By Krista McCracken
I have a love for most things history related and I thoroughly enjoy all kinds of comics. So when these two interests collide I take note. There are a number of great contemporary history themed comics such as Machiavelli and Hark! A Vagrant (check out Ian Mosby’s great post about this webcomic). The idea of using comics to illuminate the past isn’t an idea that first appeared with the advent of the webcomic genre or even the relatively recent explosion of Marvel and DC comics. Archival collections can provide an interesting glimpse into the longstanding use of comics to teach history.
Recently, I’ve been working with issues of the Indian Record from the 1940s to 1960s. The Indian Record was published ten times a year by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and acted as a newsletter for catholic missionary entities in Canada. The newsletters provide fascinating insight into missionary work in Canada, with a focus on Residential Schools and First Nation missions.
But, what really caught my eye was the prevalence of comics in the newsletter. Starting in the 1950s the Indian Record featured an ongoing comic called “The Apostle of the Hurons” which outlined the life and mission work of Saint Jean de Brébeuf (1593-1649). The comic is far from what is considered politically correct by today’s standards but, when looked at through the lens of the time period, the comics provide an interesting reflection of missionary work in Canada.