CRITICISM ON AMERICAN HUMOR AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST

American Humor Studies Association

CRITICISM ON AMERICAN HUMOR AN ANNOTATED CHECKLISTAuthor(s): Elizabeth WilliamsonSource: American Humor, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Spring, 1977), pp. 11-25Published by: American Humor Studies AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/42594490 .

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AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter Page 11

CRITICISM ON AMERICAN HUMOR AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST

Elizabeth Williamson University of Maryland

"America's Role in the Development of the Cartoon." Inklings , No. 2 (Winter 1976), 3-4. This article briefly traces the development of cartooning in America and then describes the exhibition at the Museum of Cartoon Art which conmemora te the Bicentennial with a collection reflecting the social history of America through cartoons. The Museum hopes that their efforts will encourage more research in this area.

Ames, Katrine, and Malcolm MacPherson. "Feldmania." Newsweek, 88 (October 25, 1976), 116, 118. Marty Feldman, directing his movie, The Last Remake of Beau Geste, gives tribute to Mel Brooks: ,!If it hadn't been for him, I'd be a Jew boy from London doing guest spots. 11

Brooks, in turn, compliments Feldman, "He's an incredibly intelligent pixie."

Armour, Richard. "Yes, Humor is Publishable. " The Writer, 89 (June 1976), 16-18* After stating that markets for humor not only exist but are also plentiful, Armour then lists eight suggestions for writing humor that will sell.

Asselineau, Roger. "Walt Whitman's Humor." American Transcendental Quarterly, No. 22 (Spring 1974), 86-91. "A lyric poet's sense of humor cannot be quite the same as that of a prose writer and a humorist, there being as many kinds of humor as there are shades of color in the rainbow." Asselineau defines what he considers to be the many kinds of humor in Whitman the man and Whitman the poet.

Baetzhold, Howard G. "Of Detectives and Their Derring-Do: The Genesis of Mark Twain's 'The Stolen White Elephant.'" Studies in American Humor, 2 (January 1976), 183-195. Baetzhold views Twain's attitude toward detective stories as ambivalent. Twain moved from a burlesque to a straight treatment of detectives in his stories. Baetzhold examines not the reasons for Twain's ambivalence, but "the backgrounds of one of the early burlesque treatments of detectives ["The Stolen White Elephant"] in order to illustrate Mark Twain's use of contemporary materials in his fiction."

Bailey, Bruce. "An Inquiry into Love Comic Books: The Token Evolution of a Popular Genre." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 245-248. Although love comic books remain remarkably conservative and stable in support of social institutions and attitudes, there have been subtle changes in format, language, and socio-political axioms .

Barr, Browne. "The Bishop and the Banana Peel: An Inquiry into the Question: Where Has All the Laughter Gone?" The Christian Century, 93 (July 21, 1976), 661-663. Barr looks at what he calls the principle of "The Bishop and the Banana Peel," a situation in which a dignified person "elips," and causes even the most reverent to laugh. This principle may be our deliverance by reminding us that we are all subject to the law of gravity. Barr suggests that laughter can be a way of bringing us closer to God and man.

Beranger, Clara. "The Woman Who Taught Her Children to be Fools." Liberty, 2(Summer 1976), 64-67. This is a 1933 Liberty Classic reprint about Minnie MarxT "Minnie Marx saw her boys in all of their shows, for she moved from Chicago to New York to be near them and to watch their progress in the theatre. She never got over the habit of working with them, and they never got over the habit of going to her with their troubles, their pro- blems, and their joys."



Page 12 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter -

Beranger, Jean F. "Voices of Humor in Nathaniel Ward.11 Studies in American Humor , 2 (October 1975) , 96-104. Although The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America is generally listed as the first humorous book written in Massachusetts, it is most often examined only in terms of its satire. Beranger sees several voices in The Simple Cobler, most often displaying "rippling humor. 11

Berger, Arthur Asa. "What Makes People Laugh?: Cracking the Cultural Code." ETC. , 32 (December 1975), 427-428. "Humor is directly tied to the 'cultural code1 of a given country - to the assumptions people make about time and space, to the values they hold, to their historic experience, etc. - though in certain cases humor can transcend particular codes and have a universia.l appeal."

Bernikow, Louise. "Excuse Me, Do You Know Who Lily Tomlin Is?" Playboy, 23 (July 1976), 92-94, 188, 192-194, 196-197. Bernikow follows Tomlin through a series of shows in several cities and is amazed at her endless energy, her ability to handle situations and fans. Adding to the many theories about Tomlin1 s success, Bernikow suggests that Tomlin jis the many voices of the audience.

Blair, John G. "Puns and Equivocation in Melville's The Confidence Man." American Transcendental Quarterly, No. 22 (Spring 1974), 91-95. Through a study of Melville's style, particularly the devices of puns and equivocation, Blair traces the radical ambiguity of The Confidence Man. "The only conclusive critical statement possible is that The Confidence Man is intentionally inconclusive."

Blake, Robert. "The Lion Act is Over: Passive/Aggressive Patterns of Communication in American Negro Humor." Journal of Popular Culture, 9 (Winter 1975), 549-560. This essay examines the evolution of the American Negro humorous tradition, from its relatively passive nature during the slavery period to its more aggressive, overt contemporary nature.

Boryev, Yuri B. "The World Will Never Die if it Dies Laughing." The UNESCO Courier, 29 (April 1976), 22-24. Soviet writer and literary critic Boryev defines humor and satire and relates them to politics. Boryev states that humor is national and international: "national in its form but in its content common to all mankind." In laughter lies the hope for world peace.

Breme, Frederick Jay. "Humor and Its Relationship to Needs." Dissertation Abstracts International , 37 (October 1976), 1981A. "The results of this study suggest male/ female differences in humor preferences as well as need patterns, which influence their responses to funny material. Humor preference patterns are suggested as ways of viewing sense of humor and their related need constellations."

Brodwin, Stanley. "The Useful and the Useless River: Life on the Mississippi Revisited." Studies in American Humor, 2 (January 1976), 196-208. Brodwin cites a 1907 quotation by Twain that gives "his last significant statement about the river that flowed through much of his creative life." Brodwin sees this passage as an important key to understanding Life on the Mississippi, "Twain's most complete effort to record 'objectively' the subject of river lore that had simmered in his mind as early as 1866."

"Burns." The New Yorker, 52 (March 15, 1976), 29-30. The staff tells about their luncheon with the 81 year old Burns and about his fifty minute performance at Carnegie Hall. "Actually, Burns doesn't tell many jokes these days; rather, he recounts incidents from his life which are amusing to begin with and which he embellishes until they achieve a high gloss funniness."




Byron/ Christopher. "Killing Laughter." Time, 108 (August 2, 1976) , 58. Byron, Time1, s London correspondent, reports from his three day meeting of the first International Symposium on Humor at the University of Wales. After describing some of the sessions and papers, Byron reports that the only thing funny was the academic jargon.

Cady, Barbara. "Playboy Interview; Norman Lear." Playboy , 23 (March 1976), 53-54, 56-60, 62, 64, 66, 68-69. Lear, whom Cady found to be "a laboratory specimen of that all- but-vanished species, the bleeding-heart liberal," discusses a variety of subjects , but especially television's "family hour." Lear says: "The networks handle minority protest by caving in, copping out. Family hour is their kind of solution: It1 s a gutless give-in that overreacts to a situation they helped create - then blamed on us. "

Calhoun, John Caldwell. "The Groatsworth of Wit: Parallels in John Barth1 s The Sot-Weed Factor and Thomas Pynchon's V." Dissertation Abstracts International, 37 (November 1976) , 2857A.

Calkins, Dick. "That Prophetable Guy, Buck Rogers." Liberty , 2 (Summer 1976), 40-42, 80. In this 1945 Liberty Classic reprint, Calkins chuckles at the statement that Buck Rogers is nothing but the "mad dream of a screwball cartoonist." Calkins writes about some of the various responses to his comic strip character.

Candela, Gregory L. "We Wear the Mask: Irony in Dunbar's The Sport of the Gods." American Literature , 48 (March 1976), 60-72. "Rather than placing Dunbar outside of black authors' march toward literary realism, criticism should place him in the vanguard as a novelist able to mix the seemingly inflexible elements of melodrama with the con- sciousness of an ironic mask that the black people in America know so well."

Canemaker, John. "Vladimir William Tytla: Animation's Michelangelo." Cinef antastique , 5 (Winter 1976), 8-19. Canemaker discusses the life and work of Vladimir Tytla, a man almost totally unknown outside the animation industry. Audiences all over the world have seen his work in Disney features that include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Dumbo. Chuck Jones calls him the Michelangelo of animation.

Cargas, Harry James. "Are There Things a Novelist Shouldn't Joke About?: An Interview with Kurt Vonnegut, Jr." The Christian Century, 93 (November 24r 1976) , 1048-1050. Vonnegut talks about laughter , humor, comedy , critics r and what makes him "unfunny" now: he believes that people "don't give a damn whether the planet goes on or not." He describes himself as a mainstream writer and although he is content with what he has done so far, he's "sort of looking around" for something else to do because, "I don't have anger to draw on for energy."

Carter, Betsy, and Peter S. Greenberg. "A Ray of Sunshine." Newsweek , 87 (March 1, 1976), 57. A brief sketch of George Burns immediately after his nomination for best supporting actor in The Sunshine Boys. "Perhaps the funniest thing about Burns is that he doesn't think he is funny. A master of timing and understatement, the former Nathan Birnbaum affectionately gives credit to his wife Gracie Allen for his success."

Carter , Betsy, et al. "The Noncandidate." Newsweek, 87 (March 22, 1976), 11. What has Pat Paulsen been doing since his active campaign for the presidency in 1968? He's been busy being a noncandidate, traveling all over the country "taking noncontributions . "

Actually, Paulsen has been tending to his comedy and his grape arbor since 1972 when the FÇC ruled that Paulsen could not campaign in Presidential elections.



Page 14 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter1 i

Chase/ Chevy. "The Unique Comedy of Ernie Kovacs." TV Guide , 25 (April 9, 1971), 39-40. Chevy Chase writes a tribute to Ernie Kovacs who, he says, was a major influence on his writing and sense of humor. Chase sees his own and Kovac's work essentially dealing with the "visual and physical nature of television comedy, as opposed to the verbal - the ^ 'words that make you laugh.1"

Cifelli, E. "Hawthorne as Humorist: A Look at Fanshawe." The CEA Critic, 38 (May 1976), 11- 17. Cif elli contends that although Fanshawe is an artistic failure, it is not altogether undistinguished. He sees the humor in the novel as its most genuine, though limited achievement. The wit is spontaneous and real and the characters, Hugh Crombie and Dr. *

Melmoth, are embodiments of humor.

Cohen, Sarah Blacher. "Sex: Saul Bellow's Hedonistic Joke." Studies in American Fiction, 2 (Autumn 1974) , 223-229. In The Adventures of Augie March, Herzog^ and Mr» .. Sammler' s Planet, Bellow depicts sex as "the comic leveler." Sex itself is laughable and pulls the protagonist into awkward delusions and disappointments. Ultimately, he becomes the butt *

of a sexual joke.

Colasuonno, Mike. "InnerView: Comedian Chris Rush." Head, 1 (September 1976), 25-27. Cola- suonno interviews Rush, called by some the Lenny Bruce of the Acid Generation.

Collins, Frederick L. "The Man in Gracie Allen's Life." Liberty , 2 (Spring 1976), 6-8. This A is a 1938 Liberty Classic reprint article about George Burns and Gracie Allen. "There have been teams of funny comedians on the screen and vaudeville stage before Burns and Allen... But for sheer goofiness there never has been and probably never will be a rival entry to these 'nitwits of the network,' Burns and Allen."

Collins, Larry. "Saturday Night Live at 'Saturday Night.'" Rush, 1 (October 1976), 52-55,70, 72. This is a "free-form, interview /conversation" with the staff of Saturday Night <t during a rehearsal.

Cooke, Catherine Nixon. "The Day I Met Gracie." Liberty , 2 (Spring 1976), 9-13. Although Burns has been in show business since age 7, he claims that his life didn't really begin until he was 27 years old, when he met Gracie Allen and discovered real show business magic. Cooke traces the show business career of the Burns-Allen team. (This article ^ follows the 1938 Liberty reprint article by Frederick L. Collins) .

4

Cossette, Pierre. "Hope Springs Eternal." The Saturday Evening Post, 248 (September 1976), 48-49. Bob Hope is portrayed by Cossette as "Mr. America," a dispenser of native humor, and by Joe Hannan, advertising man for Texaco, as America's "new Will Rogers." "It has been said - and deservedly so - that Hope has got laughs out of more people than any other^ comedian in history. It's probably so because no comedian in history has played so many audiences as Hope."

Cracroft, Richard H. "Distorting Polygamy for Fun and Profit: Artemus Ward and Mark Twain among the Mormons." Brigham Young University Studies, 14 (Winter 1974), 272-288. 1

Cracroft looks at Twain's and Ward's humorous use of the popular Mormon materials and ^ anti-Mormon myths. Cracroft contends that "despite Mark Twain's literary supremacy, it was Artemus Ward who realized and utilized the Mormon material to greater advantage." i

Mark Twain learned a great deal from Ward about how to handle the popular Mormon material

Culhane, John. "John Culhane's Motif-Index and Thesaurus of Gags." The New York Times Maga- {

zine, March 7, 1976, p. 103. Culhane asserts that the lack of an adequate system of classification has kept the animated cartoon from recognition and study. "By mating the Aarne-Thompson Indexes with Roget's Thesaurus, I have created the Culhane Motif-Index and Thesaurus of Gags. With this index, the great minds can ponder the great variety of gags "

^



AMEŘICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter Page 15

Cummings, Sherwood. "Mark Twain's Theory of Realism; Or the Science of Piloting.11 Studies in American Humor, 2 (Janurary 1976), 209-221. To answer the question, "Was Mark Twain a realist?" is not a simple task. "To get nearer the heart of the matter we must turn from such manifestations of realism as technique, topic, and tone to the idea at the center." Cummings goes on to trace the development of Twain1 s theory of realism behind which there was "a notion of reality itself."

Dance, Daryl. "Contemporary Militant Black Humor." Negro American Literature Forum, 8 (Summer 1974), 217-222. The black militant writer today expresses his bitterness and disillusionment with a vengeful, mad comedy. Although contemporary black humor is rooted in black folklore, it lacks "positive aspects and optimism that frequently characterize black humor." Black humor is now a way of maintaining sanity and making life possible in a mad world.

Davy, Kate. "An Interview with George Burns." Educational Theatre Journal, 27 (October 1975), 345-355. George Burns recalls his early career, vaudeville routines, television programs, and film experiences. About his wife Gracie Allen, Burns states, "Off stage she was a very intelligent, smart lady... on the stage she was a giant."

Dickstein, Morris. "Black Humor and History: Fiction in the Sixties." Partisan Review, 43 (1976), 185-211. The black humor novels of the sixties create parallels to the history of the times through a mixture of fantastic absurdity and the portrayal of the real wars, riots, and movements.

Druxman, Michael B. "The Return of the Little Rascals." Liberty, 2 (Summer 1976), 36-39. Druxman takes a nostalgic look at the popular, twenty- two year run production, Our Gang, and gives us information about the lives of The Little Rascals today.

Dugid, Sandra Ruth. "The Comic Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe." Dissertation Abstracts International , 37 (February 1977), 5120A. Duguid uses the traditional themes of comedy and historic Christian concepts to study the major novels and short stories of Harriet Beecher Stowe. For Ms. Stowe, comedy freed "individuals from false human orders, but preserved their ultimate significance and their freedom as well as their responsibility in a divine order."

Earle, Allan. "Who is Rand Holmes?" Cheri, 1 (October 1976), 66-69, 71-72. Earle interviews Rand Holms, alias Harold Hedd. "One of the most widely-read - and applauded - of the second

generation of underground cartoonists, he is virtually unknown in the sprawling, peri- patetic fraternity of anti-Establishment comicists. . . "

Ebert, Roger. "Suds and Sympathy." Film Comment, 12 (September /October 1976), 38-39. Ebert states that when he watches Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman alone, he doesn't laugh; when he watches the program with friends, he does. He realizes that what audiences laugh at in Mary Hartman is not funny in the comic sense. What audiences really laugh at is "the fact that with an offensiveness now cheerful, now cruel, the program systematically explores every former television taboo.1'

Ephron, Nora. "Mary Tyler Moore." Esquire, 87 (February 1977), 74-79. This article is a fond farewell to the "funniest show" on television - a show which "was the first modern situation comdey in which the female star was not only not married but not engaged -

but the important thing was that Mary Richards didn't even seem to care." Ephron 's introduction is followed by comments from various people including Andy Warhol, Alfred Hitchock, Carl Reiner^ and Jean Dixon.

"Flesh Gordon." Closeup Magazine, No. 1 (1975), 39-43, 47. These pages contain a synopsis, credits, an editorial, and pictures related to the filming of Flesh Gordon, an X-rated satire of the movie serials based on the Flash Gordon comic strip.



Page 16 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter *

Fry, William F. "The Power of Political Humor." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 227-231. Fry surveys the nature of political humor that characterized presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Gerald Ford in order to illustrate his thesis that "humor associated with public figures and public affairs plays a not insignificant part in shaping the destiny of the Nation." Political humor produces trends of emotional releases that augment?* or diminish other emotions, influence attitudes, and teach humility. *

Galligan, Edward L. "The Usefulness of Arthur Koestler's Theory of Jokes." The South Atlantic Quarterly, 75 (Spring 1976), 145-160. Galligan finds that Koestler's book, The Act of Creation, contains the most comprehensive and helpful theory of humor he knows of and recommends it to "literary" people who have yet ignored it because of its scientific ^

tendencies. Galligan discusses some of the theories explained in Koestler's chapter, "The Jester," and then discusses the relationships between jokes, laughter, and comedy. Galligan states, "If laughter is a necessity, there is nothing merely decorative or trivial about it or about the literary works which elicit it. Thus Koestler's view has ^ the immediate advantage of saving a critic from owlishness. . . . "

Gill, R.B. "Some Psychological and Sociological Works Relevant to Satire." Scholia Satyr ica, ^ 3 (Winter 1977), 3-14. This is a bibliography of works that examine the nature of humor, and most especially contain "ideas helpful to the study of satire." The bibliography stresses interdisciplinary relationships that have received little critical attention. j

Gladden, Jack. "Archie Bunker Meets Mr. Spoopendyke: Nineteenth Century Prototypes for Do- ^

mestie Situation Comedy." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 167-169. ^ Domestic situation comedy, even defined according to fairly rigid standards, is not a twentieth century phenomenon. Prototypes for this comic genre enjoyed a mass audience on a regular basis in the nineteenth century newspapers. ^

Gonnaud, Maurice. "The Humane Seer: Humor and Its Avatars in Emerson." American Transcendental Quarterly, No. 22 (Spring 1974), 79-85. One rarely thinks of Emerson as a humorist, yet <4 a study of his letters and journals reveals a humor that appears and disappears in typical Emersonian rhetorical style.

-4

Gray, R.J. "Southwestern Humor, Erskine Caldwell, and the Comedy of Frustration." The Southern Literary Journal, 8 (Fall 1975), 3-26. Unlike Faulkner, Caldwell keeps his readers at a distance; he insists on presenting his characters entirely in terms of externals and, in the process, dehumanizes them. "This distancing, dehumanizing approach^ is responsible, among other things, for the nature of Caldwell's comedy."

Gresham, James T. "Giles Goat-Boy: Satyr, Satire, and Tragedy Twined." Genre , 7 (June 1974), 148-163. Gresham views Barth' s Menippean goat book as a "tragedy" as well as a "satyr." The fusion of tragedy and satire is the key to Giles's "anti-romantic" structure. «

Habegger, Alfred. "Nineteenth-Century American Humor: Easygoing Males, Anxious Ladies, and Penelope Lapham." PMLA, 91 (October 1976), 884-899. Nineteenth century American < humor usually pairs a humorous man and a tense woman. A few women writers attempted to develop a new tradition, but W.D. Howell's Penelope Lapham remains the finest creation of a humorous female character in a 19th century American novel. ^

Harrington, Stephanie. "Mary Hartman: The Uneditied, All-American Unconscious." Ms. , 4 (April 1976), 53-55, 98. Harrington watched filmings of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, * and through the responses of Lasser and the filming staff, suggests possibilities ^ for the success of the soap opera and insights into the character of Mary Hartman. At one point, Harrington states, "Lasser' s intelligence and sense of timing render Mary u

a Candide in Barbie Doll clothing and at the same time a vulnerable, curious person u who draws us into genuine concern about how she and life treat each other."

'â




Hasley, Louis. "Black Humor and Gray.11 The Arizona Quarterly, 30 (Winter 1974), 317-328. Hasley traces the periods of humor in America and then continues his discussion with a definition of humor and an analysis of black humor. He concludes that the black humorists represent, "not a night, but a dawn.™ Black humorists see rational man in an irrational universe.

Haule, James M. "Terra Cognita: The Humor of Vladimir Nabokov." Studies in American Humor, 2 (October 1975), 78-87. Haule, recognizing the difficulty of studying humor in Nabokov, makes a "modest inquiry" into the position that humor occupies in several of Nabokov* s major works. Haule suggests that Nabokov's humor is "dead earnest."

Holmstrom, John. "Harvey Kurtzman Interview." Punk, 1 (July 1976), 9-14. Kurtzman discusses many topics, including the amount of work he puts into Little Annie Fanny. "It takes a MONTH of man-hours to do a single page and the research is a hell of a lot of FUN!"

"Hope Jokes." The New Yorker, 52 (Auguest 23, 1976), 24. This brief note lists some of the jokes told by Bob Hope (who "used to be funny") at the Plaza Hotel during a fund raising dinner for United Artists. The article concludes with a grudging admission that Hope got a standing ovation.

Hughes, Catharine. "Comedians." America, 135 (December 25, 1976), 472. After posing several questions about the nature of comedy, Hughes goes on to review Trevor Griffith's Broad- way play Comedians . Hughes finds the play dissatisfying because it has high aspirations concerning " comedy , " but offers no resolutions.

Inge# M. Thomas. "The Appalachian Backgrounds of Billy De Beck's Snuffy Smith." Appalachian Journal, 4 (Winter 1977), 120-132. This article, which includes nine illustrations, shows Billy De Beck's debt to two authors who shaped his conception of the life and lan-

guage of the mountaineer: Mary Noáilles Mur free and George Washington Harris.

. "The Comics and American Language." Inklings , No. 4 (Summer 1976), 3-4, 10. Inge contends that the grave concern about the baneful effects of popular culture on young people is probably unwarranted. The comics "not only serve to introduce the child to reading and give him his first taste of independent comprehension; they have also enriched the English language in innumerable ways through popular phrases, word coinages and the revival of archaic usages."

Janoff, Bruce. "Black Humor, Existentialism, and Absurdity: A Generic Confusion." The Arizona Quarterly, 30 (Winter 1974), 293-304. Janoff sees confusion in the use of the terms "Black Humor" and "Existentialism" stemming from fundamental generic confusion. The Existential novel and the Black Humor novel are different in two significant areas: 1) The Existential novel, although ironic, does not contain wry comic perspective; 2) the Existential novel deals with the human situation as absurd while the black humorists see it as a joke.

Jerome, Jim. "Off the Screen." People Weekly, 6 (October 4, 1976), 39-42. Woody Allen's in- exhaustible energy now seems to be focused on directing his movie about a nervous romance, Annie Hall. About Allen, Jerome writes, "By any measurement Woody Allen is Walter Mitty, whose fantasies have only to be named to come true."

Jones, Chuck. "Diary of a Mad Cel-Washer . " Film Comment, 12 (May/June 1976), 40-41. Writing in thři third person, Jones presents a "sketchy but catholic" autobiography.

Juleus, Neis. "Humor: The Hidden Barrier." ETC. , 33 (September 1976), 289-291. Juleus, recai j.ing a recent experiment with humor and cross-cultural communication, believes that "when it comes to humor, each of us may be a separate culture." He tells about some of his experiences attempting to break cultural barriers through humor.



Page 18 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter

Keough, William Richard. "Violence and American Humor." Dissertation Abstracts International, 37 (October 1976), 2182A-2183A. Keough studies the works of Twain, Bierce, Lardner, and Vonnegut and focuses on their comic methodology and their attitudes toward violence. Tentative conclusions suggest that these writers see the American comic spirit as itself ^ often violent in tone and sometimes ironically directed against an ominous prevailing , violence. Viewing violence as a cancer on the body politic, each of these humorists evolved toward a bitter pessimism.

Knapp, Margaret M. "Theatrical Parody in the Twentieth-Century American Theatre: The Grand Street Follies." Educational Theatre Journal, 27 (October 1975), 356-363. Knapp states"*« that one of the most intriguing characteristics of the American theatre in the nineteen „ twenties was its ability to laugh at itself. "None burlesqued the theatre more consis- tently or more successfully than the Grand Street Follies, a series of revues presented in the years 1922 and 1924-1929."

Kroll, Jack. "Comedy is King." Newsweek, 87 (May 31, 1976), 52-53. Kroll' s article is a ** review of the festival of "American Film Comedy" held at New York! s Museum of Modern A Art (May - December 1976). Kroll also comments about the nature and function of comedy in general .

Kunzle, David. "Two Hundred Years of the Great American Freedom to Complain." Art in America, 65 (March/April 1977), 99-105. Kunzle discusses the exhibition (and book) *■

entitled "The American Presidency in Political Cartoons: 1776-1976." "Actually the * exhibition was somewhat mis-named; it was basically about a succession of individual American Presidents, not the Presidency as a concept...."

Lagana, Gregory, and Tom Spurgeon. "An Artist Keeps North America Laughing." The Cross and Crescent (Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity), 64 (March 1977), 55-61. An interview with 1

sculptor-painter-cartoonist Ned Riddle, creator of the nationally syndicated panel <( cartoon Mr. Tweedy , a good-natured loser described by Riddle as a "blithe spirit determined to get through another day intact,"

*

Ladwig, Ronald V. "The Black Black Comedy of Ben Caldwell." Players, 51 (February /March 1976), 88-91. One of the most powerful contemporary Black playwrights is Ben Caldwell, 1

whose plays examine the incongruity, absurdity, and ridiculousness of existence in a « Black world. Caldwell is a master of Black "dark" comedy.

"Laughing on the Outside." Time 108 (August 23, 1976), 42. A portrait of Gerald Nachman, 38, "the newest arrival in the small world of syndicated humor columnists." Nachman, whose home base is the New York Daily News, sees himself as an apolitical writer. 1

< i Lemay, J. A. Leo. "Joseph Green's Satirical Poem on the Great Awakening." Resources fòr

American Literary Study, 4 (Autumn 1974), 173-183. Lemay discovered one of Joseph Green's satirical poems, "The Disappointed Cooper," in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society and reprints it here with an introduction, background, and notes. Lemay contends that the poem, a satirical narrative allegory attacking the Reverend William Cooper, "had a minor role in discrediting the revivalist minister and thus may <- have contributed to the decline of the Great Awakening."

Levinson, Richard M. "From Olive Oyl to Sweet Polly Purebread: Sex Role Stereotypes and Televised Cartoons." Journal of Eopular Culture, 9 (Winter 1975), 561-572. In 1973 Levinson conducted a study of sex roles protrayed on televised cartoon series by sampling the responses of Emory University students who were asked to list every character makings a "contribution" to the show. The results indicated that women are rarely portrayed and ^ when they are, their roles are limited and fall into traditional stereotypes.

Levitt, H.N. "Comedy in the Plays of Eugene Or'Neill." Players , 51 (February /March 1976), 92- 95. Levitt examines the comic elements in the plays of Euguene O'Neill: comic taboo,




physical comedy, comic plot devices, verbal humor, comic characters, and comedy of ideas. Levitt also includes a chart to prove his thesis that in his later period, O'Neill in- fused his work with more comic elements as a means to enrich his plot and his themes.

Litwhiler, Shirley Joyce Davis. "A Comparative Study of the Chivalric Satire of Ellen Glasgow and James Branch Cabell." Dissertation Abstracts International, 37 (November 1976), 2872A. The code of Southern Chivalry has often been accepted, glorified, and sentimentalized in literature. But the frustration and futility of attempting to live by the code was well understood by Ellen Glasgow and J.B. Cabell. Litwhiler studies three particular aspects of the code (woman, duty, and vicarship) in the works of Glasgow and Cabell.

MacDonald, Andrew and Virginia. "Sold American: The Metamorphosis of Captain America." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 249-255. Captain America has undergone a metamorphosis that parallels America's movement from the patriotic 40s to the disillu- sioned 70s.

McConnell, James V. "Worm-Breeding with Tongue in Cheek." The UNESCO Courier, 29 (April 1976), 12-15, 32. McConnell explains the bizarre beginnings of his 16 year old journal, Worm Runner ' s Digest, which he describes as "the house organ of an anti-Scientific movement." He ends the article: "It is my strong hope that if we can get the younger generation to the point of being able to laugh at itself, then and only then can we hope to turn Science back into science.

McElrath, Joseph R. , Jr. "The Comedy of Frank Norris's McTeague." Studies in American Humor, 2 (October 1975), 88-95. Defined too narrowly as a naturalistic novel, McTeague is often read too seriously. McElrath suggests that Norris intentionally and successfully conceived and executed McTeague as a comic novel, blending ridiculous, grotesque, and laughable events.

McLean, Keitha. "British Goons for U.S." American Home, 79 (August 1976), 22. This is a brief description of volumes one and two of Monty Python's Goon Show Classics (Pye Records) .

McManus, Brian Kirk. "Literary Comedy to Concert Comedy: The Achievements of Artemus Ward, Petroleum V. Nasby, and Josh Billings." Dissertation. Abstracts International , 37 (November 1976), 2874A. Nineteenth century literary comedians were actually professional entertainers who developed an original American art form, solo concert comedy. "Influ- enced by earlier regional humor and promoted by the publishing practices of their time, these writers became the first nationally known American humorists. Then they advanced oral comedy performance by combining burlesque humor with the lecture style of the lyceum movement." The result was solo concert comedy.

Marschall, Richard. "The Comicon: What's it all About?" Inklings , No. 6 (Winter 1977), 3-4. This is a description of comics conventions, or Comicons, what they're likely to offer, and whom they're likely to attract.

Meehan, Thomas. "And Now for Something Completely Different." The New York Times Magazine, April 18, 1976, pp. 34-36. Meehan analyzes the artistry of Monty Python's Flying Circus which, he says, defies typical definitions of humor. "They have a singular genius for making nonsensical fun of all who are pompous, pretentious, humorless, or boring, or who tike themselves too seriously."

. "Breaking in the Bananas." The New York Times Magazine, August 1, 1976, pp. 22-23, 25-27, 30. Meehan recounts his experiences at two Manhattan nightclubs - Catch a Rising Star, and The Improvisation - which have replaced the Catskills clubs as showcases for fledgling comedians.



Page 20 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter* * • )

Messenger, Christian. "Southwestern Humorists and Ring Lardner - Sport in American Literature." Illinois Quarterly, 39 (Fall 1976), 5-21. Messenger points out the parallels between the Southwestern humorists of the 1830fs and Ring Lardner: their realism, experiments in narration, and treatment of sport. Although there is no evidence to suggest that ^ Lardner was conscious of these writers, he effectively drew together these elements and consequently resurrected humorous realism fchat portrayed sports in backwoods society.

Middleton, Thomas H. "Foods and Words, Funny and Serious.11 The Saturday Review, 4 (November 13, 1976), 59. Middleton realizes (after the latest Democratic convention) that some foods are funny and some are not, and that this concept might make an interesting article^

Mikes, George. "The Importance of Not Being Ernest." The UNESCO Courier, 29 (April 1976), ^

5-8. Mikes begins with the statement that humor is a problem of philosophy and, after covering much ground (i.e. jokes, the humorist, national humor), ends with the conviction that an international humor does exist. "Humor can travel and in many cases does travel."

âÍ Miller, Holly. "Erma Bombeck: Wits End Up." The 1977 Writers Yearbook, 48 (1977), 4,6. Like^

most humorists, Erma Bombeck doesn't admit that she's funny. About her work habits, Bombeck says that she can't afford to wait until the Good Humor Muse strikes before she goes to the typewriter. About her children and humor she says, "One of the things that has been a plus is that they've developed a sense of humor about themselves. And if I had only one legacy to leave to my children. .. that would be it. I could die knowing that*j no matter what... they could survive it."

Mills, Steve. "'An Artist's Studio': A Comic Scence from Burlesque." Educational Theatre Journal, 27 (October 1975), 342-344. This is a reprint of "An Artist's Studio," a scene described by Mills as "a mild scene, not an hilarious scene, but an interesting one." Mills first performed it at the Apollo Theater in New York when he was with the Minskys. |

Mondello, Salvatore. "Spider-man: Superhero in the Liberal Tradition." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 232-238. The Amazing Spider-man has enjoyed surprising popularity because the teenage superhero engages in titanic battles with middle aged super- villains, echoing American political and social trends. From 1962 to 1967 Spider-man fought Cold War diplomacy and corrupt public officials. From 1967 to 1973 he addressed | himself to important social issues. Most recently, weary of crusades, he deals with fan-^ tastic villains and occult themes, a reflection of escapism.

Novak, Michael. "The Sting of Polish Jokes." Newsweek , 87 (April 12, 1976), 13. Novak explains that ethnic humor can be one of the greatest resources of a nation. However, when ethnic humor intentionally demeans character and encourages feelings of inferiority within an ethnic group, then it ceases to be humor. Polish jokes have been tolerated too long,^ Novak insists. "Should blacks laugh at nigger jokes?"

Oates, Joyce Carol. "Updike's American Comedies." Modern Fiction Studies, 21 (Autumn 1975), 459-472. Through a study of several characters, Ms. Oates traces Updike's ability to transform suffering into a higher experience. What might seem to be tragedy is essentiall comedy with overtones of despair. ^

O'Neil, Dennis. "Pity the Pure Superhero!" Qui, 6 (April 1977), 54-57. O'Neil, who writes ^ and edits comics for the mass-market comic-book audience wonders, "How come European r comic.-strip writers can get away with all this sexy stuff and we can't? It's easy. In Europe, comic strips are art, and art doesn't have to be for everyone." 4

. "The Death of the Cheech Wizard." High Times, No. 14 (October 1976), 60-63,88-89, 92- 94. This is a brief biography of the late' underground cartoonist Vaughn Bode, described ^

by 0*Neil as "an artist who brought his message back from the furthest boundary of ex- ¿ perience he could reach: a frontier where life and death had a lot in common."

«




Pauly, Thomas H. "'Hop-Frog1 - Is the Last Laugh Best?" Studies in Short Fiction, 11 (Summer 1974), 307-309, Pauly sees Poe's "Hop-Frog" not only as an example of the grotesque but also a tale hinging upon a central definition of comedy. The tale is a series of con- trasts upon which the humor rests, and the final victim is Hop-Frog himself.

Peters, Elizabeth (pseudonym). "Character and Humor in Gothics." The Writer, 89 (November 1976), 15-17. Humor, properly employed, can contribute to the effectiveness of the Gothic novel and make it not only a better Gothic but also a better novel. "Humor is particularly useful in relieving what might otherwise be a mawkish or overly dramatic situation."

"R. Crumb Interview." Punk, 1 (April 1976), 11-13. An interview with Robert Crumb and Harvey Kurtzman "that happened at the School of Visual Arts on East Twenty Third Street in New York City on March 12, 1976."

Regan, Robert. "'English Notes1: A Book Mark Twain Abandoned." Studies in American Humor, 2 (January 1976), 157-170. Regan recovers and reassembles excerpts and incomplete manu- scripts of a book that Twain abandoned. Regan admits that while "English Notes" is no masterpiece, it does illuminate a stage in Mark Twain's career and hints at a possibility for the author's abandonment of it. In 1978 Twain wrote, "one is bound to respect England. . .but she is not a good text for hilarious literature."

Reynplds, Ralph. "The Tumbleweeds Connection." Writer's Digest, 56 (September 1976), 43-44. A portrait of Tom K. Ryan, cartoonist of the King Feature strip, Tumbleweeds. Ryan says that for him "thinking funny" may be the toughest task in cartooning whereas the drawing is "pretty well automatic."

Rollins, Peter C. "Will Rogers: Symbolic Man, Journalist, and Film Image." Journal of Pop- ular Culture, 9 (Spring 1976), 851-877. Rollins discusses the hopes and anxieties of post WWI America, the values associated with the "private" Will Rogers and how these values penetrated his humor, and the evolution of the Rogers persona into film. Rollins thesis states: "Franklin Delano Roosevelt was not alone in concluding that the sanity of Americans in the turbulent early decades of the twentieth century had been preserved because of the sympathy and humor of this complex companion of the American people."

RQSer*swaike, Jerry. "This Creature (Gahan Wilson) Has Sharks in His Bathtub!" Rush, 1 (October 1976), 22-25, 72-75. Wilson reveals many of the influences on his work - from W.C. Fields to George Herr iman to horror films. Many of his cartoons are based on fear of murder, violence, and exploitation. "People always ask me where I get my ideas. They think I have a bizarre imagination. I don't. Life gives me more than enough ideas."

Rubinstein, E. "Observations of Keaton's Steamboat Bill, Jr . " Sight and Sound, 44 (Autumn 1975 244-247. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1927) was Buster Keaton's last film from his own studio. Along with The Cameraman, Keaton's first Metro feature, Steamboat Bill carries to summation the story of its author's accomplishment and marks the beginning of his "imprisonment and decline."

Sandberg, Trish. "An Interview with Steve Mills." Educational Theatre Journal, 27 (October 1975), 331-341. Steve Mills, now 81 years old, has been in show business 65 years and has been closely, though not exclusively, associated with burlesque. Mills reminisces about vaudeville, the times and the people.

Saunders, Allen. "Playwright for Paper Actors." The 1977 Writer's Yearbook, 48 (1977), 41- 43. Saunders, writer of "Mary Wòrth" and "Steve Roper," tells freelance writers how to break into the comic strip business. He then reveals his personal methods of writing a strip and gives a description of his "typical day" at work.



Page 22 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter

"Sexist Humor. " Science Digest , 80 (November 1976), 21. This is a brief report on the follow- up research of a 1970 study done by Joanne Cantor, Professor of Communications at the University of Wisconsin. Ms. Cantor's latest research, done to test the possible effects of the feminist movement, showed that both men and women thought that jokes ridi- ^ culing women were funnier than those ridiculing men. "Not only has the anti-female bias been demonstrated again, but this time females showed the bias to a greater extent," re- marked Dr. Cantor.

Shaw, Patrick W. "The Excrement Festival: Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five." Scholia Satyr ica, 2 (Autumn 1976), 3-11. Vonnegut's use of the Swiftian excremental vision in his novel * is designed to demonstrate that "Humankind is merely part of a biological functioning, taking place amidst an indifferent universe that a careless Tralfamadorian will someday blow to dust."

Sklar, Robert. "The Fonz, Laverne, Shirley, and the American Class Struggle." American Film, 2 (April 1977), 24-28. "What does it mean when the sitcoms turn hostile, showing con- . flict instead of sweet accord? Probably no more than a pleasant catharsis, a vicarious thrill to see the rich and the stuck-up get their comeuppance." Skl^r contends that if television reinforces behavior and attitudes, then these television characters encourage viewers to persevere in their own personal battles.

Sloane, David E.E. "Mark Twain's Comedy: The lSTO's-" Studies in American Humor, 2 (January < 1976), 146-156. The 1870's mark Twain's real growth as a writer. Twain overshadows his contemporary literary comedians because he was able to "refocus humor on the broader philosophical aspects of culture and social relationships." Twain was cosmopolitan in scope.

Smith, Debbie. "A Conversation with Andy Capp." Saga, 53 (January 1977), 24-28,66. Smith describes Reg Smythe, creator of Andy Capp, as "decidedly no-nonsense, refreshingly humble in the face of all the international honors and awards which have been heaped upon* him over the 15 years that Andy Capp has been staggering through the funnies." Smythe admits that his mail comes from all over the world, and particularly from women who see reflections of their husbands in Andy Capp. About Andy, Smythe says, "I think Andy Capp is just like Tower Bridge - he's just there."

Stein, Harry. "Mel Brooks Says This is the Funniest Man in the World." Esquire, 85 (June <

1976), 88-90, 122, 124, 126. Stein interviews Harry Ritz of the Ritz Brothers in Las Vegas. Ritz talks about his humor and his contributions to other comedians.

Stevens, John D. "Comic Strips in Black Newspapers." Inklings, No. 5 (Fall 1976), 3-4, 13. This is a brief history of the comic strip in Black newspapers, from their first debut in the 1920s to their sole survivor, Sunny Boy Sam, in the Pittsburgh Courier. *

. "Reflections in a Dark Mirror: Comic Strips in Black Newspapers." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 239-244. Bungleton Green (Chicago Defender) and Sunny Boy Sam (Pittsburgh Courier) , two of the most popular black comic strips, have passed from artist to artist, and like other strips in Black publications, reflect the many aspirations and frustrations of their originators.

Stowe, William McFerrin, Jr. "Damned Funny: The Tragedy of Bert Williams." Journal of Popular Culture, 10 (Summer 1976), 5-13. Stowe studies the personality, character, philosophy, and humor of America's leading black comedian against the racial prejudice of early twentieth century America. In spite of his success as a comedian, Williams re- ^ ceived constant social denigration from the same American public who applauded him on stage. This conflict led W.C. Fields to call Williams "the funniest man I ever saw and the saddest man I ever knew."




Stribling, Ken. "An Interview with Jeff MacNelly." The Rocket T s Blast Comlcollector , No. 133 (January 1977), 22-25. An interview with MacNelly, political cartoonist for the Richmond News-Leader and Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial cartooning. MacNelly talks about his life, his career, comic books, television, and other cartoonists.

"Then and Now." The Saturday Evening Post, 248 (November 1976), 40-41. Two pages of political cartoons from the thirties, reprinted with the Post 1 s salute to freedom of the press. "Cartoonists have always looked at us and the fearfully fallible representatives we elect with a crossed eye. They see us as we are, as we ought to be and as we will never be."

"Thomas Nast: The Father of American Political Cartooning." Inklings, No. 5 (Fall 1976), 5-6. This is a brief article (with illustrations) about Nast and the related exhibition at the Museum of Cartoon Art.

Thompson, Richard. "Meep Meep!" Film Comment, 12 (May/June 1976), 37-39, 42-43. Thompson analyzes the films of Fred "Tex" Avery and Chuck "Acme" Jones in terms of metaphor, iconography, and structure. The analysis is essentially a response to questions concerning violence and death in cartoons.

Tretler, Joseph. "Irreverence: An Interpretation of the Comic Drama." Dissertation Abstracts International , 37 (November 1976), 2509A. Irreverence is an important aspect of comic drama. Tretler examines several plays "to determine how that script enables an auditor to laugh irreverently at the home or death." Tretler defines irreverence as an attitude toward another attitude, "not necessarily meant to change the object of laughter. Irreverence exists in many comic styles, and alters as society alters."

Trimpi, Helen P. "Harlequin-Confidence-Man: The Satirical Tradition of Commedia Dell'Arte and Pantomime in Melville 1 s The Confidence Man. " Texas Studies in Literature and Language , 16 (Spring 1974), 147-193. Trimpi presents internal and external evidence to support her contention that Melville's Confidence Man is a hybrid offspring of commedia dell'arte and pantomime.

"True Love Will Out." American Heritage, 27 (February 1976), 42-43. A two page color spread of an early vintage cartoon strip dating back to 1875. No balloons, but the message is clear: love triumphs again.

Tubau,, Ivan. "The Political and Satirical Cartoon." The UNESCO Courier, 29 (April 1976), 25-27. Spanish cartoonist Tubau (pseudonym Pastecca) defines the essential differences between cartoon humor and oral or literary humor. He ends the article with statements on the growing acceptance and significance of cartoons as vehicles of information.

Turner, Joseph William. "The Comic Historical Novel: Some Recent American Experiments." Dissertation Abstracts International , 37 (Janurary 1977), 4359A. Thomas Berger's Little Big Man, Ishmael Reed's Yellow Back Radio Broke- Down, and John Barth' s The Sot-Weed Façtor are comic historical novels that combine fiction and history. The risk involved in using comedy to challenge this genre is "that it often obscures the novelist's serious historical concerns."

Walker, Mort. "Do Women Have a Sense of Humor?" Inklings, No. 2 (Winter 1976), 10. Walker poses several questions about "women's humor." He then contends that cartooning seems to be an ideal career for women although very few are attracted to the profession. After listing "outstanding" examples of women humorists, he then admits that there seems to be no answer to his discussion.

. "The Museum of Cartoon Art and Emerson College Affiliate." Inklings , No. 2 (Winter 1976), 7-8. The recent affiliation between Emerson College and the Museum of Cartoon Art will enable the College to expand its á>here of interest and influence in the field



Page 24 AMERICAN HUMOR: An Interdisciplinary Newsletter '

of communications. "On the other hand, the Museum will receive the help and advice of Emerson's trustees, faculty and alumni as to the educational use of the Museum's materials and exhibits.

. "What is Comic Art?" Inklings, No. 2 (Winter 1976), 9. Walker attributes Chic Young's success and popularity of his strip "Blondie" to his mastery of communication. Blondie portrayed the average guy in a situation that evoked sympathy and understanding from the reader.

Walter, James F. "A Psychronology of Lust in the Menippean Tradition: Giles Goat-Boy." 4 Twentieth Century Literature, 21 (December 1975), 394-410. Walter places Barth's novel in the vein of Menippean satire and states that while it shares much with works in this genre ' it remains aloof, primarily through "an extravagant spirit of parody which holds nothing sacred finally except the integrity of its hero's vision...."

Ward, Alex. "Satire on Saturday Night." American Film, 1 (July/August 1976), 56-59. Saturday^ Night has managed to turn "shameless, bald-faced satire" into a salable product by breaking all the rules. "The show is performed without canned laughter (allowing bad jokes to writhe in silent agony), with a live but unprompted audience, and with few grudging concessions to the censor and no concessions to taste."

Ward, J. A. "The Hollywood Metaphor: The Marx Brothers, S.J. Perelman, and Nathanael West." ^ The Southern Review, 12 (July 1976), 659-672. Ward traces some of the parallels in the works of Perelman, West, and the Marx Brothers. "I am discussing not influences but affinity. However, if there is any possibility of artistic influence, the line would probably be from the Marx Brothers to Perelman to West, though each had his independent sensibility and found Hollywood abrasive in distinct ways."

Weixlmann, Joseph. "'such a devotee of Venus in our Captain...': The Use and Abuse of Smith's Generali Historie in John Barth's The Sot-Weed Factor. " Studies in American Humor, 2

<

(October 1975), 105-115. Barth's indebtedness to John Smith's Generali Historie of Virginia, New England, and The Summer Isles (1624) has been grossly overlooked. At least seven Sot-Weed characters can be traced to the Generali Historie. "The reader should understand Barth's adaptation of his source since The Sot-Weed Factor is mock-epic in spirit and since scope is of such great concern in any epic." <!

Wheatcroft, John. "'Holy Ghosts in Cages' - A Serious View of Humor in Emily Dickinson's „ Poetry." American Transcendental Quarterly, No. 22 (Spring 1974), 95-104. Wheatcroft contends that some kind of humor can be found in most of Emily Dickinson's poems, and often in those that record the most anguish. "Stated simply and directly, my thesis is { that her humor undermines the foundations of New England orthodoxy." Wheatcroft particularly examines Dickinson's religious lyrics to prove his thesis.

■a Whitmore, Edward Jay. "Androgyny and Sex Role Perception in Television Situation Comedies."

Dissertation Abstracts International , 37 (September 1976), 1283A. This is a study of the perceived sex role of self, parents, friends, and characters in four popular tele- { vision comedies : All in the Family, Rhoda, Mary Tyler Moore , and The Bob Newhart Show. Based on the responses of the participants of the study, "It would appear that 'sex 17

appropriate' behavior is an important component in the creation and maintenance of the * personalities of most television characters."

Wiener, Thomas. "The Human Comedy." American Film, 1 (September 1976), 2. Wiener comments ^ on the state of television's situation comedies and sees them as better treatments of the .m human condition than most "so-called dramatic programs." They are human comedies that deal with believable people in real situations. *

Willenson, Kim, et al. "The Caped Crusader." Newsweek, 87 (June 14, 1976), 48. This is a




brief description of South Africa's rising comic book cult hero, Mighty Man, the Human Law Enforcing Dynamo, modeled textually and philosophically after Superman. Richard Manville and fifteen American artists produce Mighty Man for a South African firm called Afri-Comics which has been enjoying great success.

Wilmes, Douglas Robert. "The Satric Mode in Melville's Fiction: Pierre, Israel Potter, The Confidence Man, and the Short Stories." Dissertation Abstracts International, 37 (January 1977), 4360A. Satire in Melville's works becomes central only after Moby Dick. "This study examines the relationship of Melville's satiric vision to the changing di- mensions of his artistic concerns and estimation of his readership during the course of his career as a professional writer, with emphasis on the later fiction."

Wolf, Mark. "The Special Effects of Flesh Gordon." Cinefantastique, 5 (Fall 1976), 40-45. In this article, Wolf explains and details the special effects of the satiric film Flesh Gordon in an attempt "to set the record straight and give credit where credit is due."

Woll, Allen L. "The Comic Book in a Socialist Society: Allende's Chile, 1970-73." Journal of Popular Culture, 9 (Spring 1976), 1039-1045. Allende and his socialist government press, Quimantu, began printing (in 1971) La Firme, the official national comic book, in an attempt to counteract the infiltration of North American values and ideals spread by American comic books , especially Walt Disney publications . The Firme experiment , which attempted to encourage new Chilean values, died with "the military takeover in 1973.

Wynne, Judith F. "The Sacramental Irony of Flannery O'Connor." The Southern Literary Journal, 7 (Spring 1975), 33-49. This article is a study of "sacramentality" as an enriching characteristic of the satiric irony of Flannery O'Connor.

Zanger, Jules. "The Minstrel Show as Theater of Misrule." The Quarterly Journal of Speech, 60 (February 1974), 33-38. Zanger discusses three aspects of the minstrel show - End Man- Interlocutor Routines, Stump Speeches, and Burlesque - that particularly reveal a consistent pattern of social bias. The biases reflect antagonism toward American Victorian high culture and general European culture. Black Minstrelsy was also a way to caricature the black man and disguise the white performer who was "articulating the discontent of a broad section of America with the pieties of genteel American culture."

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