Why hello there, @ObscurityofDCClub and other members of the DC Community! Welcome to Week 63 of Obscurity of DC’s Obscure Book Club! This week we’ll be focusing on…
SNAGGLEPUSS!!!
AGE SUGGESTION: 15+
Number of Issues: 6
Description from dc.com: It’s 1953. While the United States is locked in a nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union, the gay Southern playwright known as Snagglepuss is the toast of Broadway. But success has made him a target. As he plans for his next hit play, Snagglepuss becomes the focus of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. And when powerful forces align to purge show business of its most subversive voices, no one is safe!
Now that that’s over with, here are some discussion questions:
- On page 13 of issue 1, Pablo says “The clown is a joke to everyone except the clown.” What do you think he means by that?
- What do you think is the significance of the segment on The Moe Franklin Show in issue 3? Was it necessary? Explain.
- In issue 5, Snagglepuss is put on trial a second time under allegations of being a communist. As some of you may know, being indicted twice for the same crime (also known as double jeopardy) is explicitly prohibited in the United States Constitution. What do you think this unconstitutional act shows, not just about the Government at the time, but also about Snagglepuss?
- The ending was, for lack of a better word, tragic. Did you like the ending, or did you wish for something happier? Explain.
- A giant part of the series is the House Un-American Activities Committee, a real committee responsible for several high-profile defamations and accusations. There were also references to other remarkable works about McCarthyism, such as Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Do you feel that DC was able to show the true danger and injustice caused by the House Un-American Activities Committee, or do you feel DC made it too silly/unrealistic? Explain.
Do you have an interest in exploring the unknown? Do you like discussing comics?
Do you like pineapple on pizza?If so, The Obscurity of DC Club is the club for you! Join HERE if you’re interested!
