Mad because of Wolverton

Thank you for Alex Chun’s article about cartoonist Basil Wolverton (“Just Mad About Basil Wolverton,” Oct. 4).

I remember how Wolverton burst into fame in 1946 when Al Capp’s “Li’l Abner” comic strip had a running episode about Lena the Hyena, the ugliest woman in the world. Her face was so horrible that the sight of it would cause any who saw her to go insane. So, of course, Capp never showed her face.

With readers clamoring for a peek, Capp copped out, apparently unable to draw anybody that ugly. Instead, he announced a contest. A prize of $525 was offered to the person who could draw a Lena Hyena capable of triggering insanity. Judges were said to be Salvador Dali, Boris Karloff and Frank Sinatra. The winner: Basil Wolverton.

Marvin Petal

Oxnard