Comments on: The Wacky World of Comic Book Propaganda

The Wacky World of Comic Book Propaganda

jonp72 — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:59:57 -0800

An official comic book adaptation of the 9/11 commission report is due to hit bookstores this month. The U.S. Army seeks an Arabic-speaking comic book creator. Meanwhile, an Israeli blogger suspects a Kuwaiti company of misusing Marvel and DC comics. These are just the latest incidents in a long-running history of using comic books for propaganda purposes, ranging from Mussolini and Hitler to Captain America vs. the Nazi-affiliated Red Skull to anticommunist comics for Catholic parochial schools to a phony Black Panther comic book created by COINTELPRO to a comic book of the American invasion of Grenada. However, my favorite site of comic book propaganda tends to focus on more innocuous domestic issues such as bicycle safety, USDA nutrition standards, and fighting crack cocaine. (OK, that last issue isn't so innocuous, but comic book propaganda about health & safety issues still generally blows.)

By: clevershark

clevershark — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:05:47 -0800

The U.S. Army seeks an Arabic-speaking comic book creator. Just as long as he's not gay, of course.

By: frogan

frogan — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:07:22 -0800

An official comic book adaptation of the 9/11 commission report ... These are just the latest incidents in a long-running history of using comic books for propaganda purposes. Did you just call the 9/11 report "propaganda?" /me heads for the exit

By: prostyle

prostyle — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:11:21 -0800

Did you just call the 9/11 report "propaganda?" The comic book is aimed at the "kids, teenagers and adults" unlikely to read the government's nearly 600-page version, says illustrator Ernie Colón. What's your problem?

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:11:51 -0800

Did you just call the 9/11 report "propaganda?" Umm...no... I just think you have to admit that a comic book has a bit less "truthiness" than a written report by a government commission.

By: Kirth Gerson

Kirth Gerson — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:15:26 -0800

Mcgruff the Crime Dog was asking around about you.

By: brain_drain

brain_drain — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:16:35 -0800

I get your drift, jonp72, although you might have been better served saying "political" purposes rather than "propaganda." In any event, this is a terrific collection of links -- thanks!

By: zeypher

zeypher — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:17:05 -0800

Folks, propaganda \Prop`a*gan"da\, n. : information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause I think that, regardless of it's veracity, it's fair to say the 9/11 report is being used as propaganda material. And a comic book version is 100%, not-even-a-bloody-question, *certianly* propaganda... and definitely belongs alongside the other great examples in this post.

By: Item

Item — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:19:09 -0800

I love stuff like this - thanks for stealing my Friday's productivity!

By: unknowncommand

unknowncommand — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:20:44 -0800

Hey, that's my bike!

By: xammerboy

xammerboy — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:21:11 -0800

This is such a good idea.

By: Blazecock Pileon

Blazecock Pileon — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:21:49 -0800

Did you just call the 9/11 report "propaganda?" In the same way I would call United 93 and World Trade Center propaganda, in that they mythologize certain conclusions of the 9/11 report to legitimize the actions of the government-in-power — the commonly held definition and purpose of propaganda — I would agree that calling these particular comic books propaganda is appropriate, and an important consideration, given the impressionability of the target audience.

By: brain_drain

brain_drain — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:23:53 -0800

On reflection, what zeypher said.

By: Dr-Baa

Dr-Baa — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:23:53 -0800

The Patriot is possible my favorite propaganda comic of all time. (previously)

By: TedW

TedW — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:24:41 -0800

I remember well that USDA/4H comic you linked to. As cheesy as it gets, in that inimitable 1970's government-trying-to-be-hip way. More about it here and here, and you can even get copies here.

By: hal9k

hal9k — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:28:49 -0800

Look. Up in the sky. Oh sh*t. It IS a plane!

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:32:59 -0800

I remember well that USDA/4H comic you linked to. Don't I know it! I remember the live action version of Mulligan Stew that they used to show on 16 millimeter films when I was in elementary school.

By: sonofsamiam

sonofsamiam — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:37:08 -0800

Look. Up in the sky. Oh sh*t. It IS a plane! Hooray, it's not too soon anymore!

By: whir

whir — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:50:23 -0800

Somewhat related, but less overtly political, are the free comics made by the Federal Reserve. But to my mind, Rightwing Comix is the cream of the crop.

By: solid-one-love

solid-one-love — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:53:54 -0800

Yeah, the "suspects a Kuwaiti company of misusing Marvel and DC comics" link is full of shit. He's an alarmist xenophobe.

By: LarryC

LarryC — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:55:23 -0800

The Hitler link leads to the German Propaganda Archive, which is worthy of its own FPP.

By: weretable and the undead chairs

weretable and the undead chairs — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:55:26 -0800

There are SNAKES on that PLANE and they were put there by HUSSEIN.

By: Bookhouse

Bookhouse — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:56:12 -0800

My personal favorite is the one where Peter Parker got touched by an older guy as a kid, and then as Spider-Man saved the little kid who's hot redhead babysitter wanted him to play naked Star Wars or something.

By: pax digita

pax digita — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:56:43 -0800

I'd like to see Jack Chick tracts as faux-Hitchcock movies, myself.

By: Loser

Loser — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 10:57:39 -0800

Hm. Comicsthatsuck? Isn't that a bit disingenuous? The Post article already poses the question, "can a topic as massive and sobering as Sept. 11 be dealt with effectively in the pages of a comic book." It goes on to mention Maus and Persepolis as examples of comics that respectfully combine the medium and the message; granted, both are from a very personal perspective. It remains to be seen if the 9/11 commission report adaptation will be as successful.

By: i_am_a_Jedi

i_am_a_Jedi — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:02:08 -0800

Screw government propaganda. Go with Alan Moore's new comic adventure... it's porn.

By: gramschmidt

gramschmidt — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:24:25 -0800

Until there's a propagandist comic about cats that look like Hitler, I'm not interested.

By: fixedgear

fixedgear — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:33:20 -0800

Dude, thanks very much for Sprocket Man. That made my day.

By: scaryblackdeath

scaryblackdeath — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:39:50 -0800

From the "misusing Marvel and DC" guy: I must say, this is not very pleasing, most certainly not when thinking about how the "House of Ideas" went and perverted Captain America a few years ago, turning the adventures of Steve Rogers into a blame-America fest that also insulted the character. Wow. What a jackass. The post-911 stuff in Captain America was as good as that comic has ever been. "Cap's" message was that the people attacking us weren't just the mindless bigots that the Administration made them out to be, and that we cannot allow the actions of terrorists to turn us into monsters--this was at least a year or more before Abu Ghraib broke, too. The best single aspect of Captain America is that he does not simply salute and swallow whatever bullshit he's given by the gov't. This dude's crying about potential propaganda, when really he's just crying out for more propaganda to his own liking. Asshole.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:49:02 -0800

Wow, that Israeli blogger's post sounds like a bunch of anti-Arab paranoia. He doesn't cite any examples, he just thinks its bad to let dirty Arab hands on his favorite characters. And he demands ideological purity from his comics, even though the marvel universe has always had anti-facist, anti-racism angle.

By: Smedleyman

Smedleyman — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 13:36:25 -0800

Big interesting post. Thanks.

By: kdar

kdar — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 13:57:42 -0800

The best single aspect of Captain America is that he does not simply salute and swallow whatever bullshit he's given by the gov't.

scaryblackdeath, I think I love you. In a straight-as-a-ruler sort of way.

By: afu

afu — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 14:04:16 -0800

"Crack Busters" is sweet. There logo is a crack pipe with a circle and slash through it. The hero is a former canadian football star who hates crack

By: rossination

rossination — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 14:08:14 -0800

This reminds me of the storyline in Chabon's "Kavalier and Clay".

By: George_Spiggott

George_Spiggott — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 14:11:53 -0800

An official comic book adaptation of the 9/11 commission report is due to hit bookstores this month. In unrelated news, today the White House Press Secretary announced that while pressing duties have thus far prevented the president from reading the report of the 9/11 commission, it is on his reading list and he fully expects to have read it by September.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 15:10:50 -0800

An official comic book adaptation of the 9/11 commission report is due to hit bookstores this month Finally, a book President Bush can finish.

By: sour cream

sour cream — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 15:12:39 -0800

What exactly makes an official comic book adaptation "official"?

By: fandango_matt

fandango_matt — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:47:02 -0800

Meh. I'll wait for Osama Begins.

By: frogan

frogan — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:41:49 -0800

Meh. I'll wait for Osama Begins. I think they already made that movie ... you know, the one where the Taliban are the good guys? Oh, wait, there was this other one, too.