TRIGGER WARNING! "Some modern readers might find the depiction of Choclit in this comic offensive, but it a style of portrayal of black characters common at the time of publication consistent with the then popular minstrel style of musical entertainment. Despite being listed second in the comic's title, Choclit is the star of the story and is depicted as an intelligent boy with a great joy in his life..."
There's a lot to unpack here. Being "a style of portrayal of black characters at the time" does not make it any less racist. Choclit is a little black boy with shorts and suspenders, a large earring, frizzy hair, ebony black skin, large eyes with small pupils, and a wide white mouth signifying huge lips; Choclit's portrayal remains as offensive as that of Winsor McKay's black characters. Contrary to what is stated above, Choclit does not come across as intelligent. He is well-meaning, but is often apt to draw the wrong conclusion; his language is stereotypically racist. The issue starts of with an editorial message, "Choclit's Page," which begins, "Dear Massas, Wif de advent ob de Holiday season, most eberyone am preparing for a short period away from de rush and de bustle ob de big towns and de school-room..." Sheesh! Shades of Mantan Moreland! Give me a break!
Blacks are not the only ones stereotyped here. The Irish take their licking, too, especially in the person of police constable O'Toole ("Bejabbers! Who's this spalpeen?).
So, read it as an example of the thinking of many at the time, and be glad we live in a ore tolerant age. (we do, don't we? At last some of us.)
Choclit's adult friend is the Bosun, sort of a dim bulb. His other good friend is a young boy named Peanut, who appears in a back-up strip, both drawn by Melbourne artist George Needham. The Bosun and Choclit Funnies ran for 121 issues between 1946 and 1958, with the last ten issues titled Choclit and His Little Bruvver Coco.
For some reason, the main story in this issue reminded me of Crocket Johnson's Barnaby, which made it far more palatable.
See what you think.
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=96326&comicpage=&b=i
And, for what it gets anyone, at least Mantan Moreland was someone who presumably received more than his share of hassle, too...and at least managed to keep a career going, to some extent deeply coding how foolish the caricatures he played were. But, indeed, even in late examples such as in SPIDER BABY, it can be hard to take...
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