COMICS WITH
PROBLEMS issue #1
REX
MORGAN, M.D. Talks... About Your Unborn Child!
Free comic, distributed at Pennsylvania liquor
stores
16 pages, full color throughout, newsprint, ca. 1980
PROBLEM
DEALT WITH: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
YOUR
LETTERS
send us your thoughts, at epersoff@yahoo.com
(indicate a first name and a city)
I love
it when Rex Morgan makes Ken cry!
-- Rebecca, Atlanta GA
What
the hell is up with that plotline with the whole cut hand? Sorry,
no offense. Just Very Confused. Is that the easiest way to spin
the theme of fetal alcohol syndrome into a comic book plot?
More simply, couldn't she have been scripted as an expecting
mother visiting Rex Morgan's office for some advice on prenatal
care? Is a plot even neccessary with a topic like this? Why
not just a simple illustrated sheet with all the neccessary
facts and a phone number to call for more information? Again,
I'm totally confused.
--
Richard, Austin TX
I
did get a kick out of the argument scene in the beginning though,
I will admit. "DON'T UNWRAP THAT TOWEL FROM YOUR HAND!"
... "STOP YELLIN' AT ME, KENNY!"
-- Richard, Austin TX
I think
what is especially interesting is the implication that women,
left to their own devices while "temporarily disabled"
by pregnancy, can only get into trouble — drinking, smoking,
cutting their hands. It's never explained how Linda cut her
hand, just that she was drinking and the lacerated tendon was
a direct result of drinking while pregnant and nothing else.
I can't believe this was published as late as 1980.
--
Ann, Washington DC
The
dialogue has So! Many! Exclamation! Marks!
--
Thomas, Chicago IL
(Additionally) The point about the lacerated tendon and Linda's
reluctance to have it "stitched up" is mildly funny
in a mildly insulting way. Rex has to point out to her (page
six) that a finger that won't bend is BAD only when one will
have a new baby to care for. As if that is the only reason for
the surgery. If she was any other drunken trollop, he'd treat
her and street her. But since there is the welfare of a child
to consider, bring on the specialists. I also like that the black
doctor gets to school the white guy in how to control women at
the end.
-- Ann, Washington DC
Panel
2 on Page 2. The guy is pitchin a tent.
I mean, what else could it be? ... and it's funny, cause the nurse
is kinda hiding around the corner.
-- Nathan, Denver CO
from
information on the back cover
The
single largest mistake about this comic that I see is that it
was clearly intended for an audience of ALCOHOL CONSUMERS. It
says on the back of the comic itself that copies were distributed
at liquor stores, doesn't it? Where the fuck did you find this
thing anyway? My thoughts, though:
1) First off, I can't imagine finding this in my paper
sack when I got home from the liquor store, ha, how
offensive! what the fuck? — and 2) the title is SO EXPLICITLY
about pregnancy that I, as a reader couldn't expect anything
more than sixteen jam-packed pages about pregnancy throughout.
Especially if I was to merely skim the contents without reading
too closely, or if I found myself reading it buzzed or completely
hammered, maybe? Therein lies the funniest jokes, to me, that
are found in REX MORGAN MD TALKS ABOUT YOUR UNBORN CHILD: How
does it read to the drunks? With that as a consideration,
I think we're treated to a number of hilarious accidents in
comics storytelling, especially for our drunken readership who
got this comic when they went out to buy a bottle of tequila.
--
Paul, San Francisco, CA
that
ONE panel about "SEWIN' THIS THING UP AND LETTIN ME OUTA
HERE" is totally hilarious if you think the comic is
just about pregnancy, don't you think? What's the hurry to
leave, don't you need rest? I just skimmed the comic and that's
the panel I first paid attention to. I guess I'm a sicko.
--
William, Seattle WA
To the Batcave,
Rex! -- Andrew, Phoenix AZ
Personally,
I always LOATHED this kinda stock uptight drawing style that
comprised so much of mainstream bullshit comix when I was
growing up. Yccch. Nothing personal, looking at this thing
just takes me back to those mid-60s when comix looked like
that -- the main reason why Crumb made such an impression
and so easily breathed life into the bloated corpse of comics.
--
Scott, NYC NY
possible Drunken Question asked to self:
"Why is he operating on the pregnant lady's face?"
optional
Beligerant Drunk Statement:
"That's her mouth, you idiot!"
-- Andrew, Phoenix AZ
It's
so important to have the voice of male authority, that it
is so necessary that it makes perfect sense to have a cartoon
doctor lecturing women (WOMEN REMEMBER ONE THING...) on how
to care for their unborn children.
Christ,
Garfield is male! Will he lecture us on the dangers of consuming
raw fish during pregnancy? Hagar the Horrible on the risks
of unpasturized cheese?
Where
is Sally Forth? Cathy?
--
Alyssa, Washington DC
Panel
2 Page 7. what is that guy doing
with his hand? It looks like he's making the 'jack-off' motion
"Is linda's hand going to be all right?"
"If you know what I mean"
-- Nathan, Denver CO
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