Yabba Dabba Doo! Puzzle Box Art Delight: The Flintstones at work

By John Freeman on September 8, 2019 • ( 2 )

If you’re a The Flintstones fan, there’s still a few hours left to bid on this Hanna-Barbera Jigsaw Puzzle art offered by Heritage Auctions, with current bidding at just $310; depicting Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble busy with yard work, using the latest in prehistoric organic landscaping technology!

The artist is unfortunately uncredited; the puzzle was released by Whitman Publishing.

When The Flintstones premiered in 1960, it shook up television like a slab of dinosaur ribs slapped on the side of a car. Never before had there been a primetime, cartoon sitcom, an animated takeoff of the old Honeymooners sitcom (which creator Jackie Gleason was none too pleased about and, apparently, considered filing a lawsuit against).

Today, the Flintstones are global icons and the, er, bedrock of the Hanna-Barbera empire. However, 59 years ago, the show was a risky proposition. Originally airing on ABC from 1960 to 1966, producing 166 episodes, The Flintstones spawned spin-offs, toys, comic books, merchandise (including a cereal brand, a vitamin brand) and two Flintstone-themed amusement parks, in Custer, South Dakota and Valle, Arizona.

A worldwide phenomenon, with a reboot reportedly in the works, possibly for HBO, there were a number of The Flintstones animated specials too, along with The Man Called Flintstone released as a feature film in 1966; five animated television films that include The Flintstones Meet The Jetsons in 1987; and a live stage production at Universal Studios Hollywood. Plus, there’s the live action films The Flintstones in 1994 and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas in 2000, with John Goodman in the lead role.

With thanks to Ernesto Guevara | Article updated to take note of 1971 copyright information

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.