Best symbolism in a WWII cover 3 3

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cheers!

[Jayman]

[Robot Man]

I consider this one somewhat symbolic. Portraying a popular children’s character as a soldier. Goes to show how the war effort translated all the way down to young children. 

[IngelsFan]

On 8/31/2024 at 8:14 AM, Robot Man said:

I consider this one somewhat symbolic. Portraying a popular children’s character as a soldier. Goes to show how the war effort translated all the way down to young children. 

This was cover dated April, 1943, which would make it contemporary with Warner Bro’s release of Super-Rabbit. In that cartoon, Bugs gets super powers from a super carrot, and at the end of the cartoon, he looks into the camera and says “this is a job for a REAL Superman”, and changes into a Marine uniform. The Marines liked it so much they officially inducted him into the Marines as a Private. At the end of WW2 they discharged him as a Master Sargeant.

Edited August 31 by IngelsFan

[kent allard]

On 8/31/2024 at 2:33 PM, IngelsFan said:

This was cover dated April, 1943, which would make it contemporary with Warner Bro’s release of Super-Rabbit. In that cartoon, Bugs gets super powers from a super carrot, and at the end of the cartoon, he looks into the camera and says “this is a job for a REAL Superman”, and changes into a Marine uniform. The Marines liked it so much they officially inducted him into the Marines as a Private. At the end of WW2 they discharged him as a Master Sargeant.

I'm quite familiar with that cartoon, one of my favorite Bugs (and there were a LOT of good ones!).  Thanks for that backstory - didn't know about that.  Will need to do some research.

[kent allard]

On 8/31/2024 at 12:53 AM, Cat-Man_America said:

Just came across this thread! It's a great idea ...not sure how I overlooked it... and there have been some awesome covers presented. 

This may be the most subtle WWII patriotically symbolic cover, coming out less than a month after we entered the war in '42... 

But iconic covers ...umm covers a lot of ground. For purely symbolic WWII depictions these Quality books are giants... 

 

...this being the more obvious Axis engaging U.S. war representation...

That said, the most iconic WWII books (IMO) depict Hitler being humiliated in some fashion, ...and my personal favorite has gotta be MM #46! 

Thanks for joining the party @Cat-Man_America

My original idea in starting this thread was to focus on the use of symbolism in WWII covers, that have gone on to become iconic.  There are scores of neat covers, and some really nice action-type covers, but I was hoping to get exposed to the more 'artsy' ones where the emphasis was on conveying ideas (most often patriotic ones) through symbolism.  @*paull*'s Master #27 is a masterpiece of simplicity.  Raboy has quite a few other excellent covers in this regard.

While MM #46 is a GREAT cover (though I'm a bit more partial to Thrilling #41 for humiliation), National #16 resonates much more strongly to me.  Uncle Sam throttling the Nazi death skeleton hits my sweet spot:  nice composition + associating Nazis with death through the use of a (putrid green?) skeleton + Lou Fine art = iconic.

The thread has veered off my original vision for it as people have interpreted symbolic and iconic in their own ways.  Its cool - I'm harvesting lots of nice candidates and I think lots of great stuff is being showcased.  And a good time seems to being had by all

Oh, that Prize cover is fun, but doesn't make *my* list.  It is a subtle statement that I think carried much stronger impact in an era when ticker tape parades actually happened.  What I really find funny is how Frankenstein was relegated to the back of the line.  What, not pretty enough for the lead car?  Didn't sell as many comics?  Is he tied up back there?  Is that black thing behind him a hearse? 

I'm hoping we can actually do a vote at some point to see which ones are the fan favorites

[Cat-Man_America]

On 9/1/2024 at 6:36 AM, kent allard said:

Thanks for joining the party @Cat-Man_America

My original idea in starting this thread was to focus on the use of symbolism in WWII covers, that have gone on to become iconic.  There are scores of neat covers, and some really nice action-type covers, but I was hoping to get exposed to the more 'artsy' ones where the emphasis was on conveying ideas (most often patriotic ones) through symbolism.  @*paull*'s Master #27 is a masterpiece of simplicity.  Raboy has quite a few other excellent covers in this regard.

While MM #46 is a GREAT cover (though I'm a bit more partial to Thrilling #41 for humiliation), National #16 resonates much more strongly to me.  Uncle Sam throttling the Nazi death skeleton hits my sweet spot:  nice composition + associating Nazis with death through the use of a (putrid green?) skeleton + Lou Fine art = iconic.

The thread has veered off my original vision for it as people have interpreted symbolic and iconic in their own ways.  Its cool - I'm harvesting lots of nice candidates and I think lots of great stuff is being showcased.  And a good time seems to being had by all

Oh, that Prize cover is fun, but doesn't make *my* list.  It is a subtle statement that I think carried much stronger impact in an era when ticker tape parades actually happened.  What I really find funny is how Frankenstein was relegated to the back of the line.  What, not pretty enough for the lead car?  Didn't sell as many comics?  Is he tied up back there?  Is that black thing behind him a hearse? 

I'm hoping we can actually do a vote at some point to see which ones are the fan favorites

Thanks! WWII symbolism is a fascinating area; there's a lot of variety. You're right about Frankenstein bound in the black coupe bringing up the rear; that was a clever Jack Binder composition. The most symbolic aspect of the cover is the description of values and Prize heroes prepared to do their part in the coming war; the parade celebrates that. MM #46 is difficult to categorize. It's the whole zombie underground thing with Hitler leading a dead legion and even deader ideology. The cover's far from subtle, but more symbolism than war combat. ...And that masked worm in Hitler's ear is priceless!   

BTW, here's another symbolic cover from the summer of '42, but a bedsheet pulp instead of a comic... 

[kent allard]

On 9/2/2024 at 1:46 AM, Cat-Man_America said:

Thanks! WWII symbolism is a fascinating area; there's a lot of variety. You're right about Frankenstein bound in the black coupe bringing up the rear; that was a clever Jack Binder composition. The most symbolic aspect of the cover is the description of values and Prize heroes prepared to do their part in the coming war; the parade celebrates that. MM #46 is difficult to categorize. It's the whole zombie underground thing with Hitler leading a dead legion and even deader ideology. The cover's far from subtle, but more symbolism than war combat. ...And that masked worm in Hitler's ear is priceless!   

BTW, here's another symbolic cover from the summer of '42, but a bedsheet pulp instead of a comic... 

S&S did this cover across a whole range of their pulps in July of '42

https://pulpmags.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/street-smith-goes-to-war-patriotic-pulps-of-july-1942/

It may be patriotic, but I can't see it as being very creative.

Yeah, MM #46 is a cool cover but too complicated and busy for my tastes to be considered iconic.  Earlier in the thread I mentioned that what I'm looking for the visceral gut-punch that happens in the first 2 seconds, not the layered examination that needs to go on in a Schomburg cover.   Raboy was a master of clean composition.  His CM Jr and Green Lama covers really nail it.  Schomburg is an iconic artist, but in this regard I personally find him lacking.  He just *overwhelms* you    

And that's one collector's opinion (with an affectionate nod to the iconic George Putnam) 

[kent allard]

On 9/2/2024 at 1:46 AM, Cat-Man_America said:

And that masked worm in Hitler's ear is priceless!   

Shades of Khan???

I'm partial to the femurs used as chair legs.  Wild.  It's got easter eggs - sort of a Bill Elder vibe, not just the usual Schomburg riot of action.

[PreHero]

With Uncle Sam as cover feature, National had number of covers that might fit bill!  In addition to great ones posted on first page, here's a couple more...

 

[Cat-Man_America]

On 9/2/2024 at 5:14 AM, kent allard said:

Shades of Khan???

I'm partial to the femurs used as chair legs.  Wild.  It's got easter eggs - sort of a Bill Elder vibe, not just the usual Schomburg riot of action.

I was thinking of someone entirely different than Khan as brain eating worms have been in the news a lot lately, but I digress.  Yeah, there's a lot going on there, even the turkey buzzard over his throne! 

[kent allard]

On 9/3/2024 at 2:41 AM, Cat-Man_America said:

I was thinking of someone entirely different than Khan as brain eating worms have been in the news a lot lately, but I digress.  Yeah, there's a lot going on there, even the turkey buzzard over his throne! 

Isn't Schomburg the bomb?

Elder is more subtle and nuanced, but when Schomburg goes there, it's usually over the top.

Edited September 3 by kent allard