Note: in the comic strip tradition all the words in the strip are in capitals, but for readability, I've deigned to write in standard English. Also the words that are in bold in the strip are in red in this text.
"Blackman and Crow", a 4-page rendition of "Batman and Robin"
Page 1:
Page 2, Panel 1:
Minstrel: ‘Member? [Sings]Wayy down ‘pon the Swa-nee Ri-buh-
Crow: Let’s take him, Blackman!
Blackman: [hums] Hm-mm
Page 2, Panel 2:
Minstrel: ‘Member – [Sings] -in mah ol’ Kin-tucky hooome
Blackman (smiling, singing): La-de
Robin scowls.
Page 3, Panel 1:
Blackman and Minstrel [singing]: Oool’ Black Joooe-
Page 3, Panel 2:
Crow’s hand firing a gun
Gun noise: Crack! Ack! Tack! Lack
Page 4:
Blackman, Minstrel dead on the floor, four bullet holes in the back wall, which has a framed photo, signed Love, Stepin.
Crow: This damn generation gap is something else!!
A diminutive Pogo (looking at deceased): My!
This story seemed to be addressing the struggle in the civil rights movement at the time, between the NAACP/Urban League old-line organizations, and the Black Panthers and other more militant groups. The old-timers were still following the model of the late Martin Luther King, while the younger folks believed, "By any means necessary."
For me, this was one of the most fully realized takes, possibly because of my deep awareness of the Batman mythos.
The reference of Stepin was to Stepin Fetchit, a controversial black actor known for his stereotypical portrayals of a black minstrel.
***
"Boll Weevil Barley", a 4-page take on "Beetle Bailey":
Page 1:
Boll Weevil (to no one in particular, though black versions of Zero and Killer are around): This is a mighty weird comic strip.
Page 2:
Page 3:
Killer-type (turns head): Oop! You had to open your big fat mouth!
Boll Weevil (thinking): ?
Page 4:
Boll Weevil and Killer-type are saluting white Sarge, while black cook looks on.
This again addresses the large percentage of blacks in the armed forces in Vietnam, usually at the lowest levels, as "grunts" rather than officers.
***
"Darkie", a 4-page variation on "Archie".
Page 1:
Jughead: Gee, it’s groovy having a new kid in town, Darkie-
Darkie: thanks- it’s groovy being here!
Page 2
Page 3, Panel 1:
Guys in silhouette.
Jughead: Where do you live, Darkie?
Page 3, Panel 2:
Darky: Just down the block, too.
Page 4:
Darky: -Mine’s the one with the white pickets!
Jughead (jaw dropping): !
Pickets holding signs that say:
Out! Out! Out!
Keep Out!
Live with your own kind
Leave white to white
Don’t let them besmirch our town
The use of the name "Darkie" must have been rather controversial at the time, for it was a term used as an insult to black people.
That said, I laughed out loud at this one, perhaps because of the linguistic parallel construction "White picket fence"/"White pickets". I also love the word "besmirch" in this context, since it was the pickets who were doing the besmirching. Also, Darkie is quite matter-of-fact about the protest, unlike his new friend.
Compare and contrast, as my old English teacher used to say, Fred's review of Little Archie.
***
We had Chinese take-out last night. My fortune cookie message was some standard fare. My wife's: "Do or do not. There is no try."
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