The Case of the Missing Parliamentary Comics

Just a few days ago, Alex made a post involving the infamous Fredric Wertham. As an inveterate comics reader from way back, I long knew of Wertham's crusade to ban comics. But I did not realize that the UK had undergone the same crusade.

Apparently, the offending material proved to be too attractive to remain on exhibit.

Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina) 22 Apr 1955, Fri Page 1

Posted By: Paul - Mon May 02, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Government, Comics, 1950s

Hidden images in comic books

In Seduction of the Innocent, published in 1954, Fredric Wertham accused comic books of corrupting youth. One of the specific ways they did this, he alleged, was by concealing images of naked women in seemingly inoffensive panels. He helpfully reproduced one of these hidden images in his book.

The image in question originally appeared in Jungle Comics #98, Feb 1948.







via Legends & Rumors

Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 25, 2022 - Comments (4)
Category: Censorship, Bluenoses, Taboos, Prohibitions and Other Cultural No-No’s, Comics

The Wonderland of Doo

The history of newspaper comic strips is replete with many oddities.

An excellent blog on the topic, with almost daily posts, is STRIPPER'S GUIDE.

Here's one creation that has received very little attention, based on its scarcity of Google hits. Its creator was Arch Dale.

Each instance featured a big block of text, which I am omitting, save for one sample.

This survey is by no means complete, just a taste.

The strips were also collected in book form.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 07, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Newspapers, Comics, Surrealism, Fantasy, Twentieth Century

Buster’s Joke on Papa

Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 21, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Movies, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Comics, 1900s, Pranks

Harvey Comics Rock

Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 21, 2022 - Comments (1)
Category: Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Music, Comics, 1970s

Follies of the Madmen #523

Source (pages 10 and 11).

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 05, 2022 - Comments (0)
Category: Aliens, Advertising, Comics, Cereal, 1950s

Moon Mice at the World’s Fair

Read it here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 27, 2021 - Comments (1)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Comics, 1960s

The Adventures of Soberman

The Virginia Highway Safety Department published the Soberman comic book in 1979 as a way to encourage teenagers not to drink and drive. Copies of the comic were distributed to 70,000 driver education students.





As far as I can tell, the Soberman comic was a one-time publication. But in 2013 Soberman made an appearance in the flesh. He visited bars in Arlington, Virginia to spread his message of being responsible and having a designated driver when drinking.

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jun 29, 2021 - Comments (2)
Category: Comics

Captain Sticky

By the age of 28, Richard Pesta had become independently wealthy thanks to a lucrative fiberglass and foam business. So he decided to fulfill his dream of being a superhero, and in 1973 he turned himself into Captain Sticky, "Supreme Commander in Chief of the World Organization Against Evil". The name referred to his fondness for peanut butter.

He drove around Orange County in his Stickymobile looking for crime, outfitted with a peanut butter gun and "peanut butter grenades" made of peanut butter, vinegar and alka seltzer.

He also became a fixture at San Diego Comic Con, and was constantly trying to get Marvel to make a comic book about him, but this never happened.

Apparently his superhero act wasn't entirely just a way to get attention. He used his influence to advocate for various causes such as improving nursing homes and preventing rental-car ripoffs.

He died in 2003 at the age of 57.

More info: Heroes in the Night, News From Me, Real Life Superheroes Archive

Captain Sticky with Stan Lee at San Diego Comic Con, 1975

The video below is in German, but it has some good footage of Captain Sticky in action.

Posted By: Alex - Tue May 25, 2021 - Comments (2)
Category: Comics, 1970s, Courage, Bravery, Heroism and Valor

Follies of the Madmen #500

I suppose I should have come up with something super-special for the 500th installment of this series, but this will have to suffice!



Sure, kill the talking lion and then...style his mane?

Posted By: Paul - Wed Feb 17, 2021 - Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Business, Advertising, Death, Comics, 1950s, Hair and Hairstyling