Why do simple H-Bridges that use PNPs combined with NPNs not short themselves out immediately (or do they)?
Perhaps the author chose to ignore the fact your first circuit will not work with supply voltages exceeding about 1.2V or perhaps he or she did not understand. Who knows? There is no shortage of bad circuits on the internet.
When the supply voltage exceeds two Vbe drops, both base-emitter junctions conduct and the transistors will be destroyed if enough voltage is applied.  

The second one will actually work, but will tend to have brief shoot-through on switching because the transistors will not switch off instantly, so both will likely briefly be on during switching.