In 1960, Sir Edmund Hillary conducted his widely publicized expedition to collect and analyze physical evidence of the Abominable Snowman in the Himalayas. He had found another pointy-headed scalp in a Nepali monastery (not to be confused with the original pointy-headed scalp found in 1954 in another Nepali monastery) and had returned at the end of the year, stating he didn't believe that the Yeti existed. Despite this, Hillary's adventures reawakened the Yeti craze of the decade before.
Several kids cartoons aired in 1960 as well, all with their own versions of what they thought the creature might look like. Popeye, Dick Tracy Show, and Snooper and Blabber all had their own depictions, with particular attention paid to the scalp - though not pointy-headed, as you might expect: more of a mop top (hmm, Beatlemania in full effect?).
Though it was published in book form in 1960, Tintin in Tibet was not actually inspired by the Hillary Expedition (it was conceived of and serialized in the 50's, well beforehand), but it still fueled further excitement in the Hairy Himalayan Hominid.
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| Note: Most famous example of the original Pangboche pointy-head |
Snowman fervor continued into the next year...
In May of 1961, the Looney Tunes theatrical cartoon, "The Abominable Snow Rabbit" was viewed for the first time. Hugo would go on to become one of the most enduring and beloved Yeti depictions.
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| Note the mop top |
And then for three months straight, right smack in the middle of the Silver Age, a yeti appeared in a different comic book issue.
In Amazing Adventures (August 1961), some hapless folks enter a place called the Twilight World...
...which has its share of prehistoric beasts...
Including an abominable snowman, though we don't get a good look at him (just like in real life, eh?).
To be continued...
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