Because watching Max Fleischer cartoons (with some war-era racism to boot) is why the Internet exists.
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Superman: Eleventh Hour
May 10th, 2006
16 Comments
My grandmother (Lillian Friedman Astor) was an animator for Fleischer in the early 1930s. She was, officially, the first woman animator and drew Betty Boop. When Fleischer moved his studios to Hollywood (to break up the cartoonists’ union), my grandmother retired.
I noticed the waves were Disney – style (see Fantasia). I know Fleischer worked for Disney once, so who borrowed from whom?
I was looking for the racism, but I didn’t see any. I saw some caricature and stereotyping, but racism — nope.
Unless you’re thinking the Japanes never killed innocent civilians.
You don’t think depicting Japanese as buck-toothed savages isn’t just a teensy bit racist? I totally understand why it was done and the era in which it was done in, but from the perspective of 60 years later its silly to pretend.
Another comment on “Hold”?
If I may pick a nit:
rac·ism (r’s-z’Ym) pronunciation n.
1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.
ster·e·o·type(str’-Y-t+p’, stîr’-) pron. n.
1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
car·i·ca·ture (kr’--kY-chr’, -chYr) pron. n.
1. A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject’s distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect.
2. The art of creating such representations.
I understand the relevence of the times and all, but it shakes my confidence in Superman when he is used as a terrorist bomber and clandestine saboteur by the government.
Right, duros, there was a flourishing anti – war movement in those days. Superman would have been much more heroic if he had joined them – all two of them – at the barricades.
Frank, don’t get all snarky. You know what I mean. Superman is supposed to be apolitical.
During World war II? You are young!
Superman is supposed to be apoliti… oh, never mind.
Even Superman was a patriot in World War II…
The memo that it was patriotic to oppose your country didn’t come out until about 1968.
Frank -
Imagine people’s horror when they learn that during WWII, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck were on our side too.
Oliver -
Nice to see some of the old Fleischer stuff again. I noticed that in one of the Superman videos from a few weeks ago that was supposed to be a nostalgia trip about the legacy of Superman, the Fleischer stuff was missing. Twenty or so years ago, someone released a videocassette of about a dozen of these cartoons. Wonder if they are available on DVD now? They were groundbreaking in their day, because Fleischer designed them to literally be comic books come to life.
Mike: If I remember correctly, Elmer Fudd was in a cartoon where he was a Civil Defense guy. You don’t suppose he monitored phone calls to Japan, do you?
And you can get the Fleischer stuff on DVD. I have some.
Even Superman was a patriot in World War II&
I understand that, Frank. I wonder why he felt the need to sneak around in the cover of darkness to do his nefariousness? He’s freakin’ Superman fa chrissake! What’s he hiding for?
What if those stinkin’ Japs got their hands on some Kryptonite?
Also Superman was less strong in the Fleischer cartoons than he was later in the comics…
He might not have been able to take on the whole Japanese homeland Amed Forces.