Wow, what a site! "How to Spot a Jap"

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

Cartoonist Ethan Persoff scans and posts vintage comix produced by the government, AA, Right to Life and others - propaganda and "problem comics" dealing with abortion, drugs, VD, AIDs, alcoholism and more. Much more. (If you've never considered the risks of choosing the wrong electric milkers for your cows, don't skip 1948's "Johnny Surge.")

His most recent offering is "How to Spot a Jap," a jaw-dropping comic strip commissioned in 1942 by the U.S. Army/Navy, drawn by (and credited to) Milton Caniff! Part of the "Pocket Guide to China" distributed to U.S. troops, it is so racist that it was pulled from subsequent reprints.

http://www.ep.tc/howtospotajap/index.html

Ethan Persoff himself is not a racist. A resident of Austin TX, his own art is Subgenius-flavored; and though I have not yet played the generous selection of original music and videos available on his site, his political views are clearly anti-Bush.

I was going to post this in the Comic Book Group, but because these comics deal with social and political issues from an historical perspective I thought they might have broader appeal. If you like browsing through weird, rare stuff, check out this site!

http://www.ep.tc/intro.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. I love those old WWII era comics and cartoons!

Like the ones that Will Eisner did, and the cartoons that Warner Brothers did - can't think of the name of the character that was in all of them right now. Pisses me off that I can't remember.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Interesting.

These would have been used to teach the soldiers the difference between Japanese and Chinese (and presumably Filipino, etc.) which would obviously be very important in theater. It plays to racist notions endemic among the troops, but certainly isn't as bad as a lot of the stuff was.

Interestingly, Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) drew a lot of racist cartoons of the Japanese during WWII and made similar "comic books" for troops in occupied Germany. With many of the same sort of stereotypes.

[Art_from_Ark]

10. I wonder if there was a book on how to tell our Chinese allies,

the followers of Chiang Kai-shek, from our Chinese allies, the followers of Mao Tse-tung?

[cboy4]

3. This may be an old cartoon, but I'm sure the republicans would be

very interested in posting it on the RNC site (if it's not already)

Sounds like their kind of talk, if you ask me. ;)

[Lisa]

4. good grief!

What a bizarre document. It's kind of like a far-out extrapolation of some of the "social science" texts of the early 20th C, which were so steeped in environmental determinism that they look incredibly racist (and bogus, of course) to us today.

As someone of Japanese ancestry, I'm torn between laughing with disbelief, and being horrified about what my poor parents (who were interned during the war years) had to live through. I might print off some of these pages to show my dad, who has quite a warped sense of humor. Thanks for posting!

It's important that we look at these kinds of things, to understand the past -- and think about what could happen if (as certain folks in government seem to want) -- we turn back the clock to "the good old days".

[MADem]

5. Jesus Christ on a bike!!!!!!

The Japanese PM seems to defy this ignorant attempt at stereotyping....!! Could it be...he's a ....

CHINESE SPY????????????

[kurth]

6. Check his G-string and ask him to say "Sony"

Unbelievable load of crap.

Did they have a booklet on the physical anthropology of Germans vs. French?

[Bethany Rockafella]

7. LOL! Check the pics of the two Americans.

They both look alike and like superman.

[MADem]

9. Terry and the Pirates

Horrible comic, I always found it boring as can be. http://www.barnaclepress.com/comics/archives/adventure/terry_and_the_pirates/index.html

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

11. It made Apartment 3-G seem zingy by comparison

As a child I was confused by Caniff's girlish men and butch women. As for story, even the Phantom had more plot. Even Alley Oop!

[Gabi Hayes]

8. can't we all just get along?

http://www.jap.com/dormitory/indexja.html

inside which, you'll find Yuki's room, for starters. Please read some of these, I beg you

http://www.jap.com/cgi-local/family.cgi?book=yuki

''I would like to make a friend in china. I am korean . and I am 23years old. whatever chiness or English, Iwould like to.. As Iam studying chiness now, so chiness is better than English. I want to talk with anyone about music,cinema or our own culuture. Then if you have any cuoriosity about korean , please write soon to me . bye bye ''

[MindMatter]

12. Those old pieces seem absurd, but

who among us would be surprised if we saw a similar document in Today's Navy guiding officers How To Spot a Gay?

Step 1, while he is bunking, weigh his loafers.

Step 2, ...

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

13. Lil kick for the night crew n/t