Were the wartime Dandy and Beano editors on a Nazi hit list?

[Raven]

Despite it often being alluded to, including in the History of the Beano, no, in fact, they weren't.


So reveals a good article by Jeremy Briggs on Steve Holland's Bear Alley blog:


http://bearalley.blogspot.com/2010/09/b ... -list.html

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

A good article, but I read elsewhere that Hitler actually enjoyed and collected anti-Nazi cartoons, and tried to procure DAVID LOW originals through clandestine methods......so if the Nazis ended up ruling the UK, I would assume Hitler would have provided him with a cartoon studio to turn out propaganda imagery, and not cart him off to a camp, which is at odds with what Jeremy is suggesting here.


There are so many opposing theories on this theme, it is difficult to get at the truth.

[Raven]

There are so many opposing theories on this theme, it is difficult to get at the truth.

Briggs isn't presenting a theory, though, but hard evidence from the actual 'Black Book' itself - and the truth about the Dandy and Beano editors is that they're not in it. And the 'Black Book' states that Low was to be handed over to the Gestapo's B4 section, which deported Jews to the Polish extermination camps.

Where did you read that Hitler enjoyed David Low cartoons and tried to procure originals?

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I honestly can't remember where I read about Hitler collecting David Low cartoons, Raven: I probably read as much on WW2 History as I do on comics history: but this stuck in my memory after reading it somewhere, and I have no reason to make it up, m'lud!

If poliiticians like M Hesseltine tried to procure their Spitting Image puppets, it's possible that Hitler would have been 'into' collecting anti-Nazi cartoons: especially as the fheurer's mind was somehat deranged, by all accounts....

[Raven]

I honestly can't remember where I read about Hitler collecting David Low cartoons, Raven: I probably read as much on WW2 History as I do on comics history: but this stuck in my memory after reading it somewhere, and I have no reason to make it up, m'lud!

No, but to properly counter or call into question Jeremy's research you'd have to come up with verified facts.

If poliiticians like M Hesseltine tried to procure their Spitting Image puppets, it's possible that Hitler would have been 'into' collecting anti-Nazi cartoons: especially as the fheurer's mind was somehat deranged, by all accounts....

It may be possible, but that's in the realm of pure speculation, isn't it?

I think it's interesting to see that old story debunked. It shows it was repeated without any fact checking going on.

Incidentally, I note that Mark Bryant's hardback collection 'World World II in Cartoons' has turned up cheap in The Works.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I do actually have an interest in WW2 cartoons, Raven, and I would like to see a thread dedicated to this subject on here.

On the subject of David Low, I acknowledge he is easily the most widely-known UK wartime cartoonist, but he's not really my favourite in this field: his stuff is too conservative and restrained for my tastes, but I do admire his eye for satire.

Here's some examples of his work:

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Low is obviously looking at this subject from the Nazi viewpoint as well, and the third cartoon would surely have appealled to Hitler, in it's mockery of spineless leaders.....and if Hitler had a sick sense of humour, the final 'gallows' subject may also have tickled his Teutonic funnybone.

Hitler must have been aware of imagery like this, and as Low's style is nowhere near as savage or detrimental to the fheurer as, say, Steve Bell would have been today, it's certainly feasible that he would have desired the original items.

Cartoon 3 above, especially, would not look out of place framed in the Nazi madman's headquarters. As an 'artist' himself, he would have appreciated owning the originals.


I can understand Hitler ordering the bombing of premises selling Hitler's-face toilet roll and other crudities, but cartooning with style and class [that also takes into account the Nazi viewpoint] like the above could well have appealled to him.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Here's the notorious 'Hitler bog-roll' that so cleansed a million derriers in those 'fun-packed' WW 2 days.

Adolf would surely have the joker responsible for this shipped off for 'special treatment'!

What I can't understand is: if a gifted cartoonist like LOW was on the Nazi Death-list: why wasn't the 'mastermind' responsible for this novel item earmarked for a one-way ticket to Auschwitz?:




This 'botty-wipe' gag must surely have been known to millions-----and presumably Hitler------and I'd go so far as to say that this imagery was more widely-seen than LOW'S cartoons.

This single----very effective----- idea is much more insulting to the Nazi regime than the collected work of LOW. I bet the brains behind this concept has been overlooked by lofty historians regarding the Black Book.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

PHILIP ZEC is my favourite UK newspaper WW2 cartoonist.


His stuff was more powerful and dramatic than LOW, and he was a better artist in my view.


here's some of his stuff:

[Kashgar]

Of course, the anonymity of the Thomson staff would have made them a bit more difficult to name on a list than a well-known cartoonist like Low. Then, supposing a Dundee based fifth-columnist or Nazi spy sent to Dundee for that particular purpose could have discovered the names the Nazis would have still had a number of editors to choose from with Albert Barnes, George Moonie, George Thomson, John Low, Stuart Gilchrist and John Hutton all holding the editorial chair in either the Dandy or Beano office during the period.
On the principle that you should never let the truth get in the way of a good story I still like to think that Addy and Hermy and even old Musso the Wop would have had the Beano and Dandy editors, whoever they might have been, lined up and shot. The fact that they aren't named in the book specifically proves nothing.

[philcom55]

The fact that they aren't named in the book specifically proves nothing.

...Brings to mind that classic Dad's Army episode:

"Vot is your name?"

"Don't tell him Pike."

"P-I-K-E!"

- Phil Rushton