BOOT

Man Against the People - The True Record of Arthur W. Coolidge This blistering piece was produced in 1950 by the Campaign to reelect Paul A. Dever as governor of Massachusetts. Dever defeated Coolidge.

The Robert Alphonso Taft Story “It's On the Record!” This was produced in 1950 by the Campaign for Joe Ferguson. It portrays Taft as a tool of monied interests, unable to even stand up for America after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. However, Ferguson was an unpopular candidate, and Taft crushed him, despite this snarky comic book.

HIT PIECES Most political free comic books portrayed their chosen candidates in a noble and positive light, but there some that attacked a candidate’s opponent. These are the attack comic books, or hit pieces! Are You Sure He's Really One of Us? This was produced by Hafer for the Bye Bye Byrd committee in 1982. This attacks West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd for his membership in the Ku Klux Klan, his willingness to raise taxes, and even his lack of residency in the state of West Virginia.

PUT A COMIC BOOK about HONEST POLITICS in your POCKET These half sized comic books were part of the “Good Government” series produced in the 1950s and 1960s by the National Research Bureau of Chicago, Illinois. The Price You Pay for Graft This half-size comic book was produced in 1964. It shows how much the average worker’s paycheck is taken from him in the form of taxes and other expenses which pay for waste and graft. This useful and still relevant comic book encourages citizens to learn about politicians, find which ones are honest, and elect good, clean politicians to office to reduce graft and protect all of us! The Next Four Years This comic book encourages voters to think of how their votes can change life for everyone in the future. If Your Kids Could Vote This clever and thoughtful comic book encourages voters to think of the future effect of their politics on their children’s futures. The Man Who Stole Your Vote This comic book shows the tragedy that can ensue when people don't exercise their right to vote. The main character’s whole life is changed when “the man who stole his vote” tries to kick him and his family out of their house. This great comic book shows the importance of voting, being involved in politics, and having honest politicians and honest elections! The original full color version was produced in 1952. The light blue and black version is a later reprint featuring the same artwork in two colors.

1950 Pennsylvania Department of Highways John S. Fine was elected governor of Pennsylvania in 1950. His administration used this comic book to promote the Pennsylvania Department of Highways and their accomplishments. We take for granted the amazing road systems we enjoy. This reflects an earlier time when highways were truly a major accomplishment. By the way, it does promise that toll bridges in a few years will be free, so if a politician hands you a free comic book, watch what that other hand is doing!

1953 State of Ohio - Your Treasury Department in Action! This great comic book was produced in 1953 by the Treasury Department of Ohio. The front cover sports the mug of Roger W. Tracy, then Treasurer of State. This fun and informative comic book showed the citizens of Ohio how their state treasury department works. I wonder if the citizens felt like they got their money's worth?

HOW WE’RE SPENDING YOUR MONEY Sometimes politician used free comic books to communicate with the suckers citizens. They may have thought that a fun and clear comic book presentation would make otherwise dry subject matter palatable to the electorate. Or perhaps they thought that the voters were a bunch of comic book reading . 1950 Louisiana Department of Revenue This beautiful example is from the Louisiana Department of Revenue, which used the free comic book format to present it's report for the fiscal year 1949 to 1950. The front cover is signed by W. A. Cooper, Collector of Revenue.

Labor Is A Partner This comic book was produced in 1949 by the Catechetical Guild of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Catechetical Guild produced several anti-communism free comic books. This comic book addresses the threat of communist infiltration of labor movements and how it can harm American industry. It shows labor can truly be a partner in a free and prosperous society.

LABOR Organized labor movements used several free comic books to show young readers the need to protect workers and their rights. Joe Worker and the Story of Labor “The mighty Joe Worker, hero of labor, goes marching down the ages!” “Joe Worker and the Story of Labor” was created by Nat Schachner and Jack Alderman. This amazing free comic book was distibuted by the Educational Department of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union of New York City. There is no printed date – it looks like it is from around 1948. This giant dark comic book examines episodes of unsavory social injustice through the century, and shows how organized labor helps protect human rights. Jack Alderman was a capable artist who did a lot of exciting work for Crime Does Not Pay comics. In graphic detail, this epic comic book chronicles many distasteful periods in history - indentured servitude, slavery, wage labor, American social change, the struggle for equal rights, and a wealth of other topics! As a chronicle of the seamy underbelly of history, this is like “Birth of a Nation” in comic book form.

Grenada This 1979 comic book shares the story of the successful American intervention to stop a Communist takeover of the country of Grenada. This presents a graphic but ultimately a very positive look at how the American military saved people from oppression and death.

The Red Iceberg The Red Iceberg is a classic effective educational comic book about the threat of communism. It shows how Communists use different tactics to take over unions and government meetings. It shows how they use propaganda and recruitment to effect change. This is a very disturbing and informative comic book - lots of effective information! Wherever the communists have taken control they destroyed religion – the comic books shows how it could happen in America. There are several different versions of The Red Iceberg, imprinted for different groups.

Is This Tomorrow? America Under Communism! This classic propaganda comic book from 1947 shows in gruesome detail the horrors after a Communist takeover of United States. Very detailed and gripping!

The Catechetical Guild The Catholic Catechetical Guild produced many educational and religious comic books, including some classic pieces against communism. Blood Is the Harvest The disturbingly effective Blood Is the Harvest from 1950 tells the story of a communist revolution and its bloody aftermath.

The Plot To Steal the World This is a rare comic book produced in 1948 by R W. Watt of Trenton, New Jersey. This is a great anti-Communist comic book! It shows distorted looking communist goons trying to convince people to give up their freedoms for government by police state. This shows in graphic detail the threat of communist mobilization and takeover of governments. It shows how we can avoid communism by being good Americans. Published “in the interest of a stronger America through work and unity” by the Work and Unity Group of Trenton, New Jersey.

How Stalin Hopes We Will Destroy America This 1951 comic book shows the many methods of economic warfare communists employed to disrupt our society. This was produced by Joe Lowe Co.

The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe This was published in 1952 by the Small Business Economic Foundation. This features a great story of a shipwrecked group of people that must form a new society. The virtues of free enterprise and the dangers of communism are explored in dramatic detail in this vivid and rare comic book.

Yalta to Korea This comic book was produced in 1952. It was distributed by the R*publican National Committee. This presents a firm anti-Communist message, but shows fatigue with the disastrous losses of the then ongoing Korean War.

It's Time For Reason Not Treason! This was produced in 1967 by the Liberty Lobby. This is a rare comic book promoting American military involvement in Southeast Asia. It encouraged America to stop the spread of international communism in Vietnam.

Threat to Freedom This rare comic is called Threat to Freedom, a picture story exposing communism. This was produced in 1965 by the Standard Publishing Company. This tells a harrowing tale, with art by Bill Martin, about the horrors of communism, with the death, destruction, and oppression that it brought.

Double Talk This was produced in 1962 by the Christian Anti-communism Crusade of Houston, Texas. This features great artwork by Pete Costanza who draws a clownish but still frightening Nikita Kruschev.

ANTI-COMMUNIST COMICS The Threat of Communism Communism has proven to be one of humanity’s most deadly ideologies. Communist regimes in Russia, China, Cambodia, and elsewhere have killed hundreds of millions of people in the last 100 years, through murder of political opponents, and by directly causing war, disease, and starvation. Our forefathers warned us against it. In the 1950s and 1960s, Americans used a variety of free comic books to make sure that young readers were aware of the dangers of communism and other totalitarian statism. The Two Faces of Communism “The Two Faces of Communism” was published in 1964 by The Christian Anti-Communism Crusade of Houston, Texas. With dramatic yet comedic art by Pete Costanza, artist for the Golden Age Captain Marvel and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, the comic book show the horrors and deceit behind communist propaganda. Most copies of this comic book were issued in self-covered form. Also shown here is a rare unused slick cover.

Tomorrow The World During World War II, there were not many publications that would even attempt to evoke sympathy for a young Nazi. Published in 1945 by All American Comics (Superman’s D.C. Comics) “Tomorrow the World” looks at a tough question. How were we as Americans supposed to deal with the hatred of Naziism as expressed by a young German boy visiting United States? The comic book was effective in making people think about tough human questions. It ends with the immortal line, “What shall we do with Emil Bruckner?”

Rare World War II-era Anti-U.S. Intervention Comic Book This unusual comic book is a collection of cartoons opposing American intervention in the wars in Europe, Asia, and Africa – what we now call World War II. Its title "To enter the wars now reaching in Europe, Asia and Africa would be an act of national folly from which country must be spared!" This was produced by the America First Committee of Chicago. On their national committee sat Henry Ford and Capt. Edward Rickenbacker.

World War II Politics don’t end during wartime. In fact, they become even more important. The Life Story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt This classic World War II propaganda comic tells the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This comic book was produced by the United States during World War II to tell the life story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was produced in at least six different languages for distribution to our allies around the world. These are very rare – we've only seen a single copy for each language.

Freedom and Liberty These two comics deal with that rare and precious human condition, freedom. Fight for Freedom is a classic educational comic book that shows “The Picture Story of Man’s Endless Struggle for Liberty”. This was published in 1951 by General Comics Incorporated. This features outstanding art by Dan Barry. This was sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers who proudly state “Freedom Is Worth Fighting For!” The Story Behind Your Liberty This was published in 1952, also by the National Association of Manufacturers. This shows the original American Revolution and the oppressive conditions which caused it to occur. A quote from the back cover – “Our way of life and freedom is constantly under attack overseas and at home. Will we be vigilant? Will we continue to fight for freedom? Will we keep our liberty? It's up to all of us!” On the ballot box appears the classic quote "The Price of Liberty Is Eternal Vigilance."