Photo, Print, Drawing [Pogo]. Is that your friend, the Mole, Deacon?

[ digital file from original ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

About this Item

Title
[Pogo]. Is that your friend, the Mole, Deacon?
Summary
In 1953, when Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigation of communists in government was at its height, Kelly was one of the few editorial voices to speak out against his tactics. He introduced Simple J. Malarkey (a vicious wildcat resembling McCarthy) and the half-blind Mole MacCarony (who probably represented Senator Pat McCarran, a foe of Communism and non-European immigration). The two had been invited by the pious Deacon Mushrat to help clean up dangerous elements in the swamp. Malarkey quickly took over, ousting the Deacon and instituting his own cleanup program. In this four-panel comic strip, Deacon Mushrat welcomes MacCarony, who has come to help with Spring Bird Watching. When Pogo Possum tries to welcome him as well, Mole shoots germ spray into his face, explaining that "Germs are everywhere, sir. Germs of all nations swarm unchecked thru the entire air!" Kelly sugests that those who see communists as omnipresent present a threat of their own.
Contributor Names
Kelly, Walt, artist
Kelly, Walt, copyright claimant
Created / Published
c1953.
Subject Headings
-  McCarthyism--1950-1960
-  Anti-communism--United States--1950-1960
Format Headings
Comics--American.
Drawings.
Editorial cartoons--American.
Genre
Comics--American
Editorial cartoons--American
Drawings
Notes
-  (DLC/PP-1980:101.4)
-  Published by: Post-Hall Syndicate, Mar. 3, 1953.
-  Published in: Ten ever-lovin' blue-eyed years with Pogo / by Walt Kelly. New York : Simon and Schuster, 1959, p. 79.
-  Exhibited: "Hope for America", Bob Hope Gallery, Library of Congress, 2013.
-  Exhibited: "Hope for America : Performers, Politics and Pop Culture" at the Bob Hope Gallery, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., November 2018 - May 2019.
-  jr / 860507; ljr / 000623.
Medium
1 drawing : India ink over blue pencil underdrawing ; 15.1 x 45 cm (sheet)
Call Number/Physical Location
CD 1 - Kelly, no. 54 (A size)
Source Collection
Cartoon Drawings (Library of Congress)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id
acd 2a09818 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/acd.2a09818
Library of Congress Control Number
2016682555
Reproduction Number
LC-DIG-acd-2a09818 (digital file from original)
Rights Advisory
May be restricted: Information on reproduction rights available in LC P&P Restrictions Statement.
Online Format
image
Description
1 drawing : India ink over blue pencil underdrawing ; 15.1 x 45 cm (sheet) | In 1953, when Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigation of communists in government was at its height, Kelly was one of the few editorial voices to speak out against his tactics. He introduced Simple J. Malarkey (a vicious wildcat resembling McCarthy) and the half-blind Mole MacCarony (who probably represented Senator Pat McCarran, a foe of Communism and non-European immigration). The two had been invited by the pious Deacon Mushrat to help clean up dangerous elements in the swamp. Malarkey quickly took over, ousting the Deacon and instituting his own cleanup program. In this four-panel comic strip, Deacon Mushrat welcomes MacCarony, who has come to help with Spring Bird Watching. When Pogo Possum tries to welcome him as well, Mole shoots germ spray into his face, explaining that "Germs are everywhere, sir. Germs of all nations swarm unchecked thru the entire air!" Kelly sugests that those who see communists as omnipresent present a threat of their own.
LCCN Permalink
https://lccn.loc.gov/2016682555
Additional Metadata Formats
MARCXML Record
MODS Record
Dublin Core Record

Rights & Access

Rights assessment is your responsibility.

The Library of Congress does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not license or charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material.

Ultimately, it is the researcher's obligation to assess copyright or other use restrictions and obtain permission from third parties when necessary before publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the Library's collections.

For information about reproducing, publishing, and citing material from this collection, as well as access to the original items, see: Cartoon Drawings - Rights and Restrictions Information

  • Rights Advisory: May be restricted: Information on reproduction rights available in LC P&P Restrictions Statement.
  • Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-acd-2a09818 (digital file from original)
  • Call Number: CD 1 - Kelly, no. 54 (A size)
  • Access Advisory: ---

Obtaining Copies

If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. (Some images display only as thumbnails outside the Library of Congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site.)

Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through Library of Congress Duplication Services.

  1. If a digital image is displaying: The qualities of the digital image partially depend on whether it was made from the original or an intermediate such as a copy negative or transparency. If the Reproduction Number field above includes a reproduction number that starts with LC-DIG..., then there is a digital image that was made directly from the original and is of sufficient resolution for most publication purposes.
  2. If there is information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can use the reproduction number to purchase a copy from Duplication Services. It will be made from the source listed in the parentheses after the number.

    If only black-and-white ("b&w") sources are listed and you desire a copy showing color or tint (assuming the original has any), you can generally purchase a quality copy of the original in color by citing the Call Number listed above and including the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

  3. If there is no information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can generally purchase a quality copy through Duplication Services. Cite the Call Number listed above and include the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

Price lists, contact information, and order forms are available on the Duplication Services Web site.

Access to Originals

Please use the following steps to determine whether you need to fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room to view the original item(s). In some cases, a surrogate (substitute image) is available, often in the form of a digital image, a copy print, or microfilm.

  1. Is the item digitized? (A thumbnail (small) image will be visible on the left.)

    • Yes, the item is digitized. Please use the digital image in preference to requesting the original. All images can be viewed at a large size when you are in any reading room at the Library of Congress. In some cases, only thumbnail (small) images are available when you are outside the Library of Congress because the item is rights restricted or has not been evaluated for rights restrictions.
      As a preservation measure, we generally do not serve an original item when a digital image is available. If you have a compelling reason to see the original, consult with a reference librarian. (Sometimes, the original is simply too fragile to serve. For example, glass and film photographic negatives are particularly subject to damage. They are also easier to see online where they are presented as positive images.)
    • No, the item is not digitized. Please go to #2.

  2. Do the Access Advisory or Call Number fields above indicate that a non-digital surrogate exists, such as microfilm or copy prints?

    • Yes, another surrogate exists. Reference staff can direct you to this surrogate.
    • No, another surrogate does not exist. Please go to #3.
  3. If you do not see a thumbnail image or a reference to another surrogate, please fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. In many cases, the originals can be served in a few minutes. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. Reference staff can advise you in both how to fill out a call slip and when the item can be served.

To contact Reference staff in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, please use our Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Kelly, Walt, Artist, and Walt Kelly. Pogo. Is that your friend, the Mole, Deacon?. United States, ca. 1953. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016682555/.

APA citation style:

Kelly, W. & Kelly, W. (ca. 1953) Pogo. Is that your friend, the Mole, Deacon?. United States, ca. 1953. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2016682555/.

MLA citation style:

Kelly, Walt, Artist, and Walt Kelly. Pogo. Is that your friend, the Mole, Deacon?. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2016682555/>.