Showing posts with label prejudice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prejudice. Show all posts

Monday, February 27, 2023

Monday Madness: Scott (Dilbert) Adams

As of today...

...Andrews McMeel Universal, the syndicate which carries/carried Dilbert has deleted the strip from its' official page, leaving the following announcement...
The page you are searching for has moved.
...but a search shows no Dilbert content...except in the store section where books and calendars are available...though the syndicate stated they were dropping all ties with him!
 GoComics, which features daily and Sunday strips has dropped Dilbert entirely, as both current and archived strips are no longer accessible.
For the record, I agree with the actions taken.
I've long been a believer in separating the artist and their work from the person, as I have done with Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, and Frank Miller, among others.
All of them have produced outstanding work (which I have in my various collections), even if the persons themselves are not the sorts I'd want to associate with or even be seen in public with.
But, in each case, what they did (or believed), while repulsive, was not a provocative move to generate attention.
Adams' apparently-deliberate attempts at inflaming racial prejudice at a delicate point in our country's history goes beyond the pale.
I'm not throwing out my existing Dilbert material, but I'm certainly not giving any more revenue to him.
Helluva way to end Black History Month, eh?
BTW, Rube Rooky will return for its' finale next Monday...

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder WEIRD FANTASY "Judgement Day"

This 1950s comics tale is considered the gold standard in utilizing a sci-fi motif for social commentary...
...rightfully-so, I must say!
Perhaps it's a tad slow-paced, even pedantic, by today's standards and the pay-off isn't as shocking as you might expect, but this oft-reprinted tale by writer Al Feldstein, artist Joe Orlando and colorist Marie Severin from EC's Weird Fantasy #18 (1953) was quite controversial when it first appeared.
Even when it was reprinted in the Comics Code-approved Incredible Science Fiction #33 (1956), it caused hassles.
The Code wanted Tarlton changed to a White guy!
Publisher Bill Gaines refused!
The Code tried to get EC to, at least, remove the beads of sweat from Tarlton's brow!
Bill Gaines, again, refused!
The Code refused to approve the comic.
Gaines said he didn't care.
As it was, "Judgement Day" was a reprint fill-in for a new story ("An Eye for an Eye") the Code refused to approve, and, since it was EC's last color comic ever, they'd print it without the Code stamp.
The Code gave in and approved the reprint without changes.
No less a personage than Ray Bradbury praised "Judgement Day" effusively in the final letter (among many...except one...that praised the tale) in Cosmic Correspondence...
Public praise from one of the Masters of Science Fiction/Fantasy!
Can't argue with that...
Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!
Visit Amazon and Order...
Judgement Day and Other Stories
Illustrated by Joe Orlando
Fantagraphics' EC Comics Library