“Education of Iron Fist Gookin,” from Star Spangled Comics #18 (1943) is a fine example of how Simon and Kirby could break up their action-filled stories with funny business. It’s well done in all the ways Joe and Jack could craft a story, has laughs and action, and a great pay-off at the end. Gookin, the villain, is looking for a way to make his gang look up to him, to look smart by expanding his vocabulary, which he does thanks to the Newsboy Legion's most erudite member, Big Words.
This is just not something you would see in most comic books of the era, a panel where the bad guy says, “Hi, Gang!! As Shakespeare put it...slappin' cops around is like exacerbatin' de quantitative hyperbole...” It's nonsense — “word salad” — but maybe it got a few 1943 readers to crack the dictionary.
I love these early forties stories S and K did for DC. I read them as reprints in the Fourth World series of comics DC published in the early seventies.
6 comments:
"...And the robbery victim told police the slugging gang boss kept mumbling long meaningless words after his pals had fled with the loot."
"That settles it! I'm sure it's Iron-Fist Gookin...But proving it is a job for the Guardian!"
Man, that's hilarious. I don't know if Simon and Kirby would have been flattered or insulted by the comparison (I DO mean it as a compliment) but that's sounds like something right out of the 1960s Batman TV series.
I always figured Big Words was Simon & Kirby's take on Doc Savage's aide, Johnny, who had a similar way of talking.
Thanks for posting this story, Pappy; I've been curious about it ever since I saw a black and white reproduction of the splash in "All in Color for a Dime", and because my longtime interest in vocabulary has led to my assumed sobriquet.
I'd rather live in Suicide Slum than Homicide Slum.
Charles, Wordsmith: My dad was ashamed of his rural roots and lack of speaking skills, so in the ’50s he bought a book called Seven Days To a Better Vocabulary. I referred to it often. I like a rich vocabulary but found that ultimately it's better to be able to communicate, which for the sake of clarity means sometimes using more common "smaller" words.
It's hard to speak to people when they don't understand what a word means.
I also found out from a friend 20 years ago that the price of big words has gone up: He said, “what used to be 50¢ words are now $2.00 words.” Lord knows what they are now in 2012...$5.00 words?
Incidentally, I have trouble keeping up with and understanding slang. I'm always way behind on street talk. It's best if I just try to meet language in the middle, use few to no big words, and as little slang as possible.
I always figured that Big Words, and Jeff Sandervilt in the Young Allies, were inspired by Waldo in Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals). Many of the kid gangs in comics tended to be patterned on Our Gang (the fat kid, the black kid, the smart kid, the tough kid, etc.)
Thanks for posting this. Yup - Savage was the Source! I assume that the majors powers leave you be because of your obvious love for thye medium and for that I APPLAUD THEM!
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