Marshall McLuhan Part III

"It is observable that the more illusion and falsehood needed to maintain any given state of affairs, the more tyranny is needed to maintain the illusion and falsehood. Today the tyrant rules not by club or fist, but, disguised as a market researcher, he shepherds his flocks in the ways of utility and comfort." 

                                            The Mechanical Bride (Preface), 1951

The Mechanical Bride, McLuhan's first book, is a collection of 59 short (most one or two pages) essays about mid century US media, advertising and culture. It is a book that has aged well and a great read. The topic of six of the essays is comic strips - Blondie, Tarzan, Superman, Li'l Abner, Little Orphan Annie and Bringing Up Father. I imagine that McLuhan enjoyed the Star Weekly Comic section in every Saturday Toronto Star where all of these strips could be found in the 1950s.

Here are the 21 strips in the February 12, 1955 Star Weekly Comic section.

• Abbie an' Slats
• Blondie
• Bringing Up Father
• Dick Tracy
• Ella Cinders
• Flash Gordon
• Hopalong Cassidy
• Jane Arden
• Li'l Abner
• Little Orphan Annie
• Mandrake the Magician
• Moon Mullins
• Napoleon
• Popeye
• Snookums
• Steve Canyon
• Superman
• Tarzan
• Terry and the Pirates
• The Captain and the Kids
• The Lone Ranger

Relaxing at the end of a hard day with a beer and a copy of the Toronto Star. Undated photograph (1970s)

Beacon Press BP 265 1967

Tarzan - Star Weekly February 12, 1955

Blondie - Star Weekly February 12, 1955

Bringing Up Father - Star Weekly February 12, 1955

Li'l Abner - Star Weekly February 12, 1955

Little Orphan Annie - Star Weekly February 12, 1955

Superman - Star Weekly February 12, 1955

150 and Counting

The British North American Act, enacted March 29, 1867 by the British Parliament, provided for Confederation of the three British North American colonies, Canada (Upper and Lower), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Now much amended as the Constitution Act, 1867, it was proclaimed into law on July 1, 1867 and Canada was born. The first official birthday celebration was in 1868, July 1 being named Dominion Day in 1879 and Canada Day in 1982.

Expo 67 and Marshall McLuhan. Two lasting memories of Canada's 60s. 

Here are pages from an early Expo souvenir book and 1960s paperback editions of McLuhan's four most famous books. The Medium is the Massage is a PBO.

Beacon Press  BP 265 - 1967

Beacon Press BP 265 back

Signet Y3913 (Can printing) - 1969

Signet Y3913 back

Bantam R3348 - 1967

Bantam R3348 back

Signet Q3039 - 1966

Signet Q3039 back

Marshall McLuhan Part II

"The paperback itself has become a vast mosaic world in depth..."

Understanding Media, 1964

What paperbacks might Marshall McLuhan have relaxed with while writing his first book, The Mechanical Bride, published in 1951? Did he have a beer at the end of a hard day? Here a few possible answers.

Beacon BP 265 - 1967

News Stand Library 130 - September 1950

News Stand Library 134 - September 1950

News Stand Library 138 - September 1950 

Marshall McLuhan Part I

"... the pocketbook takes the hex out of culture. In our particular milieu, it is a new form of communication."

              Marshall McLuhan (1954)

It's clear to me that McLuhan was a big fan of early Harlequins. Well maybe not so clear but given the above it's likely he saw and picked up a Harlequin or two at the news stand or drug store around the corner from where he lived or down the street from his University office.

Here are few from 1954 he may have seen.

Harlequin 267 - January 1954

Harlequin 275 - February 1954

Harlequin 302 - June 1954