Commercial Publications
Many works that are sponsored and distributed by government agencies are contracted out to commercial companies or authors. Some of these publications use popular characters to capture the public's attention, and the companies or authors often retain copyright over the material, although the publications are typically distributed to the public for free.
Also included here are commercial graphic novel adaptations of official government publications. These are usually created without the direct involvement of the agency that produced the original document and are sold through commercial venues for a profit.
American Visuals Corporation
American Visuals Corporation was founded by Will Eisner in 1948 to produce instructional comics for businesses and government agencies. From 1951 to 1971 they produced the Army training periodical PS: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly.
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Are You Looking into Your Future?
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Call Number: L 1.2:F 98/4 xPublication Date: ©1960This vocational guidance comic book was developed by cartoonist Will Eisner's American Visuals Corporation from material provided by the U.S. Department of Labor. It encourages teenagers and young adults of 1960 to prepare themselves for the impending shift of the job market from a largely rural economy to a primarily urban economy, which will enable them to earn more, but will also require a very different set of job skills.
Commercial Comics, Inc.
From 1946 until his retirement in 1991, Malcolm Ater produced educational and promotional comic books for politicians, government agencies, and commercial industries through his company, called at various times Malcolm Ater Productions or Commercial Comics, Inc. He wrote the scripts himself based on information provided by his clients, then assigned the artwork to any of a number of artists. In the 1960s, Ater became the commercial agent for Field Enterprises, Inc. and created government comics starring some of their most popular characters, including Dennis the Menace, Mark Trail, Andy Capp, and Rex Morgan, M.D.
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Dennis the Menace Takes a Poke at Poison (1961 edition)
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Call Number: PN6728 .D467 1961Publication Date: © 1961 Hall Syndicate, Inc.According to to oral testimony by FDA historian Wallace Janssen, who had served as FDA's public information officer from 1951 to 1966, this comic was written by Malcolm Ater of the Commercial Comics, Inc., who adapted the script from a poster written by Janssen and Dr. Irvin Kerlan, a pediatrician on FDA's staff who was at one time the acting director. (History of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 1984, p. 48) According to Mark Arnold's Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace (2017), the author was Fred Toole, who was writing the scripts for the Dennis the Menace comic books at the time.
Also available at UNT:
Dennis the Menace Takes a Poke at Poison (1969 reprint of 1961 edition). -
Dennis the Menace takes a Poke at Poison (1981 edition, revised 1987)
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Call Number: HE 20.4002:P 75/4/987 xPublication Date: © 1981 Field Newspaper Syndicate; Revised 1987 North America Syndicate, Inc.Author information from Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace, by Mark Arnold -
Andy Goes to the Parks.
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Call Number: I 29.2:AN 2/6 xPublication Date: © 1975 Daily Mirror Newspapers, Ltd.Comic book issued by the National Park Service to make visitors aware of safety concerns when visiting the parks. Introductory letter by Gary Everhardt, Park Service director during the Ford administration. (Sadly, Everhardt and his wife both passed away from COVID-19 in December 2020.) Based on Andy Capp comic strip created by Reggie Smythe. Includes safety tips and a questionnaire surveying park visitors' behavior and inviting suggestions for reducing the number of accidents in the parks. -
Rex Morgan, M.D. Talks about Your Unborn Child!
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Call Number: T 70.2:C 43Publication Date: 1980Cautionary tale about how drinking while pregnant can harm the fetus. Distributed by National Clearinghouse for Alcohol Information (NCAI). Includes introductory letter by G.R. Dickerson (director of the BATF) and contact information for NCAI and for regional BATF offices. No author is credited, but the Rex Morgan, M.D. comic strip was created and written (but not drawn) by psychiatrist Nicholas Dallis. Also available in Spanish.
Dietz Press and Victoria Publishing: Naval Aviation Training Comics by Ted Ritter and Bob Gadbois
The Chronicles of Elmore
While in pre-flight school at the Naval Flight Training School in Murray, Kentucky, writer Theodore J. Ritter and cartoonist Robert W. Gadbois (pronounced "GAD-boy") came up with the idea of collaborating on a series of humorous books depicting the experiences of a typical naval air cadet trainee progressing through the five stages of Naval Aviation Cadet Training. After a minor disagreement over the protagonist's name—Ritter preferred "Elmer," Gadbois "Elmo"—the collaborators compromised on the name "Elmore." Ritter, who edited the base paper, would write the text. Gadbois, whom Ritter had recruited as cartoonist for the base paper, created cartoon-style illustrations to bring Ritter's captions to life. In addition to his writing duties, Ritter would serve as Gadbois' model for their snub-nosed hero. During the next eighteen months, as they progressed through the Naval Aviation Cadet Training program, the two young creators developed Elmore's story out of their own personal experiences.
While the books were still being written, Ritter shopped the idea for the series around to several publishers but had difficulty selling the unfinished project, since it would require both of them to complete both a challenging military training program and a series of five books. Eventually the Dietz Press in Richmond, Virginia took a chance and all five volumes of the series were completed and published, although as it turns out, both Ritter and Gadbois "washed out" while in the final stage of the Naval Aviation Cadet Training program. Elmore, fortunately, managed to make it through and earn his Golden Wings.
The Chronicles of Elmore appeared in five separate volumes, corresponding to the five phases of Naval Aviation Cadet Training:
- Flight Preparatory School (Phase I)
- War Training Service (Phase II)
- Pre-Flight School (Phase III)
- Primary Training (Phase IV)
- Intermediate Training (Phase V)
Although they were written for and by members of the military, these comics were not issued directly by any government agency. The books were made available through book stores, Ship's Service Stores, Post Exchanges, and news companies, and could also be obtained by directly contacting the publisher, Dietz Press.
(This account is based on an interview with Bob Gadbois that appeared in the Daily Iowan shortly after the war: https://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1945/di1945-11-29.pdf. For a more detailed account of the day-to-day experiences of a cadet in the Naval Aviation Training Program, see Wings of Gold: An Account of Naval Aviation Training in World War II: The Correspondence of Aviation Cadet/Ensign Robert R. Rea, edited and with introduction by Wesley Phillips Newton and Robert R. Rea. Wings of Gold is also available online.)
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Phase 1: Elmore at Flight Preparatory School
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Call Number: U408.3 .G33 1944 V.1Publication Date: 1943Elmore's experiences at Flight Preparatory School comprise the first in a series of five volumes that will eventually cover all stages of Naval Aviation Cadet Training. Cover title is "Elmore." -
Phase 2: W.T.S. Training
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Call Number: U408.3 .G33 1944 V.2Publication Date: 1944This volume in the Elmore saga depicts the second phase of the Naval Aviation cadet's training, which is War Service Training, (W.T.S.). -
Faze III: Elmore at Pre Flight School
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Call Number: U408.3 .G33 1944 V.3Publication Date: 1944The third volume in the Elmore saga describes the third phase of Navy pilot training (whimsically spelled as "Faze 3" or "Faze III"), which is Pre-Flight School. This phase requires no flying, but includes rigorous training in military activities, academics, and especially physical education. Cover title is Faze 3: Elmore at Pre-Flight. -
Phase 4: Elmore at Primary
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Call Number: U408.3 .G33 1944 V.4Publication Date: 1944This pamphlet describes the experiences of cadets going through the Primary Flight phase of training, the object of which is to set the habits and patterns of precision flight needed to perform certain complex maneuvers in an airplane. -
Phase 5: Intermediate
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Call Number: U408.3 .G33 1944 V.5Publication Date: 1944Describes the experience of a Naval Aviation cadet going through the last and most difficult phase of training. Cover title is Elmore: The Naval Aviation Story, Phase Five—Intermediate "Twenty Months from Boot to Ensign." -
Elmore [A Song for Those Who Fly]
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Call Number: SONG 34983Publication Date: 1944Mozart's song "Non più andrai," which pokes fun at a young recruit in the first act of his opera The Marriage of Figaro, has been simplified and adapted as a modern Naval Cadet song to accompany the series of cartoon adventures of "Elmore." Rachel Allyn Hartman, secretary to the Dietz Press, and F. Meredith Dietz, on its editorial staff and also editor of The Southern Literary Messenger, composed the lyrics based on the comic books by Gadbois and Ritter. Copies of the song were sent to all pre-flight training schools, Naval Air stations, and nearby radio stations for free use. This musical score is owned by and housed in the UNT Music Library.
During the last months of their war services, the authors privately published two other books under their own self-publishing imprint Victoria Publishing.
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Bet Your Boots
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Call Number: U408.3 .R48 1944Publication Date: 1944"A most humorous and amusing bird's eye sketch" of Navy recruit training, inspired by the authors' experiences at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. (Cover title: "Bet Your Boots: The Story of Recruit Training.") Later, after WWII was over, they created basic training pamphlets for other branches of the Armed Forces.
In 1949, Ritter and Gadbois published A Cartoon Map of the U.S. Naval Training Center at Great Lakes, Illinois. The verso of the map contained a "Short History of the Naval Training Center," illustrated by numerous photos and cartoons. -
Johnny Comes Marching Home
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Call Number: D810.V42 U6734 1945Publication Date: 1945Created in 1945 shortly after World War II ended, this comic provides a bittersweet account of the transition from military back to civilian life after the war. As did Ted Ritter, his creator, Johnny gets married and enrolls at Harvard on the G.I. Bill. Published by Victoria Publishing Company in New York, NY.
After returning to civilian life, Ritter and Gadbois continued to produce and self-publish several more military-related comics. Many of these described the experiences of other departments of the armed forces.
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I Do
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Call Number: D810.V42 U645 1948Publication Date: 1948I Do is the first completely civilian effort Ritter and Gadbois produced. Written in the post-war years, it describes a young man's experience of courtship, betrothal, and marriage. Although there is no reference to the unnamed protagonist's military past, the authors believed that many ex-GIs who not long ago saw themselves in the Chronicles of Elmore would again recognize familiar and more recent incidents in this book. I Do was published by Gadbois and Ritter's original publisher, Dietz Press. -
WAVES in Boots
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Call Number: U408.3 .R489 1949Publication Date: 1949In 1948, a boot camp for WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) opened at the U.S. Naval Training Center at Great Lakes, Illinois. This comic depicts the experience of WAVES going through recruit training, providing an opportunity to depict the idiosyncrasies of the female experience. Cover title is "WAVES in Boots: The Story of WAVE [sic] Recruit Training."
This same year, Ritter and Gadbois published A Cartoon Map of the U.S. Naval Training Center at Great Lakes, Illinois. The verso of the map contained a "Short History of the Naval Training Center," illustrated by numerous photos and cartoons. -
You've Had It: The Story of Basic Training
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Call Number: U408.3 .R5 1950Publication Date: 1950A humorous look at basic training in the U.S. Army, showing the reader what it is like from pre-induction to garrison training and field training. -
Off We Go: The Story of Air Force Basic Military Training
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Call Number: U408.3 .R485 1953Publication Date: 1953Depicts the memorable and sometimes humorous experiences of a young Air Force recruit named Elbert as he goes through the rigors of Basic Military Training and is transformed from a civilian into an Airman. Includes a brief introduction by Brigadier General Sory Smith, Director of Public Information for the Air Force. -
Boots and Boondocks: The Story of Marine Boot Camp
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Call Number: U405 ,R58 1949Publication Date: 1949Tells a story about a farmer named Alvin who enlists in the Marines and endures Marine Corps boot camp. Illustrated throughout with comic illustrations. Includes a page for entering personal information as a memento of one's own boot camp experience. Includes a brief introduction by Brigadier General J.T. Selden, Director of Public Information for the U.S. Marine Corps.
Harvey Publications, Inc.
In 1945, departing servicemen were provided with comic books instructing them on citizenship, family responsibilities, and voting rights, as well as urging them to sign on for another tour of duty. Alfred Harvey supervised production of these titles for the Armed Forces Information and Educational Division Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Some featured well-known characters, while others were produced solely for informational purposes, with characters created specifically for the comic. (The Harvey Comics Companion, by Mark Arnold.)
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Military Courtesy
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Call Number: D 101.20:21-14 xPublication Date: 1950A Korean-War era guide to the byzantine rules on saluting in the U.S. Army. Publication date taken from My Comic Shop and Comic Book Plus websites. -
Time of Decision
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Call Number: D 101.2:D 35/3 xPublication Date: 1950Publication date taken from The Harvey Comics Companion, by Mark Arnold -
Your Vote is Vital!: How to Vote, How to Register, How to Pick a Candidate, Voter's Quiz
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Call Number: PN6727 .Y685 1952Publication Date: © 1952 Harvey Publications, Inc.Speculations on the identities of the artists by collector Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr.: "... There's definitely a lot of [Al] Avison here, but the primary penciler is, I think, Warren Kremer, who was also a major player at Harvey. Kremer was also a chameleon—able to mimic various styles at will. Here he's doing a very sedate, "sophisticated" look to minimize the comic book aspects. Very clean, more so than Avison usually would manage, even at his best. The cover is Avison, as are the "flashback pink/black" sequences. Most of the inks are Avison, too. Kremer pencils the rest and inks a few faces and bodies here and there. Or maybe another hand besides Avison is at work on some of the inks. Hope that helps. Of course, that is simply what I THINK!!!! Nobody "KNOWS" for sure. Peace, Jim (|:{> " (Quoted in Digital Comic Museum.)
King Features Syndicate: Mark Trail
The comic strip character Mark Trail is a spokesperson for the preservation of natural resources—specifically, the three Ws of woods, water, and wildlife. His devotion to these diverse resources has led to his association with several different government agencies. Mark Trail is published by King Features Syndicate, and at one time appeared in approximately 175 newspapers throughout the nation and reached nearly 23 million readers throughout the world.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
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Mark Trail Tells How Prescribed Fire Can Be Helpful to Southern Ecosystems
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Call Number: A 13.2:F 51/80Publication Date: [1995?]This coloring and activity book explains how prescribed fires can benefit people as well as the wildlife and plants living in the forest. All animals and plants depicted are found in the southern United States. The story is framed by two brief appearances by Smokey Bear warning against the wrong kind of forest fire. Printed on recycled paper with special permission of North American Syndicate, Inc.
Available for purchase: Copies of Mark Trail Tells How Prescribed Fire Can Be Helpful to Southern Ecosystems can be ordered online from the U.S. Forest Service National Symbols Cache. -
Mark Trail: Living on the Wild Side… Responsibly, An Activity Book about Living Near Wildlands
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Call Number: A 13.2:W 64/46 xPublication Date: © 2005 North America Syndicate, Inc.This coloring and activity book describes the responsibilities, risks, and rewards of living in the Wildland Urban Interface—i.e., the area where wildlands and urban environments meet. Designed with the input of many teachers and students to be educational, fun, and self-contained (with options for expanding lessons), the activities in this book meet the following National Achievement Standards: The 1996 National Science Education Standards, the 1996 Standards for English and Language Arts, the 1994 National Geography Standards, the 2000 Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, and the 1996 National Standards for History. It is printed on recycled paper. Printed with special permission of King Features Syndicate, this book was partially funded through a National Fire Plan grant.
Available for purchase: Copies of Mark Trail: Living on the Wild Side… Responsibly can be ordered online from the U.S. Forest Service National Symbols Cache.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
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Mark Trail Tells the Story of a Fish in Trouble
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Call Number: I 49.2:F 52/20Publication Date: ©1990 North American Syndicate, Inc. (1992 reprint)This coloring book tells the story of Mark Trail and his son Rusty fishing for striped bass, also known as striper or rockfish. They discover that the striper's population is dwindling because of pollution and other forms of human interference, and Mark describes what the U.S. government is doing and what American citizens can do to help increase the striper population. -
Take Pride in America with Mark Trail: A Coloring Book
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Call Number: I 49.2:P 93Publication Date: ©1987 North American Syndicate, Inc.Take Pride in America is a national public awareness campaign to encourage careful stewardship of the Nations outstanding natural and cultural resources. In this promotional coloring book, Mark Trail teaches his son Rusty about the importance of our natural resources and gives advice on how to take care of them so that our friends and families and future generations can enjoy the same exciting adventures for years to come. The book is filled with drawings of various American species. -
Wetlands Coloring Book
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Call Number: I 49.2:W 53/10Publication Date: 1986As part of the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the Duck Stamp, Jack Elrod, artist and writer of the popular Mark Trail comic strip, was commissioned to create this coloring book to emphasize the great value of wetlands and to encourage the sale of Duck Stamps. -
Wetlands Coloring Book [E-book]
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Call Number: I 49.2:2004014941Publication Date: 1999A coloring book about wetlands and the animals inhabiting wetlands. Art by Jack Elrod, artist and writer of the adventure comic Mark Trail.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Since 1997, Mark Trail has been the official spokes-character of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), making him the voice of NOAA National Weather Service and NOAA Weather Radio. Special Mark Trail cartoons created specifically for NOAA depict him giving advice on how to deal with severe water and weather situations and hawking NOAA radios.
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Mark Trail Rip Current cartoonNOAA has designated the first week in June as Rip Current Awareness Week. This cartoon features Mark Trail explaining and demonstrating how to avoid becoming a victim to rip currents. For more information, go to www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.
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NOAA Coral Reef Watch — Mark Trail ComicThis Mark Trail cartoon describes the benefits of coral reefs and the dangers they face from warming waters followed by disease.
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Mark Trail Comic — February 11, 2007This comic strip describes the history and achievements of NOAA, which celebrated its 200th anniversary on February 11, 2007.
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Mark Trail Works with NOAAThis collection highlights most of the NOAA-related Mark Trail Sunday cartoons that appeared from 1995 to 2006. Includes a chronology that lists the date and theme of each cartoon.
Marvel Comics Group
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The Battle of the Energy Drainers
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Call Number: E 1.2:C 17/3 xPublication Date: 1980This public service giveaway comic book teaches children about energy conservation through a story that pairs Captain America with the Campbell Kids soup mascots in a battle against a trio of energy-wasting supervillains: the Thermal Thief, the Wattage Waster, and the Doomsday Man. Also includes energy facts, games, puzzles, and quizzes. -
Captain America Goes to War against Drugs
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Call Number: J 1.14/2:C 17 x [V.1/NO.1]Publication Date: ©1990 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc.The development and first printing of this special comic book have been accomplished through the support and efforts of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc., the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, the American Council for Drug Education and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The story is referred to on the splash page as "High Heat." The comic is designated "Volume 1, No. 1," but was not followed by any other issues.
Toby Press, Inc.
Toby Press, Inc. was founded by Elliott Caplin, the brother of Al Capp, and started out publishing reprints of Al Capp's Li'l Abner comic strip.Toby Press produced several promotional comic books for the U.S. military to encourage high school students to join up.
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Dick Wingate of the United States Navy
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Call Number: D 208.2:D 36 xPublication Date: © 1951 Toby Press, Inc. -
Li'l Abner Joins the Navy!
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Call Number: D 208.2:L 62 xPublication Date: 1950Artwork is mostly by Vic Herman, who caricatured himself within the story as the character Drawin'-Board McEasel. All Li'l Abner characters were prepared by Al Capp, though some of the images appear to have been re-purposed from previously published work. Al Capp characters are copyrighted, 1950, by United Features Syndicate, Inc.
Harvey Publications: Citizenship Story Books
After World War II, the Department of Defense commissioned Harvey Publications to create the Citizenship Series—a series of "picture story books" (i.e., comic books) designed to teach the general public how to be good citizens. There were a total of five books in the series, but for some reason they were numbered 2 through 6.
In the 1940s political indoctrination was the responsibility of the Office of the Chief of Information (OCINFO). In 1950 the Defense Department created the Armed Forces Information and Education Division (AFIED) to oversee OCINFO and other internal information programs. Originally a division of the Defense Department's Personnel Policy Board, AFIED was moved to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Personnel) in 1951, and in 1952 AFIED changed its name to Office of Armed Forces Information and Education (OAFIE). (Political Indoctrination in the U.S. Army from World War II to the Vietnam War, by Christopher S. DeRosa, pp. 91–92.)
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PSB-2: The Man Who Wouldn't Quit
Call Number: PN6727 .M365 1952Publication Date: © 1952 Harvey Publications, Inc.First picture story book in the Citizenship Series. Shows what can be accomplished for the good of a community when an individual can obtain the support of a sufficient number of people. Points out that in our democracy, the government exists to serve the people. -
PSB-3: Kerry Drake in "The Case of the Sleeping City"
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Call Number: PN6728.A535 K47 1952Publication Date: © 1952 Harvey Publications, Inc.Second Picture Story Book in the Citizenship Series. Shows how teamwork and the use of the vote rid a city of corrupt government and established instead a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. -
PSB-4: Joe Palooka in "It's All in the Family"
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Call Number: D 2.2:F 21/2 xPublication Date: [1945]Third picture story book in the Citizenship Series. Shows how our American way of life has its origin in the family circle, where good citizenship and neighborliness are instilled in us from childhood. -
PSB-5: Strong for the People
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Call Number: D 2.2:ST 8 xPublication Date: [between 1950 and 1952?]Fourth picture story book in the Citizenship Series. Shows the operation of our federal government by narrating the experiences of a freshman congressman. Points out that our government provides protection and safeguards for the welfare of all the people and is only as strong as its people, who elect public servants to office. -
PSB-6: Steve Canyon's Secret Mission
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Call Number: D 2.2:SE 2 xPublication Date: © 1951 Field Enterprises, Inc.Fifth and last picture story book in the Citizenship Series. Shows how democratic people must be, and are, willing to sacrifice time, money, and energy to protect their freedoms against the tyranny and aggression of communism.
Graphic Novel Adaptations of Government Publications
These are works that were originally created and published by government agencies, but were subsequently abridged and adapted by commercial publishers into a graphic novel form for popular consumption. In addition to being abridged, they may include additional historical background information.
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The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation
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Call Number: HV6432.7 .J33 2006bISBN: 0809057395Publication Date: 2006A graphic novel based on The 9/11 Commission report: final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States reveals the Commission's findings regarding the terrorist attacks on the United States and its recommendations concerning what the United States government needs to do in its wake. -
The Mueller Report: Graphic Novel
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Call Number: JK526 2016 .D85 2020 c.2ISBN: 9781684056682Publication Date: 2020-09-15A graphic novel based on the Report on the Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election Submitted Pursuant to 28 C.F.R. 600.8(c), which covers Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election. This graphic novel distills the 400-page legal document to its essence, dramatizing selected scenes described in the report. -
The Torture Report: A Graphic Adaptation
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Call Number: KF31.5.I5 J33 2017ISBN: 9781568585758Publication Date: 2017A graphic novel based on the Report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program, which includes the findings and conclusions as well as the Executive Summary of the final Study on the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program, with additional and minority views of members of the U.S. Senate. (The full Committee Study, which totals more than 6700 pages, remains classified as of 2021.) -
The United States Constitution
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Call Number: E303 .H46 2008ISBN: 9780809094707Publication Date: 2008-10-14An introduction to the United States Constitution, presented in graphic form, detailing important people and events in the creation of the founding document, its Preamble, and twenty-seven amendments.
