ending up in Hades.

Created: 2004-11-06

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 4  Examples: 5

Herbie Popnecker examples: Travels Underground

11. Travels in Water

Whether on land, in air, in space, underwater, or on water, Herbie walks the same way. Does he breath? He seems deep in thought, with his hands behind his back.

Created: 2004-11-06

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 7  Examples: 8

Herbie Popnecker examples: Travels in Water

12. 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: 2012-02-18

Stories: 14  Examples: 18

Herbie Popnecker examples: Travels Mysteriously

13. 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 punches.

Created: 2004-11-13

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 16  Examples: 27

Herbie Popnecker examples: Punching

14. Can't be Hurt

We don't know why, but Herbie can not be hurt (unless it's funny). Bullets bounce off him, punches have no effect, he can't be executes, and he is not affected by fire.

Created: 2004-10-21

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 21  Examples: 32

Herbie Popnecker examples: Can't be Hurt

15. Breaking In, Out, and Through

Like in many cartoons, the shape of the hole in the wall matches what's gone through. Unlike most cartoons, Herbie often goes through walls butt first.

Created: 2004-11-06

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 15  Examples: 21

Herbie Popnecker examples: Breaking In, Out, and Through

16. Swinging Adversaries

Swinging is a great gag power, so humiliating to the swingee. The correct technique is by the feet for humans and by the tail or trunk for animals. After they are released, who knows where they will land -- maybe a mountain-top.

Created: 2005-02-09

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 14  Examples: 16

Herbie Popnecker examples: Swinging Adversaries

17. Strong

Despite having all he needed, Herbie seldom displayed his superhuman strength.

Created: 2005-09-22

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 9  Examples: 12

Herbie Popnecker examples: Strong

18. Invisible

Early on, it looked like invisibility would be a regular power, but it soon disappeared.

Created: 2004-11-07

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 5  Examples: 6

Herbie Popnecker examples: Invisible

19. Magical Powers

Herbie uses magic in early stories, then not until the final few stories, when Herbie needs to learn magic because he has lost his powers.

Created: 2004-11-14

Updated: 2012-02-14

Stories: 12  Examples: 20

Herbie Popnecker examples: Magical Powers

20. Lightning Bolts

Herbie could harness the power of lightning, often directing it to someone's butt. CR-RAK!

Created: 2005-03-09

Updated: 2012-02-14

Stories: 6  Examples: 6

Herbie Popnecker examples: Lightning Bolts

21. 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: 2012-02-16

Stories: 6  Examples: 6

Herbie Popnecker examples: Communicates Mysteriously

22. Biting

Herbie sometimes bit his adversaries, and sometimes they bit him.

Created: 2004-10-07

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 14  Examples: 19

Herbie Popnecker examples: Biting

23. Tripping

Herbie is resourceful enough to use tripping when he needs it, and generous enough to explain to us how it's done.

Created: 2011-12-28

Updated: 2012-02-12

Stories: 2  Examples: 2

Herbie Popnecker examples: Tripping

24. Tickling

There is only one example of Herbie ticking, in the next to last story in the series, but it's a great gag attack.

Created: 2005-03-10

Updated: 2012-02-12

Stories: 1  Examples: 1

Herbie Popnecker examples: Tickling

Recurring Gags

1. Disguises

Despite having a unique physique, Herbie was able to use disguises to avoid recognition. Herbie created his disguises from a chest of costumes labeled "DISGUISES"

Created: 2004-11-09

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 42  Examples: 83

Herbie Popnecker examples: Disguises

2. Deception

Sometimes Herbie and others used misdirection or absurdly bad attempts at deception, such as without the obligatory bad disguise.

Created: 2008-11-21

Updated: 2012-02-15

Stories: 7  Examples: 8

Herbie Popnecker examples: Deception

3. Lookalikes Galore

People from both sides of Herbie's family looked like him, including his father and grandfather. Then, random people through history bore an uncanny resemblance. Some look-alikes looked good to Herbie, but some were ugly to him.

Created: 2004-10-02

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 21  Examples: 25

Herbie Popnecker examples: Lookalikes Galore

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 as a boy.

Created: 2004-11-12

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 7  Examples: 8

Herbie Popnecker examples: Baby Herbie

5. Fat, Fat, Water Rat

Herbie's dad always referred 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 was never limited by his weight. As Herbie put it, "So I'm fat. So what?"

Created: 2005-03-09

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 27  Examples: 39

Herbie Popnecker examples: Fat, Fat, Water Rat

6. Women Swoon

Women find Herbie irresistible, despite his weight, despite his face, despite his ineloquence. Maybe it's his savoir-faire.

Created: 2004-11-14

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 24  Examples: 41

Herbie Popnecker examples: Women Swoon

7. Sleeping

Herbie was often sleeping during the day, much to his father's dismay. Herbie slept with his glasses on, often with a lollipop in his mouth.

Created: 2004-10-17

Updated: 2012-02-15

Stories: 25  Examples: 38

Herbie Popnecker examples: Sleeping

8. Sound-Effects

Like many comics, every Herbie story had sound effects, mostly silly, almost all with exclamation points. There were many sound effects with punching, things getting squished, butt jokes, breaking through walls, lolli-bopping, ...

Created: 2008-11-22

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 51  Examples: 76

Herbie Popnecker examples: Sound-Effects

9. Butt Jokes

Butts were the butt of many visual jokes, usually with sound-effects. Sometimes, Herbie fell on adversaries, butt first, resulting in severe damage.

Created: 2005-02-05

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 40  Examples: 71

Herbie Popnecker examples: Butt Jokes

10. Jewish References

Herbie stories had 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: 2012-02-15

Stories: 12  Examples: 17

Herbie Popnecker examples: Jewish References

11. 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: 2012-02-17

Stories: 26  Examples: 42

Herbie Popnecker examples: Shrugging

12. Tap-Tap

Herbie must 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.

Created: 2011-12-26

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 8  Examples: 13

Herbie Popnecker examples: Tap-Tap

13. Calm, Deadpan

While one could call Herbie calm, cool, and collected, one could also call him comically detached or clinically Asperger, but he shows genuine empathy for others.

Created: 2004-10-05

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 23  Examples: 29

Herbie Popnecker examples: Calm, Deadpan

14. Impatient/Busy/Rushed

When Herbie is ready to act, he doesn't like waiting around. Enough dilly-dallying, enough shilly-shallying, or just enough.

Created: 2008-12-14

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 16  Examples: 18

Herbie Popnecker examples: Impatient/Busy/Rushed

15. 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 things.

Created: 2008-11-09

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 16  Examples: 17

Herbie Popnecker examples: Appreciates the Finer Things

16. Breaking the 4th Wall

Like many cartoons, characters in Herbie comics broke the 4th wall and |referred to being in a comic and addressed the audience. Herbie went further by breaking the 4th wall within the comic: Herbie broke into a movie to hit up Cary Grant for money; Herbie grabbed thought balloons and even climbed in.

Created: 2005-03-13

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 15  Examples: 21

Herbie Popnecker examples: Breaking the 4th Wall

17. Eating

Herbie was introduced as a fat boy who ate a lot, but in later issues, he was not often depicted as eating (except lollipops, of course).

Created: 2004-10-15

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 19  Examples: 21

Herbie Popnecker examples: Eating

18. Handy Items

Sometimes, Herbie just happened to have handy just what he needed. It didn't matter where he was, 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: 2012-02-16

Stories: 10  Examples: 10

Herbie Popnecker examples: Handy Items

19. Squishing

No one gets injured in Herbie comics, so to show how badly someone had been beaten, they would appear to be compressed, flattened, squished like an accordion. Often, the squished would decompress, sometimes with the aid of a handy airpump.

Created: 2003-03-09

Updated: 2012-02-16

Stories: 11  Examples: 15

Herbie Popnecker examples: Squishing

20. Splashing

Splashing is usually the effect of landing in a liquid (butt first), or an insult from an animal.

Created: 2008-11-24

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 14  Examples: 17

Herbie Popnecker examples: Splashing

21. Stopping by Sticking Out Feet

Herbie and others stopped on land and in the air by sticking out their feet and leaning back SKREE-EEEE!

Created: 2008-11-20

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 13  Examples: 13

Herbie Popnecker examples: Stopping by Sticking Out Feet

22. Boxer Shorts

Somehow, Herbie often ends up in his underwear in public, which always includes polka dot boxer shorts.

Created: 2004-11-11

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 13  Examples: 17

Herbie Popnecker examples: Boxer Shorts

23. 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: 2012-02-18

Stories: 9  Examples: 12

Herbie Popnecker examples: Stereotypes

24. Buck Teeth

It's pretty clear that Herbie does not find buck-teeth objectionable.

Created: 2004-11-12

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 9  Examples: 9

Herbie Popnecker examples: Buck Teeth

25. Fainting

Women fainted, men fainted, animals fainted.

Created: 2008-11-29

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 8  Examples: 8

Herbie Popnecker examples: Fainting

26. Dad is a Masher

Pincus Popnecker loved his wife, but thought he was quite a stud.

Created: 2008-10-23

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 5  Examples: 9

Herbie Popnecker examples: Dad is a Masher

27. 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: 2012-02-12

Stories: 7  Examples: 8

Herbie Popnecker examples: Dad is an Idiot

28. Dad is Unobservant

Dad could never see through any of Herbie's disguises, or notice when Herbie was floating in air. Dad would convince himself that he was imagining things he thought he saw Herbie doing.

Created: 2008-10-23

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 6  Examples: 7

Herbie Popnecker examples: Dad is Unobservant

29. Herbie's Secret Powers

Although Herbie was famous around the world and throughout history, his parents were unaware of his powers. Herbie thought that it was better that they not know, especially his father.

Created: 2011-12-26

Updated: 2012-02-15

Stories: 6  Examples: 9

Herbie Popnecker examples: Herbie's Secret Powers

30. Herbie is Oblivious

While Dad is unobservant, Herbie can be completely unaware of what's going on around him.

Created: 2011-12-28

Updated: 2012-02-15

Stories: 5  Examples: 5

Herbie Popnecker examples: Herbie is Oblivious

31. 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: 2012-02-11

Stories: 4  Examples: 4

Herbie Popnecker examples: Animal Love

32. Plunger Jokes

Herbie wore a plunger on his head when disguised as the Fat Fury. It never served a useful purpose, except as a prop in a gag, usually with its own sound-effect, FWOINNNG!, as Fat Fury plunged into the ground, possibly because Herbie was not using his usual flying style.

Created: 2005-02-07

Updated: 2012-02-11

Stories: 6  Examples: 6

Herbie Popnecker examples: Plunger Jokes

33. 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: 2012-02-17

Stories: 3  Examples: 3

Herbie Popnecker examples: Mountain Top Placement

34. Two-Headed Adversaries

Two-headed creatures were the main villains in two stories, and a camel with two elephant heads made it a trio. They all laughed like this: HAW-HAW-HAW!

Created: 2005-03-09

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 3  Examples: 3

Herbie Popnecker examples: Two-Headed Adversaries

You Can Say That Again

1. Little Fat Nothing

Herbie's father often referred 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: 2012-02-18

Stories: 28  Examples: 49

Herbie Popnecker examples: Little Fat Nothing

2. Bop you with this here lollipop

Herbie often bopped his adversaries with special bopping lollipops, which makes bopping a power. But bopping led to his catchphrase rhetorical question "You want I should bop you with this here lollipop?"

Created: 2004-10-16

Updated: 2012-02-14

Stories: 24  Examples: 35

Herbie Popnecker examples: Bop you with this here lollipop

3. Says 'WANNA'

Herbie took many shortcuts in his speech, saying DUNNO, GIMME, GONNA, GOTTA, WANNA, and WOTTA.

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 25  Examples: 36

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'WANNA'

4. Says 'TCH, TCH'

Herbie says "TCH, TCH" when he does not like what he sees. So do some others.

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 20  Examples: 25

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'TCH, TCH'

5. 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.

Created: 2004-11-17

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 9  Examples: 10

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'Something...?'

6. Says 'HO-HUM'

Herbie says "HO-HUM" when he's bored with what he thinks are mundane events.

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 9  Examples: 10

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'HO-HUM'

7. Says 'OH-OH'

Herbie says "OH-OH" when something has gone wrong.

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 7  Examples: 8

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'OH-OH'

8. Says 'Always Trouble'

Herbie sometimes used the pattern "problem, always problem".

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 8  Examples: 9

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'Always Trouble'

9. Says-Schmez

Herbie uses some fancy-schmancy language to mock things. Is this speech pattern a Jewish reference?

Created: 2005-07-30

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 11  Examples: 14

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says-Schmez

10. 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: 2012-02-18

Stories: 11  Examples: 14

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'UH-UH'

11. Says 'Hate Something'

Herbie has a lot of dislikes, some very specific, such as fat jokes and some look-alikes. Ah, irony. Herbie hates fat, trouble, fighting, talk, snakes, scaredy-cats, pinch of salt, touch of gravy, being disintegrated, rats, and he can't stand thar water rat business.

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-18

Stories: 11  Examples: 13

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'Hate Something'

12. Says 'Wiseguy'

A wise guy is someone who does something Herbie does not like, a jerk.

Created: 2008-12-01

Updated: 2012-02-17

Stories: 10  Examples: 13

Herbie Popnecker examples: Says 'Wiseguy'

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.

Order themes by: Theme Category | Example Count | When Created | When Updated | Theme Label | Theme Name

abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA         link to examples
          #     #      ++   ##          #+   ##      # 11 22 * Dad's Ideas UPDATED
 ++ #    #        #   +        +  +        #   +    +  11 18 * The Unknown UPDATED
        #      #        #       ++  #           #       7 19 * Love NEW
  +  +#     +   ++  ++#    + +  +#       +   #+      + 17 24 * Sports NEW
++++#  + ++# ++++ #+ +#++# #+++# #+++  +## +++ ++      37 47 * Villains/Adversaries UPDATED
     #  #  #   +    + +   +  #    # ++    #   +  #  #  15 26 * Travels Back in Time UPDATED
++ #####++    +  +  #+ + #+  + #+ #++# #   ++#+# # +#  32 59 * Lollipops UPDATED
++######+##++#+# #+ +++++#++++++#+###  +##++ ++#++  #+ 47 84 * Famous UPDATED
    #+ ++    ++# + ++ + + +   + ++ +++  + + ++#++#     27 32 * Virtuous UPDATED
+++#++ #+   +#++ #+ + # + ++##++ ++##+ ### +#++#++   # 39 59 * Talks with Animals UPDATED
   +#  +  ++  +   +   +++#   #+      + +    +##  + +++ 22 29 * Hypnotic Eyes UPDATED
########+++ ##+++#+# ##++#++#+###++#+# ##+##+#+### +#  49 94 * Flying UPDATED
   +   +     +     +  +++ +    #       +      ++       12 13 * Falling NEW
  #      #+     #                ++ +    + +   +       10 13 * Travels in Space UPDATED
    + +          #                          +           4  5 * Travels Underground UPDATED
         +                +  +   + ++           #       7  8 * Travels in Water UPDATED
 ++   ++ +   #  #   +  +        ++         #   # +     14 18 * Travels Mysteriously UPDATED
      +  +   +     + #     +  +  #+#+  #+      #+#     16 27 * Punching UPDATED
  + # +++  #   +    ##+ +++   #+  +# +   +    # +      21 32 * Can't be Hurt UPDATED
  + +  #   +    +    #+   +    #   +   # + # +  +      15 21 * Breaking In, Out, and Through UPDATED
+           ++ +   #  +  +       +++     +     +++     14 16 * Swinging Adversaries UPDATED
      +  +       # #  +   +            +      +  +      9 12 * Strong UPDATED
# +  ++  +                                              5  6 * Invisible UPDATED
 ++ +#  +             +        ++           +  ###     12 20 * Magical Powers UPDATED
    +        +                  +    +  +  +            6  6 * Lightning Bolts UPDATED
   + +       +      +              +         +          6  6 * Communicates Mysteriously UPDATED
         ++     +   #        ++ ++   +  # ++ #   +     14 19 * Biting UPDATED
        +                 +                             2  2 * Tripping NEW
                                                +       1  1 * Tickling UPDATED
++ +####+ ## ##++#+##++++# #+++++# ++# ++  # #+++# +   42 83 * Disguises UPDATED
        +                + +     ++#                 +  7  8 * Deception UPDATED
  +     ++  ++ #     ++ # ++ +  ++  ++ #   ++ +#       21 25 * Lookalikes Galore UPDATED
          ++            +  #        +        +   +      7  8 * Baby Herbie UPDATED
     +  ++ + ++  # +  ++#  +++++#+ + + +# + ## + +     27 39 * Fat, Fat, Water Rat UPDATED
   +###  #   ### +    + +++  #+   #++#  +#+   + #      24 41 * Women Swoon UPDATED
    # +  + #   +  +#+#+##+  #+ #+    #  #+#+   ++    # 25 38 * Sleeping UPDATED
+###########++++++++++++++++++##+###++ #++#+++#+++ + # 51 76 * Sound-Effects UPDATED
+++## #++++ #++ + +## ##+ ## #+####+ # +# +++++# +   + 40 71 * Butt Jokes UPDATED
  + +       ## #    +    +       +        +#  #  +     12 17 * Jewish References UPDATED
 +     ++  #####++# +   ++ + +  +   +# +     +##+#  +  26 42 * Shrugging UPDATED
          #        #        +   +  +     +  #+          8 13 * Tap-Tap NEW
+   + # + +   #    + ++++#  +  + + +#      +   + # +++ 23 29 * Calm, Deadpan UPDATED
  +   +  +  ++     +  +     + + +    +   #+   ++#      16 18 * Impatient/Busy/Rushed UPDATED
     +   +   +  +    +       #+   +     +++ ++++ +     16 17 * Appreciates the Finer Things UPDATED
    +  +  ++   + # ++    +     + ## #      +     +     15 21 * Breaking the 4th Wall UPDATED
#++   +  ++     +  + #++ +     +  + +   + +  +     +   19 21 * Eating UPDATED
     +       +  +  +  +  +  + +  ++                    10 10 * Handy Items UPDATED
         + +       + +  #  +   +  #    #       +#      11 15 * Squishing UPDATED
                #+++++      ++ +   # +  +   ++         14 17 * Splashing UPDATED
    ++   ++ ++   + ++  +       +   +         +         13 13 * Stopping by Sticking Out Feet UPDATED
         +    #   + + ++++    # +    +     +     #     13 17 * Boxer Shorts UPDATED
   +       +   #  + +         + #  #         +          9 12 * Stereotypes NEW
                +    +        ++   +++         + +      9  9 * Buck Teeth UPDATED
         +   + + +   ++   +       +                     8  8 * Fainting UPDATED
      #                  #  +            ##             5  9 * Dad is a Masher UPDATED
                            +    +     ++++   #         7  8 * Dad is an Idiot NEW
      +       +                + +      #        +      6  7 * Dad is Unobservant UPDATED
                             +   +     ## + #           6  9 * Herbie's Secret Powers NEW
       +   +   +        +       +                       5  5 * Herbie is Oblivious NEW
               +                    +    +      +       4  4 * Animal Love UPDATED
                   +   +       +   +   +       +        6  6 * Plunger Jokes UPDATED
             + +                   +                    3  3 * Mountain Top Placement UPDATED
         +      +                  +                    3  3 * Two-Headed Adversaries UPDATED
+  #+++ ++#++  ++  + +   #  #  ###   + #    ## # + #++ 28 49 * Little Fat Nothing UPDATED
  ++ +  ++ ++ + +#   ++  +  ++   # +++    # ###  +     24 35 * Bop you with this here lollipop UPDATED
 #    ++  #  ##   +++ #+++  #+##++  ++  +    #+  +     25 36 * Says 'WANNA' UPDATED
 +        #  ++# +     +    ++ #    +# +++  +++# +     20 25 * Says 'TCH, TCH' UPDATED
                         +        #+ + + + +   +     +  9 10 * Says 'Something...?' UPDATED
    + +  + +               +    +            + # +      9 10 * Says 'HO-HUM' UPDATED
            + #       + +     +             +    +      7  8 * Says 'OH-OH' UPDATED
          +    +    + +  +   +   +     #                8  9 * Says 'Always Trouble' UPDATED
      #    + # +  +   #      +   +       +      +    + 11 14 * Says-Schmez UPDATED
                 + +#   ++ # #      +  +   +   +       11 14 * Says 'UH-UH' UPDATED
        #   +         ++ #  ++       + +    +   +      11 13 * Says 'Hate Something' UPDATED
 +        + #   +          + ++     +#     +           10 13 * Says 'Wiseguy' UPDATED
abcde1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223DFA         total examples: 1696
.---+-+-+#++-#+#++-#++#+##--+#+###+### #++-++###+#   .         themes per orig story: 23.2 (1.9 / page)