tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post7349617596267499677..comments2024-03-09T13:14:56.299-08:00Comments on Silver Age Comics: The "Don't Worry, There Are No Enemies Here" CoversUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-33844900867735609912011-12-29T21:58:18.595-08:002011-12-29T21:58:18.595-08:00Variations on "DWTANEH" appeared on the ...Variations on "DWTANEH" appeared on the covers of super hero, adventure, and western comics as well: Batman #249, Brave & Bold #92, Teen Titans #27, Tomahawk #113, and Detective #383. I think they were more about building suspense than any kind of political statement. Maybe they also gave the fans a feeling of smug superiority, allowing us to see the danger before the heroes did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-33735689660532198192010-04-15T19:52:02.127-07:002010-04-15T19:52:02.127-07:00It's simple. Robert Kanigher was removed as ed...It's simple. Robert Kanigher was removed as editor of the DC war books<br />around 1968, and Joe Kubert took over<br />that position. Kubert designed ALL<br />these covers, whether he drew them<br />or passed his layouts on to another<br />artist. <br />This kind of cover, which was repeated over and over, was a great<br />"grab ya" moment which attracted the<br />browsers at the news stands. <br />Don't these covers make you want to<br />see what happens inside? Almost<br />assuredly! Back then and for a long time, effective covers were<br />the most important element in selling comics.<br /><br />Sam KujavaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-54857000786023503362010-04-12T18:54:45.770-07:002010-04-12T18:54:45.770-07:00Yes, it was a Neal Adams cover with the Rangers cl...Yes, it was a Neal Adams cover with the Rangers climbing up a pueblo(?)where Indians were waiting.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09382387401832575999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-39857134074102716562010-04-12T01:45:06.329-07:002010-04-12T01:45:06.329-07:00The part that interests me is that DC did not use ...The part that interests me is that DC did not use that type of cover image in the hundreds of war comics that they published before 1965 (really 1968 if we ignore the one OAAW cover). On the western covers, I can argue it's the same thing; by the 1970s it was becoming more politically correct to root for the Indians against the Cowboys. BTW, it's my distinct impression that there is a Tomahawk cover with this theme from about 1969 or so.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong; I don't think that DC's editors were consciously doing this, but perhaps the readers were attracted to these types of covers because of the zeigeist. And of course the editors would reuse covers that sold well.Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060349239296193385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-39663667267775284542010-04-11T05:48:18.362-07:002010-04-11T05:48:18.362-07:00I'm no computer whiz, so I don't know how ...I'm no computer whiz, so I don't know how to post (or even if I'm allowed to) cover images, but check out All-Star Western (the 70's revival) and Weird Western Tales. As I thought, this scenario was used there as well. A quick peek showed it back-to-back on issues 9 and 10. <br /><br />Then, as it became Jonah Hex's book, you see Jonah walking into a few ambushes, including one with what looks like a werewolf, and another with him blindfolded about to step into a pit of sharpened stakes.<br /><br />One interesting twist. Jonah is shown in the ambush position,luring bad guys into his room by making it look as if he's asleep in his bed.<br /><br />And this is just the first 25 issues!<br /><br />(Thanks to Mike's Amazing World...)Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09382387401832575999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-13216168762920065042010-04-10T12:04:06.878-07:002010-04-10T12:04:06.878-07:00Great blog -- haven't been here before, but am...Great blog -- haven't been here before, but am loving it!<br /><br />I don't think you're 'reading too much' into the covers, but I see here almost the opposite of what you're finding. As more and more of the ugliness of civilian deaths in Vietnam comes to light, we get a sort of subconscious justification: The notion that 'bad guys' use kids and women as decoys (unlike 'our boys,' who are so stand-up that they can't even imagine or prepare for such evil intentions). These covers seem to imply that, 'over there,' there's no such thing as a 'peaceful village.' Maybe it depends on one's leanings whether one finds revenge fantasy against or justification for My Lai-ish massacres here? <br /><br />In any case, they're cool as hell.Saladinhttp://saladinahmed.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-1173715902020173482010-04-10T06:05:58.385-07:002010-04-10T06:05:58.385-07:00The Vietnam War ended when I was 10, and trust me,...The Vietnam War ended when I was 10, and trust me, I had no political opinions whatsoever at that age. I did, however, respond covers like these, because they do what a cover <i>should</i> do...make you crazy to find out what happens inside. I don't think they were motivated by anything deeper than that.<br /><br />My all-time fave is a sort of inverse variation on the theme. Enemy Ace is hiding under the floorboards of an old lady's house and she's telling a squad of armed searchers, "No, I haven't seen an enemy flier around here..." but at the same time she's pointing down to Von Hammer's hiding place and selling him out. One of Kubert's best, and that's saying something.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13840878272493564209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-41919034402345708652010-04-09T18:29:36.851-07:002010-04-09T18:29:36.851-07:00Yes, I think that might be an overreach, Pat. Beca...Yes, I think that might be an overreach, Pat. Because Kanigher, like Mort Weisinger frequently recycled stories and themes,the covers would naturally follow suit. <br /><br />Combine that with the notion that your audience turned over every five years or so and you might have a reason. <br /><br />And even if they became a cliche quickly, they were, as you point out, innately dramatic, suspenseful scenes, particularly when drawn by Joe Kubert.<br /><br />I have a feeling a lot of Western comics used the same scenario. <br /><br />Great selection of covers!Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09382387401832575999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12464833.post-82120124690724082922010-04-09T18:27:17.978-07:002010-04-09T18:27:17.978-07:00Pat: Cool covers! I think you may be misreading (o...Pat: Cool covers! I think you may be misreading (or perhaps misstating by inches) the meaning of such covers. I don't think they reflected readers getting pleasure, perverse of otherwise, from American soldiers wondering blindly into overwhelming enemy forces. I think, rather, it reflected a growing awareness and despair that American forces had wondering into a terrible quagmire (Vietnam) for which they were unprepared. To me, these covers were nearly subconscious cries of angst and warning. <br /><br />Great post! -- MykalMykal Bantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12148489896145024134noreply@blogger.com