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Stereotypes of Native Americans: Essays & Images
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Imagery & Stereotyping Explained

Indian Caricatures
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How some people try to distance themselves from these images
Native Americans in Comic Books
The Native American has a long history in the American comic book, appearing most frequently when Western-themed comics were popular during the post-WWII years of the Golden Age (1946-1958). Mostly a plot device, the Indian male was the typically cast as the ignoble savage, while the Indian woman was virtually nowhere to be seen. There were a few examples of the noble savage as well, most notably with the beautiful painted covers of the Indian Chief series and in the character of Tonto, the Lone Ranger's loyal sidekick. Also notable were several "White Indians", Caucasians who had gone native. Eventually, some Native American superheroes arrived on the scene, especially in the 1980s, with powers that emphasized the mystical characteristic of the noble savage. The Authentic History Center is currently collecting sources for an eventual thorough essay on the history of Native Americans in comic books. For now, a gallery of Golden Age covers featuring Native Americans is presented below, as well as a series of ten newspaper strips from the 1930s featuring an early Native American comic character, Big Chief Wahoo.
Apache #1 (1951)
Apache #1 (1951)
Apache Kid #3 (1951)
Apache Kid #3 (1951)
Arrowhead #1 (April 1954)
Arrowhead #1 (April 1954)
Batman #86 (September 1954)
Batman #86 (September 1954)
Billy The Kid #16 (1953)
Billy The Kid #16 (1953)
Black Diamond Western #23 (February 1951)
Black Diamond Western #23 (February 1951)
Black Diamond Western #25 (June 1951)
Black Diamond Western #25 (June 1951)
Black Rider #9 (June 1950)
Black Rider #9 (June 1950)
Black Rider #11 (November 1950)
Black Rider #11 (November 1950)
The Blackhawk and Indian Tomahawk War #1 (1951)
The Blackhawk and Indian Tomahawk War #1 (1951)
Blazing West #3 (Jan-Feb 1949)
Blazing West #3 (Jan-Feb 1949)
Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders #7 (March 1951)
Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders #7 (March 1951)
Buffalo Bill #4 (February 1951)
Buffalo Bill #4 (February 1951)
Chief Victorio's Apache Massacre (1951)
Chief Victorio's Apache Massacre (1951)
Dead-Eye Western Comics #3 (Mar-Apr 1949)
Dead-Eye Western Comics #3 (Mar-Apr 1949)
Fighting Indians of The Wild West #1 (March 1952)
Fighting Indians of The Wild West #1 (March 1952)
Geronimo #1 (1950)
Geronimo #1 (1950)
Geronimo and his Apache Murderers #3 (November 1951)
Geronimo and his Apache Murderers #3 (November 1951)
I Love Lucy #27 (Apr-Jun 1960)
I Love Lucy #27 (Apr-Jun 1960)
Indian Chief #22 (Apr-Jun 1956)
Indian Chief #22 (Apr-Jun 1956)

Indian Chief #23 (Jul-Sep 1956)
Indian Chief #23 (Jul-Sep 1956)

Indian Chief #24 (Oct-Dec 1956)
Indian Chief #24 (Oct-Dec 1956)
Indian Fighter #11 (January 1952)
Indian Fighter #11 (January 1952)
Indians #1 (1950)
Indians #1 (1950)
Indians #2 (1950)
Indians #2 (1950)
Indian Warriors #7 (July 1951)
Indian Warriors #7 (July 1951)

Little Beaver #3 (Sep-Oct 1951)
Little Beaver #3 (Sep-Oct 1951)

The Lone Ranger #25 (July 1950)
The Lone Ranger #25 (July 1950)
Long Bow #1 (1951)
Long Bow #1 (1951)
Red Ryder Comics #50
Red Ryder Comics #50
(September 1947)
Red Ryder Comics #116
Red Ryder Comics #116
(March 1953)
Red Ryder Comics #128 (1954)
Red Ryder Comics #128 (1954)
Red Ryder Ranch Comics #151 (1956)
Red Ryder Ranch Comics #151 (1956)
Redskin #9 (April 1952)
Redskin #9 (April 1952)
The Three Stooges #20 (November 1964)
The Three Stooges #20 (November 1964)
Tomahawk #1 (Sep-Oct 1950)
Tomahawk #1 (Sep-Oct 1950)
Tomahawk #9 (Jan-Feb 1952)
Tomahawk #9 (Jan-Feb 1952)
Tomahawk #47 (March 1957)
Tomahawk #47 (March 1957)
Tonto #2 (Aug-Oct 1951)
Tonto #2 (Aug-Oct 1951)
Western Fighters v.3 #7 (June 1951)
Western Fighters v.3 #7 (June 1951)
Westerner Comics #40 (October 1951)
Westerner Comics #40 (October 1951)
White Chief of the Pawnee Indians #1 (1951)
White Chief of the Pawnee Indians #1 (1951)
White Indian #11 (1953)
White Indian #11 (1953)
White Indian #14 (1954)
White Indian #14 (1954)
Wild Bill Hickok #1 (Sep-Oct 1949)
Wild Bill Hickok #1 (Sep-Oct 1949)
Young Eagle #1 (1950)
Young Eagle #1 (1950)
Young Eagle #5 (April 1957)
Young Eagle #5 (April 1957)
Big Chief Wahoo
Big Chief Wahoo
(10 Sunday Strips)
   
 
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Last modified April 19, 2008
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