The Curse of Skeleton Munroe

Category: real folk

  • REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 002

    How did these real people come to be trapped in the 2D realm? We may never know

    Adolf Hitler:

    This one is more tenuous but Blitz Krieg here is Fuehrer of the pseudo-Nazi Bundonian forces in America. He’s not not a Hitler analog. (Blue Ribbon Comics 006, 1940)

    This is Boris Thorax, first foe of Rex Dexter of Mars, who collaborates with the Moon People in order to take over the Earth of 2000 AD. Look at that hair: that’s a Hitler analog. (Mystery Men Comics 001, 1939)

    Alexander the Great:

    Time traveller Stuart Taylor and pals visit Ancient Macedonia for a larf and get mixed up with Alexander and for some reason the Amazons in an adventure that will inspire much eye-rolling in the modern reader. (Jumbo Comics 017, 1940)

    Charlie Chaplin:

    A “Harly Shaplyn”, attacked by “Bundonians” for making a version of the Great Dictator. (Blue Ribbon Comics 006, 1940)

    Samuel Goldwyn: 

    The bald guy in the Harly Shaplyn panels above is named Sam Wyngold and it took me a concerningly long time to realize that he was an analog of Samuel Goldwyn, the G in MGM.

    Count Zaroff:

    Aristocrat Baron von Krasner wants a little of that “Most Dangerous Game” action, so he wrecks a ship and hunts adventurer Gypsy Johnson and his companions on his be-castled island (Blue Ribbon Comics 006, 1940)

    Heinrich Himmler:

    Unnamed head of secret police for Mr Justice foe and Hitler analog the Dictator. Ends up skewered by his own men. (Blue Ribbon Comics 014, 1941)

    Hermann Goering:

    As “Field Marshall Boreing” is manipulated into killing/ being killed by other Nazi analogs by Mr Justice. Boreing is the only survivor but Mr Justice gets him in the next issue. (Blue Ribbon 015, 1941)

    Kit Carson:

    It’s one of those “why did they bother obfuscating this” moments: “Kit Karston” here is probably meant to Kit Carson, formerly widely regraded as a hero of the Old West and now as a mass murderer. “Gravestone” is obviously Tombstone, Arizona. (Blue Ribbon Comics 007, 1940)

    Joachim von Ribbentrop:

    Nazi foreign minister. As “von Fibbenfop” is manipulated into killing/ being killed by other Nazi analogs by Mr Justice. (Blue Ribbon 015, 1941)

    Joseph Goebbels:

    The confusingly-named Deenbee serves as Minister of Propaganda for Mr Justice foe the Dictator (Blue Ribbon Comics 013, 1941) 

    Two issues later, Deenbee is out and “Gobbels” is manipulated into killing/ being killed by other Nazi analogs by Mr Justice. (Blue Ribbon 015, 1941)

    Mahatma Gandhi:

    Cast as “Mahatmama”, leader of a group of Italian-allied North African Arabs, a choice as baffling as it was racist (though it does fit with the sort of broad confusion between the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent I have noticed in other comics of the period) (Blue Ribbon Comics 013, 1941)

  • REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 001

    REAL PERSON ROUND-UP 001

    I have a lot of these in a spreadsheet somewhere but we’ll get to those later. For now it’s as we encounter them: real people and versions of real people and analogs of real people and also the same but famous fictional people in comics.

    Admiral Dewey, John Paul Jones, Sir Francis Drake:

     Their ghosts all volunteer to help Sergeant Spook go pirate hunting (Blue Bolt v1 008, 1941)

    Adolf Hitler: 

    “Gustave Ritter” isn’t really very close to “Adolf Hitler” but I have a finely-honed sense for when someone is making a Hitler analog and this world-conquering barbarian from the year 2041 is just that. I think. (Blue Ribbon Comics 004, 1940)

    Clark Gable:

    As “Stark Brable” in Rang-a-Tang the Wonder Dog’s trip to Hollywood (Blue Ribbon Comics 005, 1940)

    Lana Turner:

    It’s a classic first letter switcheroo as actress Lana Turner shows up as “Tana Lurner” in a Rang-a-Tang the Wonder Dog comic. (Blue Ribbon Comics 005, 1940)

    Maid Marion:

    The “Green Falcon” feature, as far as I can tell, takes place in a Robin-Hood era England with no Robin Hood but with Lady Marion here occupying the Maid Marion role. (Blue Ribbon Comics 004, 1940)

    Orson Welles:

    “Nawson Swelles” is a troublesome “Boy Wonder” and the villain of Rang-a-Tang the Wonder Dog’s visit to Hollywood. (Blue Ribbon Comics 005, 1940)

    Prince John:

    Essentially playing the same part as he does in the Robin Hood stories in the Green Falcon’s adventures. (Blue Ribbon Comics 004, 1940)

    Richard the Lionheart:

    The key to Prince John’s villainry is that the good king is off being a dipshit in the Holy Land and this version of Richard I does not fail in that. (Blue Ribbon Comics 004, 1940)