The DC Alphabet

Back in the 1940s, presumably to comply with new mailing regulations, National Periodicals began to carry numerous educational features scattered in the pages of its comics.

This created mini-series of related factoids, often tied together under an umbrella title. One such feature, written and drawn by unidentified creators, was the always interesting "Animal Alphabet": half vertical pages sporting a humorous Dr. Seuss style animal paired with a short ditty.

These were done in pre-Sesame Street style and spread out over 25 months, presenting one letter and animal combination per month, usually on the inside front cover in black and white.

But ... ummm ... aren't there 26 letters?!

DC, appaently figuring the intelligent post-war child could figure this out on his own, stopped the series just short ay "Y is for Yak". Apparently since they had already used the Quagga, a distant cousin of the Zebra, and admitted they were stumped at "X is for Unknown", they ran out of options, hoping noone would notice.

Hah! Gotcha!

Here, then, is the DC Animal Alphabet: