Document Type

Other

Screwballs comic: "Toke n' Choke"

Authors

Tom Higgins, University of Maine

Publication Title

The Maine Campus

Publication Date

1-29-1987

First Page

2

Issue Number

14

Volume Number

100

Abstract/ Summary

A four-panel black and white comic strip drawn and authored by Tom Higgins expressing ethnic, black male stereotypes.

Long description.

Panel one: In the foreground is one of the usual white, men characters. The man has a long, rectangular nose and long, flat-top hair style. A speech bubble over his head says, "Hey man, did you get th' stuff?" He is looking in the direction of a black man wearing a striped Zoot suit and black fedora who has opened a door and is walking into the room, toward the white character. The black character is drawn as if he is wearing black face make-up, with a dark face and large, outlined white lips. A cigarette dangles from his lips as he responds, "Yep!"

Panel two shows the black man standing beside a round table, beside the white man. He is still depicted as if wearing black face, the burning cigarette dangling from his white, outlined mouth. The black man is depicted with a pug nose and wearing dark sunglasses with a star burst in the lenses. The white man in profile, seated at a round table. On the table is a baggie containing an indistinct dark substance, two rolled joints. The white man is holding a glass water bong and a lighter and looks toward the black man, standing beside the table. A speech bubble over the white man's head says, "So, is it any good?"

Panel three shows a speech buttle over the black man's head that sayd, "Sure,...it's Asbestos!" The white man's face is pained and a smoke cloud bursts from his mouth with the words, "Choke. Choke." His eyes tightly closed and fingers clenched is a spasm, he asks, "What!?!" followed by two exclamation marks framing a question mark.

Panel four shows half of the black man's face, as he walks away from the table to leave the scene. The dark fedora is now obviously fuzzy. His sunglasses feature a clear starburst reflection of light. A smile marks his large, outlined white mouth as a cigarette is apparently clenched in his teeth. A speech bubble over his head reads: " It's as best 'os I could do!"

In the background, the white man is still seated at the table with an angry scowl on his face and three squiggly lines over his head indicating that he is "steamed."

Identifier

Social Justice_Maine_Campus_vol_100_no_14_p-2_1987-01-29

Repository Citation

Higgins, Tom, "Screwballs comic: "Toke n' Choke"" (1987). Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. 742.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/social_justice/742

Version

publisher's version of the published document

Rights and Access Note

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).