Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 77 years ago…
This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of Sept. 30, 1949.
Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of Sept. 23, 1975. Click here to check it out.
(Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the issues that went on sale between Sept. 27 and Oct. 3)
So, let’s set the scene: World War II ended four years earlier but Americans were more terrified than ever upon the news that the Soviet Union had the bomb and that the Communists had officially taken China under Mao Zedong — all within a week.
On Sept. 23, President Truman released a brief statement that the US had “evidence that within recent weeks an atomic explosion occurred in the U.S.S.R.” Two days later, the Russians confirmed it via the state “news” organ TASS in wording that can only be described as Orwellian: “Despite the existence in this country of an atomic weapon, this country adopts and intends to adopt in the future its former position in favor of prohibition of the atomic weapon.”
As this was playing out, the Communists were taking charge in China at the end of a decades-long revolutionary civil war, with the nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek on the run. On Sept. 30, Mao was elected chairman of the new Central Government and on Oct. 1, he proclaimed the People’s Republic of China at the Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, and unveiled the nation’s new flag. (The First of October is celebrated as China’s National Day.)
The Soviets recognized the People’s Republic the next day and ended relations with Chiang’s government.
The drastic shift in the geopolitical landscape completely rewrote the rules of diplomatic engagement around the world. In the United States, Communism continued to be seen as a monolithic movement that had to be stopped at all costs, underscoring a catastrophic failure to recognize that the hearts and minds of individual nations were rooted in those countries’ history and sense of identity. Such thinking soon led to McCarthyism and, eventually, Vietnam.
IN OTHER NEWS
— There was still some good news for the West: On Sept. 30, the Berlin Airlift was officially ended after more than 275,000 flights that delivered 2.3 million tons of supplies into West Berlin since June 1948. The Russians had agreed to end the Berlin Blockade, which cut off external routes to the city, months earlier.
— Comic books may have been frowned upon, but newspaper cartoonists were held in such high regard that an exhibition was set for the White House, and on Oct. 3, more than a dozen artists, such as Alex Raymond, Milton Caniff, Ham Fisher and Rube Goldberg, sketched Truman in the Rose Garden.
— 1949 was one of the seminal seasons in Major League Baseball. There were no divisions in those days and whoever finished in first in the American and National Leagues — which had eight teams each — went to the World Series. Both pennant races were decided on the last day of the season, Oct. 2.
The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies, finishing a game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals. It was even more dramatic in the American League: Joe DiMaggio’s New York Yankees and Ted Williams’ Boston Red Sox were tied with one game to go and, in the season finale, the Yanks beat the Sox, 5-3, in front of 68,055 fans at Yankee Stadium.
— Humphrey Bogart found himself in the headlines after he was accused of shoving a woman to the floor of the El Morocco nightclub in Manhattan early Sept. 25. The woman evidently tried to steal a 3-foot-high, stuffed panda bear that Bogie had bought for his son. He later said that he was only grabbing the panda back from her and that she fell down and “looked as if she’d been drinking too many Coca-Colas.”
— On Sept. 26, ground was broken for the new Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, replacing the old Hollywoodland sign, which was being torn down.
Bob Hope had won a recent Gallup Poll as America’s most popular comedian, beating out Milton Berle, who was followed by Jack Benny and Red Skelton.
The top movies included I Was a Male War Bride, starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan; Father Was a Fullback starring Fred MacMurray, Maureen O’Hara, and Natalie Wood; White Heat, with James Cagney and Virginia Mayo; the sequel Jolson Sings Again; and the drama Pinky, directed by Elia Kazan.
A new era in comedy began Sept. 28 with the opening of My Friend Irma, the first movie to feature the team of Martin and Lewis.
TV was gaining on radio, with interest in the audio medium in decline. But that’s not to say radio wasn’t still popular. The top shows included the drama anthology series Lux Radio Theatre, Jack Benny, Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, Fibber McGee and Molly, My Friend Irma, and Walter Winchell’s Journal.
Godfrey was also exceptionally successful in making the transition to TV: Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts and Arthur Godfrey and His Friends were among the highest-rated programs, along with Texaco Star Theater (Milton Berle) and Toast of the Town (Ed Sullivan). The first network detective series, Martin Kane, Private Eye, premiered this month on NBC.
Those thundering hooves on ABC belonged to Silver, the trusty white steed ridden by The Lone Ranger, whose show starring Clayton Moore debuted Sept. 15.
That Lucky Old Sun by Frankie Laine — formally Frankie Laine with Judd Conlon’s Rhythmaires, Harry Geller and His Orchestra, and Carl Fischer — led the Billboard 100. Other hits included Some Enchanted Evening by Perry Como With Orchestra Conducted by Mitchell Ayres; You’re Breaking My Heart by Vic Damone With Glenn Osser’s Orchestra; and Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You) by Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra.
The most popular album was an absolute behemoth: the South Pacific original Broadway cast album featuring Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza. The Kiss Me, Kate Broadway cast record was also big.
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Scott Tipton, contributor-at-large, 13th Dimension
World’s Finest Comics #43, DC. Superman and the Dynamic Duo used to devote a lot of time to leisure-time activities. I miss that.
Dan adds: Classic Win Mortimer. These are some of my favorite Golden Age covers. If Mortimer wasn’t having them roller skating, surfing, or racing go carts, he was coming up with striking graphic designs.
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National Comics #75, Quality. The Barker never quite made it to Freedom Fighter-level status.
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Gunfighter #13, EC. It’s the Buckskin Kid!
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My Own Romance #10, Red Circle Magazines (i.e., Marvel). Wait, what? If Bob’s behind the door, who’s the other guy? Why is he in a robe? I’m so confused.
Dan adds: There were no less than 29 romance comics out this week, from publishers like Fox, Standard, Prize, Fawcett, and on and on. When people talk about the heyday of romance comics, I’m not even sure they understand the magnitude of their popularity.
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Dan Greenfield, editor, 13th Dimension
The Lone Ranger #17, Dell. Still in his red-shirt phase, the comic-book Ranger would later switch to blue to match Clayton Moore.
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Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #97, Dell. I love Bugs Bunny. Loooooooooooove him. Best cartoon character ever and it’s not even close. But I’ve never been interested in his comics because I cannot imagine they capture the same anarchic, subversive energy, with the rapid-fire, adult-skewing pop culture references. Am I wrong?
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Terry-Toons Comics #77, St. John. I liked Mighty Mouse because he was a superhero but he wasn’t in the same galaxy as Bugs for sheer entertainment value. Neither were Heckle and Jeckle.
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