Commies, Cowboys, and Jungle Queens: Comic Books and America, 1945-1954

by William W. Savage Jr.

In addition to their entertainment value, comic books offered a unique world-view to a large segment of the American public in the confusing decade following World War II. Millions were distributed to service personnel during the war years, and by 1945, adults as well as children were reading an astounding 60 million comic books per month. These books treated such contemporary concerns as the atomic and hydrogen bombs, growth of international Communism, and the Korean War, and they offered heroes and heroines to deal with such problems. In response to moral criticism, the industry established a Comics Code that specified acceptable content. The code prohibited most of what had appeared in the medium prior to 1954, thus ending what has since come to be known as the "golden age" of comic books. With reproductions of five representative stories supplementing the text, William Savage's book (first published in 1990), will appeal to social historians and others interested in this vivid expression of American culture.

Genres: Comics, History, Graphic Novels

165 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 1998

Reviews

[Billy Marino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and to the point. Seeing as this is what seems to be the first attempt to academically use comic books as a primary historical source, it's great for what it is. There are likely now better books that do this, as I'll find out before this summer is over, but Savage's work is still a good read. It has a few comics supplemented throughout that highlight a few of the ideas that the chapters cover, which is helpful. The analysis for each idea in particular that he covers is pretty light, but seeing as the main goal of this book was just to show that comic books can be used as primary sources, it's enough. Do I wish he dove deeper? Yeah, but his call-to-action at the conclusion shows that this is merely a starting point to a now larger field of the study of the history of comic books, as well as their use in any other study that looks at the pop culture of the twentieth century. There does seem to be some attempt at making a stronger argument about this specific decade after World War II, mainly that the comics of the period were a crucial piece of social commentary that helped create a worldview for one generation, but that mostly falls flat, and feels like it was devised to please publishers or academics. The biggest takeaway I found was that comics, as with other important mediums in pop culture, are useful mirrors on any historical period, and that with the proper analysis they are invaluable sources.

[Bernard Convert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un des premiers ouvrages de référence sur les comic books qui les abordent sous l'angle "histoire des mentalités". Moins complet que Comic Book Nation par exemple. Un plus : chaque chapitre est illustré par une histoire complète sur le thème évoqué, la bombe A, la Peur du Rouge, la Corée, les Cow-boys, les Reines de la Jungle. Peu de choses en revanche sur les comics de gangsters (Crime does not pay, etc.), les romances et les horror comics, qui sont les trois "crazes" successifs qui ont fait suite au déclin des super-héros.

[Erin O'Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dealing with a narrow subject in a narrow window of American history, this book reads quickly. It's informative; it helped me understand some of the weird American cultural artifacts around the atomic bomb. If you're interested in a slice of comic book history, pick up this book. It's a little outdated but still relevant.

[Jotchua · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comics as a social commentary. A good part of the book deals with the Bomb and WWII/Korea along with the spread of Communism around the world and within the US. Touches only lightly on the Cowboys and Jungle Queens. Throughout you get his ideas on all the "isms" prevalent in the comics of this time, which for myself, it could of done without. Sure one could say that for social commentary it is essential, but I could care less about it. While talking about Communism, the extent and propaganda ect , one could definitely see our own times just change out key words, eg. Terrorism (for wars)and Economic Crisis (for political) and you could be talking about ourselves today. All in all it isn't a bad book and it doesn't change my ideas about enjoying comics from this time or anytime because I will still read them for enjoyments sake alone, but it does give one pause to think about what was the driving force behind what was written and portrayed in comics of that era and even our own era today in extension.