Neil the Horse
| Neil the Horse | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher |
Aardvark-Vanaheim Renegade Press Conundrum Press |
| First appearance | newspaper strip: 1975 comics: Charlton Bullseye #2 (July 1981) |
| Created by | Arn Saba |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Horse |
| Partnerships | Soapy Mam'selle Poupée |
| Neil the Horse Comics and Stories | |
| Series publication information | |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | Funny animal |
| Publication date |
(Aardvark-Vanaheim series) Feb. 1983 – Dec. 1984 (Renegade Press series) Apr. 1985 – Aug. 1988 (Conundrum Press collection) 2017 |
| Number of issues | 15 |
| Main character(s) | Neil the Horse Mam'selle Poupée Soapy |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Arn Saba |
| Artist(s) | Arn Saba |
Neil the Horse is a comic book character created by Canadian cartoonist Arn Saba (now Katherine Collins) in 1975. Neil is a happy, singing and dancing horse who likes bananas and milkshakes. Neil's adventures were syndicated in Canadian newspapers, published in a comic book series, and adapted for a radio musical.
The comic book series featured Neil and his friends Soapy the Cat and Mam'selle Poupée. All three of the characters sing, dance, and play music. The more developed comics stories primarily revolve around the trio's attempts to attain show-business success. While existing as a fantasy with nostalgic style, Neil the Horse also pays tribute to the era it was made (the 1980s). A typical issue included a story in prose with illustrations, a few short comic strips, and a longer comic-strip adventure. As the motto of Neil the Horse was "Making the World Safe for Musical Comedy" all issues also included original sheet music for the songs sung by the characters in the course of their adventures.
Neil is a happy go-lucky (and not too bright) horse with a mania for bananas. In some issues he breakdances in urban streets to the accompaniment of a boombox.
Mam'selle Poupée is a hopeless romantic living doll from France. Poupée's body is jointed like a Barbie figurine. With the red circles on her cheeks, curly hair, large bust and thin waistline, the French-accented Poupée appears to be a cross between Raggedy Ann and Dolly Parton. She wears headbands and works out à la Olivia Newton-John. In "Video Wars" (issues 4-7), the gang comes in contact with characters that inhabit an arcade game.
Soapy is a street-wise and cynical (with a heart of gold) orange cat,a cigar-smoker and a drinker, who serves as their manager and the brains of the operation.
Neil the Horse started life in 1975 as a weekly newspaper comic strip, self-syndicated by Vancouver cartoonist Saba to Canadian regional newspapers. In 1977, Saba and Toronto cartoonist Jeff Wakefield (Bubblegummers) joined forces to found 'Great Lakes Publishing" (GLP), a cartoon syndicate dedicated to promoting Canadian newspaper comics. At its height, GLP sold weekly comic strips, including Neil the Horse, to about 30 newspapers. GLP quietly faded out of existence in 1982. The early Neil strips were reprinted in The Menomonee Falls Guardian.
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