• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

The Wild Wacky World of Esoteric Oddball Comics!
5 5

303 posts in this topic

11 hours ago, Electricmastro said:

I think a question that always pops up whenever someone posts a 1940s/50s cover with a comment like yours attached is how exactly comedy, which is largely tied to the history of comics, should be approached when drawing from the world around you, including black people? Now, I realize outright, racist-based hateful and hurtful covers specifically meant to attack black people is objectively wrong. I get that, though at least from what I understand, most comic artists didn’t draw many black characters the way they did as an attack, but simply as an exaggeration which is perhaps inherent when it comes to comedy, which even Jack Kirby and Will Eisner were guilty of when they drew Whitewash Jones and Ebony White the way they did.

Again, this is not to defend racism, but I suppose I’m simply wondering what exactly the fine line is between ok and not ok? Like, would it have been more ok if characters of various races had been caricatured together? Should it have been disallowed for black people to have been part of comedy/exaggeration-based material altogether in favor of only white characters being in exaggerated comedy stories with caricatures? Could only someone like Matt Baker have been allowed to insert black characters on comedy covers/in comedy stories since he was black himself?

I don't think it is necessarily the depiction, as there were characters like Doiby Dickles and the three insufficiently_thoughtful_persons in the Flash who were exaggerated depictions of negative Caucasian stereotypes. I think it has much more to do with the associated ideas people held about the supposed inferiority of other races and the resultant societal injustices. More to the story than the depiction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great thread, I may have a few of these buried in boxes but DC used to have some interesting covers; maybe not as overtly wacky but certainly not what people know DC for these days.

Funny Stuff was a fun title and led off with Sheldon Meyer's serious Three Mousketeers. He revived the concept in the fifties as more of a funny sort of strip. I like the audacity of the serious version. And they even did a Flarip inside with a turtle!

tn_FunnyStuff8.jpg.6947a83a480a958956f83f350cda6553.jpg

tn_FunnyStuff8Int3Mouse.jpg.f0aa5f0ac8a2a97d20f97d9957d52674.jpg

tn_FunnyStuff8IntTurtle.jpg.4f85cb58ac8cf3520e8c7a6c22da485a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally before Rex the very talented Wonder Dog was working to stop atomic explosions he was a noted underwater diver saving damsels in distress. Apparently he didn't need scuba gear to swim underwater and attack octopus guarding sunken treasure. Too bad he wasn't around when those kids were trapped in that cave in Asia a few years back! It also features a grey tone cover.

Rex also featured a back up feature with a crime busting chimp named Bobo; the slick Infantino art belies the wackiness of the concept.

tn_Rex42.jpg.362140f77d942ff7bffadb4482e31324.jpg

tn_Rex39Chimp.jpg.6c9c499a009cc14a903a0e7a527f9c1e.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of the earlier issues of WDCS had some wacky covers before things calmed down with the Walt Kelly covers.

Issue 13 encourages smoking in young folks!

tn_WDCS13.JPG.5c89f80e710f981a80b807b71e2ff0a3.JPG

And issue 24 should have given Dr. Wertham heart palpitations. Roast duck or cannibalism?

tn_WDCS24cover.jpg.1ebe67f627472b479b5b25253fd5b2ad.jpg

Edited by 50YrsCollctngCmcs
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Electricmastro said:

I think a question that always pops up whenever someone posts a 1940s/50s cover with a comment like yours attached is how exactly comedy, which is largely tied to the history of comics, should be approached when drawing from the world around you, including black people? Now, I realize outright, racist-based hateful and hurtful covers specifically meant to attack black people is objectively wrong. I get that, though at least from what I understand, most comic artists didn’t draw many black characters the way they did as an attack, but simply as an exaggeration which is perhaps inherent when it comes to comedy, which even Jack Kirby and Will Eisner were guilty of when they drew Whitewash Jones and Ebony White the way they did.

Again, this is not to defend racism, but I suppose I’m simply wondering what exactly the fine line is between ok and not ok? Like, would it have been more ok if characters of various races had been caricatured together? Should it have been disallowed for black people to have been part of comedy/exaggeration-based material altogether in favor of only white characters being in exaggerated comedy stories with caricatures? Could only someone like Matt Baker have been allowed to insert black characters on comedy covers/in comedy stories since he was black himself?

Back when this book came out, natives in Africa were portrayed this way as a stereotype. It wasn’t ment to be insulting or offensive. This book is just what it looks like. The joke is the cheese for the mouse, nothing more. Only today do people look so deep to be insulted. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, 50YrsCollctngCmcs said:

Finally before Rex the very talented Wonder Dog was working to stop atomic explosions he was a noted underwater diver saving damsels in distress. Apparently he didn't need scuba gear to swim underwater and attack octopus guarding sunken treasure. Too bad he wasn't around when those kids were trapped in that cave in Asia a few years back! It also features a grey tone cover.

Rex also featured a back up feature with a crime busting chimp named Bobo; the slick Infantino art belies the wackiness of the concept.

tn_Rex42.jpg.362140f77d942ff7bffadb4482e31324.jpg

tn_Rex39Chimp.jpg.6c9c499a009cc14a903a0e7a527f9c1e.jpg

 

This one doesn’t hit the odd, esoteric factor to me but a great greytone cover!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Robot Man said:
8 hours ago, 50YrsCollctngCmcs said:

tn_Rex39Chimp.jpg.6c9c499a009cc14a903a0e7a527f9c1e.jpg

 

This one doesn’t hit the odd, esoteric factor to me but a great greytone cover!

I would say the Bobo page definitely hits the odd, esoteric factor!

By the way, I too collect toy guns.  Can I have it, pretty please?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, 50YrsCollctngCmcs said:

Great thread, I may have a few of these buried in boxes but DC used to have some interesting covers; maybe not as overtly wacky but certainly not what people know DC for these days.

Funny Stuff was a fun title and led off with Sheldon Meyer's serious Three Mousketeers. He revived the concept in the fifties as more of a funny sort of strip. I like the audacity of the serious version. And they even did a Flarip inside with a turtle!

tn_FunnyStuff8.jpg.6947a83a480a958956f83f350cda6553.jpg

 

Sheldon Mayer is one of my two all time favorite comic book creators (Walt Kelly is the other).  He drew all of #5, cover to cover.

Funny_Stuff_05.jpg

Edited by OtherEric
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
5 5