I'm writing a history of reefer madness and marijuana demonization. Please help!

[David Malmo-Levine]

I'm looking for comics about marijuana - specifically comics that demonize marijuana.

Have any of them been downloaded here?

Is there a list of them in existence?

[Yoc]

I'd suggest you first do a search on the Grand Comics Database -
http://www.comics.org/searchNew/?q=marijuana&sort=year

Some on the list we should have like the Fox, Quality and ME books.  But the DC books we can't share.
But you might hunt them down from other sources.

-Yoc

[erwin-k]

Radar, the International Policeman, in Fawcett's Master Comics, fought drug smugglers a time or two. I don't think the exact drugs were specifically identified. I'm pretty certain actual drug use was not shown.


Circa 1938 The Secret Agent X pulp magazine gave us "Curse of the Mandarin's Fan." The story told how the Opium gangs warred with the Marijuana gang to see which would be the only addictive drug sold in San Francisco. The author gave the impression that the two drugs had exactly the same Reefier Madness effect on all users.

[darkmark (RIP)]

There's one site I've seen out there with a bunch of marijuana comic stories from the Golden Age, but I dunno where it is.

[TheCosmicMoth]

I  just came across this. In Fox's Blue Beetle #3, there's a short text story entitled "Blue Beetle's Quiet Night" and it's a whopper of a marijuana horror story. It centers around the ganja driving high school students to commit suicide. The Blue Beetle is forced to take down the drug syndicate (perhaps hypocritically by using a different drug- Vitamin 2X). Definitely worth the read for your piece, if I'm not too late with this recommendation.

[SuperScrounge]

Years ago I came across a site that had scans of various old comics dealing with marijuana. Don't remember the site name or address although two of the stories were...


A Federal Men story in Adventure Comics #39 where the lead says, "Marihuana, the drug that causes the smoker to lose all moral restraint". and has the smokers rob a gas station, shoot the attendant and run over a man.

A Johnnie Law story in More Fun Comics #25 where a smoker thinks snakes are chasing him.

In the Canadian comic Active Comics there is a Dixon of the Mounted story about Dixon chasing down a man selling marihuana to an Indian tribe. I've only read the first part so far, but it runs from issues 8 to 11. A Canadian museum has scans of the comics online and links can be found at http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/200/301/lac-bac/bell_features_collection-ef/BellFeaturesCollection-findingaid-2016-06-21.pdf

[SuperScrounge]

The Active Jim story in Active Comics #27 features pushers trying to get kids hooked on marijuana.

[Yoc]

Someone has said there is one in Realistic Romances 016 (Avon)

[srca1941]

The Airboy story in Airboy Comics vol.5 no.7 may be an interesting side note. It features Airboy used as a drug mule for a cocaine syndicate.

-Eric.

[TheCosmicMoth]

The first two episodes of The Blue Beetle radio show also has BB taking down a drug ring. I think they're selling marijuana, but my memory of it is a little hazy. You can listen to them here: http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=2796

[erwin-k]

Just posted here is Whiz Comics #13. The Dan Dare story revolves around cocaine smuggling.

[GeneYas]

Danger #4 from Comic Media has a Marijuana story.

[erwin-k]

Not MJ, but the Mr. Risk story in the recently posted Super-Mystery Vol 7 #5 has the same type of story about stolen prescription drugs.

[JunoEven]

Headline Comics #24 (Prize, May 1947) contains a great "Marijuana Addiction" story, which has the added bonus of having some superb, vintage Jack Kirby artwork.

[Yoc]

The giveaway Trapped (1954) is anti-drugs.
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?dlid=18809

-Yoc