Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Golden Age Of Womanhood

Oh, to be a woman in Fox Comics back in the 1940s!!

So many career opportunities were available!!

For example, you could be a clerk at a pawn shop!

Of course, that just gets you kidnapped by crooks and tortured. Still a little hair-pulling isn't that bad, eh?


OK, that is a downer...but Blue Beetle saved her, so everything's good!

So maybe pawn shop clerk is out. How about spaceship captain? When you're Rex Dexter's girlfriend Cynde, there are plenty of opportunities!

See, boldly standing up for space ship captain equality!! Take that, Janice Lester!!

Of course, in addition to being equal, a female space ship captain gets the unbelievable bonus of posing for futuristic upskirt shots...

...being hijacked by goons because you're a girl...

...and being rescued by your man!!

What's not to love??

Worried about space sickness? OK, how about trying life as a big-city debutante? That's a winning lifestyle!!

Of course, 11 other debs have been murdered and "cut to pieces." So maybe there's a slight drawback...


For the record, this "doctor" is never named, never given any back story, no motivation or explanation whatsoever--he just likes to carve up young women, I guess.

Hey, Green Mask saved her, so really, how could she have been in any real danger?!?

Don't worry, we have plenty of career options left for you gals. How about secretary to a powerful oil executive?

Oh.

Yes, being kidnapped by stereotypical Chinese masterminds who are "carrying on a vendetta against the white race" is part of the job description...as is:

Again, no worries...the handsome white hero saved her!!

Wow, you dames are pretty picky. Oh, one last try. You can be the inventor of a new secret Navy airplane, and a crack pilot!!

...and they still show you in your undies.

Still, if that's the worst that could happen...

Oh, yeah, well, being snatched (while in your unmentionables) by Russkie spies is all part of the job when you're a famous inventor, right? Right...?

Oh, dear...
Not to worry. Because you're so important, Lt. Drake Of The U.S. Naval Intelligence is on the job, and rescues you!



See...a career that leads to personal happiness!!!

All of these panels are from Mystery Men Comics #13 (1940). You've come a long way, baby!

3 comments:

Arynne said...

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

Although, kudos to the pilot for keeping her snark intact even while being tortured. That was a Giles Corey-worthy response.

Martin Gray said...

Those Chinese kidnappers may have been pesky but they couldn't build a winch worth a dam - an hour?!

SallyP said...

I...am sensing a trend here. A very very loooooooooooong trend.