Designed to make kids less resistant to wearing masks that could save them from a wily Axis chemical attack, these rubber masks seemed like a pretty good idea. Plus, I bet they have that new-dog-toy smell.
It's hard to imagine Disney ever granting the rights to Mickey Mouse for something so morbid. In fact, a Mickey Mouse Gas Mask by artist Bill Barminsky was a part of our Illegal Art Exhibit a few years back. But I suppose it was in Disney's best interest to keep their primary target market from dying of mustard gas poisoning.
(Incidentally, the whole Gas Mask & Co. site is quite fascinating in itself. Especially check out the crazy baby gas suits and the horse masks.)
The Mickey Mouse Mask [Gas Mask & Co.]
Carrie McLaren & Jason Torchinsky are coeditors of Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture. In previous lives, they worked together on the hopelessly obscure and now defunct Stay Free! magazine .
]]>Disney really had no choice but to support the war effort during the 30's and 40's. In reading a Walt Disney biography, a lot of studios were losing money since everything was focused on the war. Cartoons were not in demand. To keep his studio afloat Walt began contracting out to the government for cartoons such as the anti-Nazi one above, as well as instructional, how-to cartoons for educational purposes to both the troops and our children at home. He won though, because by the end of the war his was one of the only remaining animation studios still running.
]]>There are a lot of DVDs out there that feature "banned" cartoons like the ones that are being referred to here. Lots of them are boring and only borderline offensive (especially with shows like Family Guy nowadays) but there are a few that are pretty bad, like this one where Bugs Bunny visits an island of savages and starts slinging slurs. I have one by the Cartoon Crazys folks, here's the amazon link: [www.amazon.com]
]]>My friend actually has one of these gas masks. I just facebooked him to get him to send something this way!!!
]]>@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): Thats the episode I was going to watch today. Love the line:
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect... but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly.... timey-wimey.... stuff.
]]>@ARP: Where can I find uncensored looney tunes?
]]>@Michael Belisle: He was also photographed being with many Grand Wizards of the KKK and a 33rd degree freemason.
]]>First rate Halloween costume.
]]>WE ARE COMING...
Creepy children on the Dr. Who spinoff, Torchwood, next Monday on BBC.
Zombie kids really do freak me out.
]]>Are you my mummy?
*shudder*
]]>@Michael Belisle: If you look at the uncesored Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes, they have a lot of pro-war effort stuff (and some pretty racist material too).
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