American comics: I drew Superman during the Great Depression

Unfortunately, the news about the release of the movie was at the end of January.

Now it is already mid-November, and the news has long passed the timeliness and has lost the possibility of riding on the popularity.

Colin knew that after "City Lights", Chaplin shot another silent film in the next six years, which was also Chaplin's last silent film-"Modern Times".

And Einstein shed tears again after watching the movie.

But that was after 1936, and it was too late to help the current difficulties encountered by the Courier.

While thinking, Colin's eyes swept across the newspaper's report on the movie, and soon fell elsewhere.

"... In fact, no one is hungry. These homeless people eat better than before... In New York, a homeless person eats 10 meals a day."

Then, his eyes were attracted by the huge words on the newspaper page.

"Who is so brave that he dares to say such things in this period? Oh, it turns out to be Hoover, then it's okay..."

A trace of doubt flashed through his mind, and when Colin saw the source of the news content clearly, he suddenly became clear in his heart.

Speaking of Hoover, this is simply the most unlucky president in American history.

He happened to become president on the eve of the Great Depression, and the people's dissatisfaction and anger with the Great Depression were vented on Hoover. As a result, for a long time in the future, Hoover's name has been equated with "poverty".

During the Great Depression, people called the shabby shantytowns built with tin cans, cardboard and sacks "Hoover Villages"; the sacks of waste carried by the unemployed group were called "Hoover Bags"; in some places, poor farmers sawed off the front of the cheap cars that broke down and put them on the skinny mules, which were called "Hoover Carriages"; park bench sleepers wrapped in old newspapers for warmth were called "Hoover Blankets" and so on.

From the perspective of future history, Hoover's presidency can be said to be unlucky.

However, now in the Great Depression, Colin can more or less understand why the people of this era have so much resentment and dissatisfaction with Hoover.

Especially in the newspaper, when he saw his answers to reporters' questions, even Colin couldn't help frowning.

Hoover's practice of staying away from the masses during the Great Depression and his incompetent policy performance also became the main reason for his failure in the presidential election in the future.

"Wait a minute, maybe I can..."

Silently looking at the report about Hoover in the newspaper in his hand, Colin's eyes gradually changed a little.

"Little John."

Putting down the old newspaper in his hand, Colin immediately shouted.

"I'm here!"

Hearing his name, Little John, who was standing next to the typesetting machine, subconsciously grabbed the camera and responded.

He walked to the desk in two steps, looked at Colin sitting behind the desk, swallowed his saliva subconsciously, and said nervously: "What do you want, boss?"

Click-click-click--

In front of the typesetting machine, Old John's hands moved quickly on the keyboard, but his eyes moved involuntarily to the direction of the desk.

"I hope you can help..."

Reaching out of his pocket for a few times, picking out a few half-new coins and pushing them in front of Little John, Colin whispered a few words.

In front of the desk, after listening to Colin's instructions, Little John looked up at him in surprise, and then quickly lowered his head, put away the coins on the table and replied in a muffled voice.

"I understand, boss, I'll go right away."

Watching Little John's back leave the newspaper office, Old John, who was sitting in front of the typesetting machine, had a hint of doubt in his eyes.

However, before he could say anything, Colin, who was sitting behind the desk, had already spoken and asked him: "Old John, do you know how to contact those newspaper boys?"

"Newsboys?"

Faced with Colin's question, Old John blinked behind his brass reading glasses, and stopped his hands on the keyboard and said: "Under normal circumstances, newspapers don't need to contact newspaper boys specifically. They will come to buy newspapers on the weekly publication day."

In this era, the relationship between newspaper boys and newspapers is similar to that between manufacturers and wholesalers.

Newsboys are not employees of newspapers. On the contrary, they need to wholesale a bundle of newspapers from couriers or newspapers at a price of 70 cents per bundle, and then unpack them and sell them separately to pedestrians on the road at a price of 2 cents per copy, so as to earn a meager difference to survive.

This is also why newspaper boys care about the sales of the "Courier".

If the newspapers cannot be sold, they will lose money. Some newspaper boys have to work until late at night in order to make money.

"Is there any other way to let these newspaper boys meet me immediately?"

The weekly publication date?

Colin didn't think that with the current situation of the Courier Newspaper, there was still time to hold on until the weekend to publish the newspaper.

"This... let me think about it..."

Faced with Colin's request, Old John hesitated for a moment before saying: "I know a deliveryman, he may be able to find those newspaper boys."

Hearing this, Colin nodded.

At this moment, the closed door of the newspaper was opened from the outside, and it was Little John who came back.

So soon? !

Looking at Little John who returned to the newspaper, Old John couldn't help but show a surprised expression on his face.

It took only eleven or twelve minutes from the time he left to the time he came back.

"Did you take the photo?"

Colin did not show any surprise on his face, but asked calmly.

"Yes."

Nodding, Little John raised the camera in his hand and replied in a muffled voice: "I followed your instructions, boss, and immediately gave the cake to the family after taking the photo."

The cake Little John was talking about was naturally not the kind of cake that people in later generations knew.

"Three-no" cake is a special food that was only invented during the Great Depression. In the absence of the three traditional ingredients for making cakes, "milk, eggs and butter", people used water instead of milk, baking powder instead of eggs, and vegetable oil instead of butter. These three things were mixed with flour, a small amount of sugar, and various spices to bake cheap food.

The "cake" made in this way naturally cannot expect too much in terms of taste.

The only function it can play is just to fill the stomach.

For the poor people living during the Great Depression, filling their stomachs was the most important thing. Whether the food tasted good or not was not even within their consideration.