Sqeggs Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) Is there another instance of a WW II-era comic that has an anti-Stalin cover? I know that Young Allies 1 was originally intended to have one, but then Hitler invaded the Soviet Union and the cover was redrawn. Of course, once the Cold War started, there were anti-Stalin covers, but I'm having trouble thinking of another one from WW II. This was inspired by looking at Berk's copy on CC. Edited May 8, 2017 by Sqeggs Not sure how the thread title also became the beginning of the post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjpb Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 I'm pretty sure that's the only comic cover with Stalin from the WW2 era. I do recall seeing a pulp from around the same time with him on it, but can't recall the name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Point Five Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 How about this one? (I've long been intrigued by the very brief window of anti-Stalin covers as well. There definitely weren't a lot of them.) KCOComics, gino2paulus2, KirbyJack and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 1 minute ago, Point Five said: How about this one? (I've long been intrigued by the very brief window of anti-Stalin covers as well. There definitely weren't a lot of them.) Good one! Can't recall ever having seen it. Presumably these covers (if there are any more) would have to have been published in the window between August 1939 when Stalin became Hitler's ally and June 1941 when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union and Stalin became a de facto ally of the United States. I think it was really following the Soviet Winter War with Finland in 1939-1940 that U.S. public opinion really got riled up against him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Point Five Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 1 hour ago, Sqeggs said: Good one! Can't recall ever having seen it. Presumably these covers (if there are any more) would have to have been published in the window between August 1939 when Stalin became Hitler's ally and June 1941 when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union and Stalin became a de facto ally of the United States. I thought there was one more Nedor cover with Stalin circa '41 with rather bland linework... an early Exciting or Thrilling maybe?... but took a quick spin on GCD and was unable to find it. There is an anti-USSR Black Bat Detective from May '41 with two mustached Soviet villains, but IMO neither is unmistakably Stalin. The Catman #3 is the best one in my book. Hope to nab a copy someday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjpb Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Very cool, never noticed that one before either. GCD doesn't note it as a Stalin cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 Another thought occurred to me: Were there any pro-Stalin covers later in the war? I'm having trouble thinking of any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Point Five Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 35 minutes ago, Sqeggs said: Another thought occurred to me: Were there any pro-Stalin covers later in the war? I'm having trouble thinking of any. Yeah, none come to mind. I'd say Stalin wasn't quite a cuddly enough guy that a US cover artist would want to hitch their wagon to him. Marvel Mystery #44 is a cool example of an (arguably) pro-USSR cover, but that's about the closest I can think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 7 minutes ago, Point Five said: Yeah, none come to mind. I'd say Stalin wasn't quite a cuddly enough guy that a US cover artist would want to hitch their wagon to him. Marvel Mystery #44 is a cool example of an (arguably) pro-USSR cover, but that's about the closest I can think of. I think I can just make him out in a window of the Kremlin. Point Five 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N e r V Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) It was always an uneasy alliance. Americans weren't exactly viewing the Soviets as "friends" in as much as it was the enemy of your enemy can be your alley (for a limited time at least). I know from talking with family who lived through it that Stalin was considered by many to be as bad or worse than Hitler at the time. Edited May 9, 2017 by N e r V Larryw7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBedrock Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 7 hours ago, Sqeggs said: Another thought occurred to me: Were there any pro-Stalin covers later in the war? I'm having trouble thinking of any. There were some heroic biographical stories of Russian generals fighting the Nazis in books like Real Life, True and others. KirbyJack and vaillant 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timely Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 2 minutes ago, Timely said: That's it! Heck of a copy. I guess this means one less bidder for Berk's copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 40 minutes ago, MrBedrock said: There were some heroic biographical stories of Russian generals fighting the Nazis in books like Real Life, True and others. Good point. I don't think I've read any but I think I recall seeing references to the stories on covers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montezuma Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 It was late in the war, and not Stalin, but War Comics 3 had a pro Russian back cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 Just now, Montezuma said: It was late in the war, and not Stalin, but War Comics 3 had a pro Russian back cover Good one. Don't recall having seen it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjpb Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 If that were the front cover the book would be a classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjpb Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 8 hours ago, Point Five said: Yeah, none come to mind. I'd say Stalin wasn't quite a cuddly enough guy that a US cover artist would want to hitch their wagon to him. Marvel Mystery #44 is a cool example of an (arguably) pro-USSR cover, but that's about the closest I can think of. Schomburg did a few covers that were definitely favorable to the Russians, Cap leading a Russian tank division, the Soviet flag flying being carried by a superhero, etc. I think it was mainly because Schomburg did so many war covers, he sometimes just dropped in topical elements to keep them interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telerites Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 2 hours ago, rjpb said: Schomburg did a few covers that were definitely favorable to the Russians, Cap leading a Russian tank division, the Soviet flag flying being carried by a superhero, etc. I think it was mainly because Schomburg did so many war covers, he sometimes just dropped in topical elements to keep them interesting. Like this is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walclark Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Not the main focus of the cover, but it does compare Timoshenko to George Washington. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
