Commies, Cowboys, and Jungle Queens: Comic Books and America, 1945-1954

by William W. Savage Jr.

Comic books crystallize the social and political problems of a troubled period in American culture.

In addition to their entertainment value, comic books offered a unique world-view to a large segment of the American public in the confusing decade following World War II. Millions were distributed to service personnel during the war years, and by 1945, adults as well as children were reading an astounding 60 million comic books per...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0819563382
• ISBN13: 9780819563385
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Wesleyan University Press
• Length: 165 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Interesting Look at American Through Comics

William W. Savage, Jr. had led the way in this brief volume, colourfully titled Commies, Cowboys and Jungle Queens (original title Comic Books and America, 1945 - 1954). The author was among the first the look at the content of the comic books, read and passed around by millions of children and teenagers and not just a few adults, in terms of their comments on the culture which they reflected, such as the wonderful look at the Korean conflict as reflected in the comics. This book led to the brilliant and highly recommended Comic Book Nation by Bradford W. Wright and for that it should be thanked. This particular volume by William Savage is well-written, insightful, and often very funny. Its main drawback is its brevity and lack of more comic panels for illustrative purposes. All that aside, this is an enjoyable read.