Spotlight on Fred Fredericks - Other Comics - Rebel
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| Country: |  USA / English
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In 1964, Fred Fredericks heard about a new magazine to be distributed in US schools, "Scholastic Scope". He took some of his art to Scope headquarters, and in due course, Rebel was born. Fredericks produced the strip for over 30 years and it has also been reprinted in collections. Some of the ideas for strips came to him through write-in gags from the public. Each kid who wrote in got a credit within the comic.
Comic strip story and characters
"Rebel" is a series about a group of teenagers who hang out together. Some of the gags are from life at Finster High School and others take place in their free time.
Frederiks never mentioned what grade the teenagers are in or how old they are. But students go to high school for four years: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior. Our friends are often received by Mr. Mellon at the start of the school year, and he knows them by name. So they can not be freshmen. At the end of the school year, it is expressed that they will return to school after the summer holidays. So they can not be seniors. Rebel also drives a car in several stripes, so he must have turned 16. Which matches a strip from March 31, 1977, where Rebel meets a guy who beat him up in first grade (age 6-7) - And that was ten years ago. So our friends are most likely 16-17 years old and juniors at high school.
It doesn't seem like anyone ages in the series. The first strip of the school year suggests that they are starting a new school year and the last strip of the school year suggests that the school year is over. But they finish the school year as juniors, and they start a new school year as juniors.
Rebel
Rebel is the main character of the series. Fredericks has mentioned little about his background and upbringing. His first name or surname has not been elaborated further, and one has to assume that Rebel is a nickname.
Hare
Before 1970, he was known by his nickname "Wreck".
Celeste
Groover
Mr. Mellon
Walter Melon is principal at Finster High School.
Miss Ridley
Miss Ridley is a teacher at the Finster High School.
The school computer
The school computer is not very cooperative and is often acting like a wise guy.
Other characters
- Mr. Cascer, father of Celeste, is in several stripes.
- The coach, is in several stripes.
- Big Ernie, the school bully, is mentioned several times but is not drawn in any panel.
- Mr. Herkimer, a teacher, figures in one (?) strip.
- Darth Vader (character in the Star Wars franchise) is a substitute teacher in algebra II in the strip of November 17, 1977.
Scholastic Scope
Scholastic Scope is a magazine intended for students at high school. The first issue was published in autumn 1964. The publication follows the school year from September to May, and the release rate is a mix between weekly and fortnightly. Usually 24 issues were published during a school year. In the beginning, the magazine followed the various semesters, so that volume one was published from September to January 1964. And volume two was in the spring until May 1965. This changed in the autumn of 1976, when the entire school year became volume 25.
From the very beginning, each issue had a page of jokes along with the humorous comic strip "Rebel" by Fred Fredericks.
Cover
1966, March 25
Books
In December 1969 Scholastic Book Service released the first Rebel book, with 61 selected strips from the years 1964 to 1969.
Rebel
1969
Rebel Rides Again
1974
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