Racism in comics

[philcom55]

I must admit that I'm actually quite surprised if this was displayed in the children's section. As far back as I can remember Tintin in the Congo was always deliberately excluded from the titles published in the UK - although I agree that it deserves to be made available in some form if only for historical reasons, just like Land of the Soviets (In fact I could imagine it being used quite positively in a classroom study of racism - though for this it would probably be rather more effective if all the original scenes were retained).

Come to think of it somebody really ought to publish a serious book on the history of racial stereotypes in illustrated children's literature, drawing on widespread sources like Sparky, Tintin, Enid Blyton, Blackhawk, The Spirit, The Wolf of Kabul, etc, etc. Hmmm...I wonder what Paul Gravett's got planned for his next opus?

- Phil Rushton

[Muffy]

My mum's old Rupert and Enid Blyton annuals/ books are filled with their 1940s perspective of Africa and at-the-time stereotypes, which most people in 2007 would recognise as being racist. As historical documents though, they reflect the generation they come from. As individulas we can use our own judgement and choose to buy/learn from these 'documents' if we choose to. If students of history were censored what they could learn from, we would never be able to see the mistakes of the past.

[Kashgar]

In the history of British comics racism has reared its ugly head in multifarious forms, much as it has done in literature in general. It's quite easy to dismiss most of it as being out and out unacceptable eg the crass comic slap-stick of something like 'Hard-Nut the Nigger' but there have also been certain types of 'subtler' racism of the 'noble savage' or 'the servant, but the better man' variety that is more difficult to dismiss out of hand and therefore probably worthy of some sort of survey.

[philcom55]

but there have also been certain types of 'subtler' racism of the 'noble savage' or 'the servant, but the better man' variety that is more difficult to dismiss out of hand

Yes. Something like Gunga Din (with its myriad offshoots in popular fiction) is particularly difficult to fit into any one-dimensional account of racist attitudes.

- Phil Rushton

[Peter Gray]

In the new Beano and Dandy crazy about creatures which is Super...loads of original work Leo Baxendale etc...artist names and facts...very good...its in Sussex book shops..
when more of us buy it I'll talk more about it.....it must have been inspired by this forum and Paul Gravett, author of Great British Comics.


Theres a feature inside showing the process of censorship which is strange But at least out in the open it is about the cover of the Dandy annual 1968

showing Charlie Giggs visting the offices of DC Thomson at 90 years old....the cover has been changed by another artist Jim Dewar.....the Golly has been changed into Dennis toy...which personally doesn't quite work has it distracts due to the red and black stripes blending into the santa outfit which Korky is wearing and it also has a Gnasher doll which also distracts and blends into the black background ......also Dennis covers up the cricket bat so it looks strange...the bat now looks like a pole.......if they really had to change the cover for a facsimile or figurine the toy should be a different colour... Gollys are still sold today whatever your views are...

UPDATE
Looking at the annual on comicsuk gallery now I can see why Gnasher is there out of the sack he is blocking a realistic silver gun peeping out which is meant to be a toy gun so 2 objects which are dodgy today....

[ROY ROGERS]

I HAVE A COPY OF A S.A.T.A.N POCKET LIBRARY FROM THE 60S WHICH SHOCKED ME HOW RACISED. IT WAS WITH THE N AND C WORDS AND SHOWING BLACK AMERICANS TURNING WHITE TO TAKE OVER THE STATES THE SAME STORY HAS BEEN REPRINTED IN OTHER POCKET LIBRARYS IN THE 70S THE STORY IS SET IN THE DEEP SOUTH OF AMERICA AND AT THAT TIME RACISM WAS VERY DEEP ROOTED THERE , IT IS A COMIC OF A CERTAIN TIME NOT TO BE HIDDEN BUT TO SHOW HOW WE HAVE NOW TRIED TO MOVE ON.TO ME HIDING THIS TYPE OF STORY IS WRONG IT WAS PRINTED THEN WHEN THE WORLD WAS A DIFFERENT PLACE TOO MUCH HISTORY IS NOW WHITEWASHED OVER.

[PaulTwist]

I HAVE A COPY OF A S.A.T.A.N POCKET LIBRARY FROM THE 60S WHICH SHOCKED ME HOW RACISED. IT WAS WITH THE N AND C WORDS AND SHOWING BLACK AMERICANS TURNING WHITE TO TAKE OVER THE STATES THE SAME STORY HAS BEEN REPRINTED IN OTHER POCKET LIBRARYS IN THE 70S THE STORY IS SET IN THE DEEP SOUTH OF AMERICA AND AT THAT TIME RACISM WAS VERY DEEP ROOTED THERE , IT IS A COMIC OF A CERTAIN TIME NOT TO BE HIDDEN BUT TO SHOW HOW WE HAVE NOW TRIED TO MOVE ON.TO ME HIDING THIS TYPE OF STORY IS WRONG IT WAS PRINTED THEN WHEN THE WORLD WAS A DIFFERENT PLACE TOO MUCH HISTORY IS NOW WHITEWASHED OVER.

Stuff like this fascinates me sociologically - much like the censorship of 70s sitcoms when broadcast today to remove derogatory references to race and sexuality. Although I obviously agree that we are well rid of such casual prejudice, I also agree that we should not try to airbrush these attitudes from our history. On the subject of the Beano/Dandy book mentioned above, if the book is to be targeted at children then such censorship is perhaps a necessary evil. In facsimiles aimed at adults, such as last year's Dandy Monster Comic and the Tintin album mentioned earlier, such stories should be left uneditied as historical documents.

[Peter Gray]

Just had a look at some childrens book I remember......But have been updated!

The Ladybooks classsic books of fairy tales looked not as good..the illustator draw far too tame......and safe
The big pancake just looked sad.......the pancake was smaller and didn't have the drama of a huge pancake escaping...it was now a black family...

Billy goat gruff was no longer scary the troll looked like a cartoon and didn't fit in with the drawing...

Same with Topsy and Tim books drawn not as good different artist But lots of different nationalities in the playground...

its a shame when classic story illustrations are adapted to fit modern times...but not as good...very tame...and over the top political correctness

[PaulTwist]

Editing childrens' books for modern times is a bit of a hornet's nest. You don't want kids reading material that offends modern sensibilites, yet you also shouldn't deny them classic stories. Although I'm opposed to censorship, maybe censoring objectionable material is a necessary compromise, though anything of interest to adults (Dandy Monster Comic, Tintin etc) should be available untouched but marketed to an adult audience.

That said, I'm sure there will be some instances where more is altered than is necessary - Peter's post about the Ladybird books, for example. Kids like to be scared! Cartoonifying everything is pointless, surely?

[HighAndMighty]

sticking with Ladybird books for a while, they recently did an anniversary release with pictures harking back to the scary troll/wolf/whatever... although the colours aren't as good as i remember them being.

maybe it's my eyesight going though?

[Peter Gray]

Heres the original book...with the creepy troll



heres today...with a very small troll......who doesn't scare me at all...he doesn't even look like a troll just a man in a yellow shirt...RASP!! no kid will get the creeps reading this...also the cover looks educational...boring...

[Cap Haggis]

Saying that Peter the Goat/Sheep (whatever it is )looks like it's in a really bad mood - probably a tad evil - the Troll in the new cover version looks ridiculous though - I would say that the original looks more "educational "to me than the new version - but the original is also scarier (if I was a child) the new version looks like a cover of a " Farmers Gazette" supplement

[colcool007]

As this thread seems to be moving ever closer to censorship in comics, we will not buy modern versions of Enid Blyton as the language has been changed so that you have to check the cover to make sure that it is really Enid Blyton that you are reading.

Cap, love the comment about the Farmers Gazette! Maybe I should send it to my brother while he labours away in Auchtertool!

[Lew Stringer]

Heres today...with a very small troll......who doesn't scare me at all...he doesn't even look like a troll just a man in a yellow shirt...RASP!! no kid will get the creeps reading this...also the cover looks educational...boring...[/b]

Interesting. Also, the newer cover design, with its bright primary red and yellow is more childish than the old one. It's curious how all media seems to have gotten "younger" or less sophisticated in its approach than it used to be. And this has been going on for decades. "Dumbing down" is not a new idea.

Lew

[Cap Haggis]

I find it really strange Lew , that the media has gotten so much younger in its approach and yet todays kids are more aware of the "real" world than we ever were (I'm in my mid 40's - gawds it hurts to even type that out!) via their acces to 24 hours news showing people getting blown up, PC access to goodness knows what (you know what I mean lads!!) ridiculous celeb tv and mags and reality TV with all the "talk" related to that etc etc - I had no idea about what went on in those areas as a kid (sex - not a clue - war was a game - horrific to think that now but we all wanted to be John Wayne etc) todays kids know the facts (or have them out there) so why not relfect this in a more mature form of kids comic (like the Beano , Wham, Oink in their respective haydays). Maybe it's the PC lobby, I'm not sure, but comics more than other media to me seems to be stiffled - I mean kids consume books now (like Harry Potter etc that are quite dark) and violent PC games - let Steve Bright , Lew and some other let rip on a few strips.