I found it a little eerie. The first thing I thought of was Dolemite, from the 70s movies. "Dolomite" is, of course, also a mineral. Maybe it's just the way my mind works.
Ebony, the Spirit's sidekick, makes Anthracite look like Malcolm X.
And then there's Steamboat in Captain Marvel and Whiz. A full-grown black man was valet to 10-year-old Billy Batson.
(Of course, this brings back memories of the 1970s, when I bought a few very old issues of Blackhawk and my mother could not be convinced there was anything wrong with the depiction of Chop-Chop. (She had read Blackhawk as a girl and Chop-Chop was one of her favorite characters. She seemed vert upset at the idea that she could have liked something that was racist. Therefore, Chop-Chop wasn't racist.))
Lordy!
ReplyDeleteOh, and this is AFTER his make-over. His original drawings were...
ReplyDeleteum...
I think "cartoonish" is the most charitable way I can put it.
I found it a little eerie. The first thing I thought of was Dolemite, from the 70s movies. "Dolomite" is, of course, also a mineral. Maybe it's just the way my mind works.
ReplyDeleteDoes it go far enough back to be a Nat King Cole joke, or is it just a "really black" joke?
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I echo the above comment: "Lordy!"
Sorry, meant "does it go TOO FAR back..." I'm assuming it's about ten years ahead of Nat's heyday.
ReplyDeleteEbony, the Spirit's sidekick, makes Anthracite look like Malcolm X.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there's Steamboat in Captain Marvel and Whiz. A full-grown black man was valet to 10-year-old Billy Batson.
(Of course, this brings back memories of the 1970s, when I bought a few very old issues of Blackhawk and my mother could not be convinced there was anything wrong with the depiction of Chop-Chop. (She had read Blackhawk as a girl and Chop-Chop was one of her favorite characters. She seemed vert upset at the idea that she could have liked something that was racist. Therefore, Chop-Chop wasn't racist.))
Considering it's the Hangman, I was afraid you'd say "Lynchie."
ReplyDeletewell that's just...painful.
ReplyDelete"Lynchie!"
ReplyDeleteLOL
I will be chuckling about that all day.
The really offensive caricature was saved for his brother, Bituminous.
ReplyDelete