Scarlett Jones (BA in English, 2026) spent the Spring 2026 semester as an intern in Special Collections, where for her final project she curated a digital exhibit titled WWII Comic Arts and Propaganda. In this exhibit, Scarlett researched the University of Missouri Library’s vast collection of comic arts to explore how comics, as a popular means of mass media, served as a way to promote the war effort to American audiences wary of explicit propaganda efforts. As Scarlett explains in her exhibit introduction, “Rising quickly through the ranks of popular media, cartoons and comic books provided the perfect platform to promote pro-American rhetoric to the public under the guise of entertainment.” Comics by artists such as Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), John T. McCutcheon, Bill Mauldin, Milton Caniff, and others are featured prominently in the Special Collections holdings selected for the exhibit. The exhibit also features the emergence of Marvel superheroes Captain America, The Invaders, and Sgt. Fury, as well as graphic memoirs on the experiences of those who lived through the Second World War.

Check out the exhibit, WWII Comic Arts and Propaganda, following the link!