Comics

This cartoon demonstrates the assumption that women are bad drivers, but responsible enough to carry a spare bumper. It could be a play on ‘women’s logic’ as actually illogical but relevant.

This demonstrates that children and familial relationships became increasingly dependent on the car. Space and dependability are a lot of the selling points for family cars, and this comic depicts how much room a car has in growing suburbia.

This cartoon demonstrates the naivety of women and while prone to wanting to help other people, perhaps not thinking about the full consequences of their actions. This demonstrates the ‘clueless’ women and the ‘responsible’ man.

This demonstrates that children and familial relationships changed with the advent of the car and the ‘teenager’ as an age group was able to become more prominent. Young girls had an newfound freedom, but fathers also displayed anxiety of the loosening control over daughters and sons as well

This demonstrates the frustration and necessity of the car during Christmas time, as the car is both packed with presents and also the necessary vehicle to transport these presents home from the store. The car itself has an almost futuristic vibe to it, with the glass bubbled top.

This demonstrates the “nagging wife” as they are on a tight curve. All the while, the wife is complaining that the husband is not looking at the scenery when he very well could fall off the cliff if he lost concentration. Again this shows the perception of the wife who expects more out of her husband in unrealistic ways, but also the increasing perception that a car is a necessity and a man’s piece of technology.

This demonstrates that men are also irrational and are subject to road rage. Women then, are the calm, cool, and collected types and are the more comfortable and calmer drivers.

This demonstrates a social commentary on the car advertisements themselves and how unnecessary and materialistic wanting a car can be for a family. This points out that not only do potential customers read the advertisements in newspapers, but also competitors. Since car companies definitely have access to the newspaper, advertisements see other advertisements put out by other car companies and attempt to distinguish themselves either by jargon of the advertisement, performance, aesthetics, or luxury associated with the car. This also demonstrates that the producers do not have all the power in this producer-consumer relationship. Even though mass consumption

Car comics are useful because it provides an element of social commentary to the evolution of the depiction of the car, and what the car meant to specific people at this given time. It is not meant to describe what people exactly thought of the car or peoples relationships with the car, but to demonstrate how these cartoons exaggerate some thoughts of the car or peoples relationship with the car. Cartoons portray societies certain expectations and cartoon artists use it to make humorous remarks that caters to a wide audience. These portray an element of sarcasm, irony, but also a subtle level of truthfulness in the advertisements since it is based on some level or reality.