| Creator Barbara Hall (1919-2014) |
| Profession Penciller, Inker |
| Total Entries 3 |
| Articles She Changed Comics: Pre–Code & Golden Age – CBLDF Barbara Hall – Wikipedia Robbins Salutes “Babes in Arms,” World War II’s Female Cartoonists – CBR |
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Trina Robbins: As you may know — or maybe you don’t know — as in every other industry the guys who were working in comics who were draft age either enlisted or were drafted. And as in every other industry, women filled their positions. There were more women during World War II working in comic books than there had ever been before. I think possibly because the editors were just smart enough to give them the right work, what they drew and tended to draw were strong, beautiful women who fought the Axis. These are four specific women who definitely, during the war, drew strong beautiful women fighting the Axis. That’s “Babes in Arms.” CBR: Why did you pick these four artists to highlight? Trina Robbins: They were kind of natural. Barbara Hall and Jill Elgin worked for Harvey and they drew “Girl Commandos.” Everybody knows “Blackhawks,” but the “Girl Commandos” are like a female Blackhawks. They’re a team made up of women, all of whom come from countries being attacked by the Axis… On the Fiction House side, there’s Lily Renee and Fran Hopper, both of whom, God bless them, are still with us in their nineties. There’s “Jane Martin”, who’s a flying nurse. She starts out as a nurse who can fly planes, and the nurse part is discarded by the wayside at a certain point and she’s this heroine aviatrix who fights the Axis. Gorgeously drawn. CBR: Fiction House is a publisher that comics readers who aren’t Golden Age fans may not know about. Trina Robbins: I am such a Fiction House fan. They’re one of my two favorite Golden Age comics publishers, along with Timely. First of all, during the War, when the comic companies were hiring women, Fiction House had more women working for them than any of the other companies. They always had a theme, which was beautiful, active women. You’ll see covers where the women are in peril and being rescued by men, but you will also see covers where the women are doing the rescuing, where women are in action. Senorita Rio sword fighting with this guy while the man she’s trying rescue is sliding off the roof, hanging by his fingernails. And not just in covers drawn by women. All those “Sheena” comics where she’s rescuing her dopey boyfriend Bob on the cover, or rescuing some child who’s being attacked by a lion — all of these beautiful women on the covers being active and in control. Fiction House was really great about it. ~ Robbins Salutes “Babes in Arms,” World War II’s Female Cartoonists – CBR
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