Crime Does Not Pay #63Cover - Wow, more than 6 million readers. Interesting that they call it a magazine rather than a comic book. Does that give it more weight? Also interesting that they give a bit more dialogue than usual on the cover. Love Trixie's line: 'Why should I moth around a hot potato like him? I was a nitwit to get mixed up with a stumble-bum like him in the first place!' You go, girl!
Message - Look at those fine, upstanding citizens and their guidelines. I was thinking this must have been after the Comics Code came in, but it's 1948 (or 1947 by the copyright notice). So an example of self-regulation? I guess those guidelines would have assured parents and teachers who were concerned about negative content. Though in being so strict in their requirements, did that mean they had to leave out some of the 'true' things in their true stories? I guess if criminals can't be attractive in appearance or character, they never did a story on Pretty Boy Floyd
I must admit, I didn't read the whole thing word for word. There was a lot of text. So I'll just make some general comments and say a bit more about the bits I did read.
Felix SloperInteresting to see more work by George Tuska, since he was in last fortnight's selections. And I guess they made the woman in the red dress look as sexy as they could without emphasising sex appeal (as in guidelines). Interesting that 'Crime' is narrating the story and he's allowed to laugh occasionally.
On The Level - Both of these one-pagers had some interesting trivia. Well done to Ruth McBride for chasing the purse snatcher into an alley and beating him up! I didn't understand the one about the man who hid behind the sneezeless soap powder and sneezed. Is it just ironic that that happened, or was the soap powder a trap? And poor Charles Little. If he had read 'Anne of Green Gables', he would have known that trying to change your hair colour can sometimes turn it green. And after reading the second one of these one-pagers later in the book, you have to wonder why they still don't allow ghosts to testify in court
What's on Your Mind?I often enjoy reading the letters in old comic books, though these are all unanimously glowing about the book. I'm glad that L. P. D. has decided to go straight (and also the other criminal whose full-page letter is shown later under 'This is Our Testimony'). If some people were seeing the error of their ways as a result of reading this book, then the publishers, writers and artists are achieving their aim. Though there may also be some who read true crime books and get ideas of how to commit crimes and get away with them. Though that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to do something about it.
Who Dunnit?[Spoiler ahead if you haven't read it] - I always like a whodunnit, so this was a nice inclusion. Though I didn't manage to work it out based on the clues. I realised the footprints in the powder were a clue, but I couldn't see how that came up again. After seeing the answer, I realised that the panel on the last page where Paul has his foot up on the seat is supposed to show the powder on the bottom of his shoe. But it just looks like a white sole to me. Powder wouldn't still be caked on like that. The clue re the lipstick and apple was better, but only if we realised that little tube on the floor next to the body was lipstick. Though I suppose we might have guessed, since she was putting on make-up. If you're going to have a whodunnit that relies on picture clues, you really need to make the pictures clear.
Overall, an interesting book. I'm not sure how many of these crimes may have been known to readers at the time. That may have given them more appeal too. I can see why Mark may have started the forum rolling with this selection. True crime is still popular, though maybe people are more likely to listen to true crime podcasts these days.
Cheers
QQ
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Topic: Reading Group # 328. 18 year Birthday celebration [10.5!] (Read 1117 times)
