Best symbolism in a WWII cover 3 3

[kent allard]

Over in my other thread (https://boards.cgccomics.com/topic/537990-show-some-love-for-speed-comics/page/2/#comments), I expressed my profound love for the cover of my copy of Speed Comics #26 and the symbolism it expressed.

@buttock agreed, and mentioned two other uber-iconic covers: Zip 22 and Pep 20.

That got me thinking this would be a good topic.  Let's take a poll - what are your favorite *symbolic* covers from the WWII era.  This is not for *neat* covers - that is a bottomless well - I mean symbolic covers.

Here's my Speed 26

I consider this iconic.

This one may be neat, and WWII-related, but I wouldn't consider it iconic

 

Whereas this one *is* iconic, but in my opinion not as good as #26 (hat tip to @AJD, beautiful copy by the way )

 

OK, over to you all.  What are your favorites?

 

[AJD]

This one is dramatically symbolic.

[IngelsFan]

Best WW2 Timely, and my personal favorite WW2 overall:

[sfcityduck]

Love those patriotic covers, but not sure they are all "symbolic" or the symbolism is pretty obvious. A popular image in a war that was being fought as much on the homefront (production was key) as on the battlefield was the notion that folks back home were walking "arm in arm" with the soldiers. It was symbolic of national unity and sacrafice in support of the war. Lots of examples in comics but these were the easy images (not mine) for me to find:

The war bonds and victory garden covers are another riff on this theme.

[sfcityduck]

On 8/20/2024 at 1:55 PM, kent allard said:

 

 

 

Reminds me of the Boy Commandos 1 cover. Is it a swipe if you were the artist on both covers?:

[Robot Man]

If we are talking truly “symbolic” this would be the first one I thought of.

[Jayman]

On 8/20/2024 at 7:29 PM, Robot Man said:

If we are talking truly “symbolic” this would be the first one I thought of.

That would be my choice as well! 

[buttock]

[buttock]

[Robot Man]

[Robot Man]

On 8/20/2024 at 2:54 PM, IngelsFan said:

Best WW2 Timely, and my personal favorite WW2 overall:

 

[kent allard]

I'm just the guy that started the topic, I don't own it.

On 8/20/2024 at 3:14 PM, sfcityduck said:

Love those patriotic covers, but not sure they are all "symbolic" or the symbolism is pretty obvious. A popular image in a war that was being fought as much on the homefront (production was key) as on the battlefield was the notion that folks back home were walking "arm in arm" with the soldiers. It was symbolic of national unity and sacrafice in support of the war. Lots of examples in comics but these were the easy images (not mine) for me to find:

The war bonds and victory garden covers are another riff on this theme.

Great point @sfcityduck.  There is a difference between a patriotic cover, and a iconic cover that symbolizes something.

I don't own this thread, I just started it, but I feel that including patriotic covers like these broaden the scope too much.  My idea was more along the lines of abstract conceptual covers that are more fantastic, then prosaic patriotic ones.

Again, I am not the judge of right and wrong here, but @AJD, @IngelsFan,  @Robot Man and @buttock have good example of what I think of as a surreal image with an underlying symbolic message.  For me, @buttock's National covers tend to be simply patriotic except for #21, with honorable mentions for #33 and #41.

Admittedly, my beloved Speed #26 does not contain any surreal imagery, but it seems to make such a powerful, assertive message that I love it.  I would prefer to see covers that are taking the fight to the enemy, than showing us as being strong in defense of the country.

I'll throw a curve ball into the discussion by introducing Captain America #46 for consideration.  Not surreal (unfortunately all too real), but powerful and iconic.

 

This is getting interesting.  Keep 'em coming ...

Edited August 21 by kent allard
remove duplicated image

[kent allard]

On 8/20/2024 at 5:51 PM, Robot Man said:

 

Nice!

[Robot Man]

[Robot Man]

[kent allard]

On 8/20/2024 at 6:01 PM, Robot Man said:

YES!

I've got this one,  but no image of it.  Glad you posted one!

[Robot Man]

[kent allard]

On 8/20/2024 at 6:03 PM, Robot Man said:

Cute, but not exactly what I would consider iconic

[Robot Man]

On 8/20/2024 at 5:58 PM, kent allard said:

I'm just the guy that started the topic, I don't own it.

Great point @sfcityduck.  There is a difference between a patriotic cover, and a iconic cover that symbolizes something.

I don't own this thread, I just started it, but I feel that including patriotic covers like these broaden the scope too much.  My idea was more along the lines of abstract conceptual covers that are more fantastic, then prosaic patriotic ones.

Again, I am not the judge of right and wrong here, but @AJD, @IngelsFan,  @Robot Man and @buttock have good example of what I think of as a surreal image with an underlying symbolic message.  For me, @buttock's National covers tend to be simply patriotic except for #21, with honorable mentions for #33 and #41.

Admittedly, my beloved Speed #26 does not contain any surreal imagery, but it seems to make such a powerful, assertive message that I love it.  I would prefer to see covers that are taking the fight to the enemy, than showing us as being strong in defense of the country.

I'll throw a curve ball into the discussion by introducing Captain America #46 for consideration.  Not surreal (unfortunately all too real), but powerful and iconic.

 

This is getting interesting.  Keep 'em coming ...

I thought about posting my copies of this as well as Exciting 49 (poison candy). But, I felt they were actually more “horrific” than symbolic…

[Robot Man]

On 8/20/2024 at 6:05 PM, kent allard said:

Cute, but not exactly what I would consider iconic

I wouldn’t call it “iconic” either. But I think it might slip into the “symbolic” arena even with out “men in tights”…