1 - Posted on 4/23/2021

I love the way he depicted the horror in young April Kane's face.

1 - Posted on 4/23/2021

So was it ever explicitly made clear that Sanjak was a " cross dressing lesbian" in the writing, or is that just the inference the readers assume based on the visual way Caniff portrayed her? Because that would've been incredibly heady stuff in any media in 1939, much less in a "kid's comic strip".

1 - Posted on 4/24/2021

It was never spelled out and there was no way that would have made it to print in 1939.  Sanjak was named after a Greek island near Lesbos.  First she states "long I sairch for a pupil- a feet student to absorb my knowledge or crime,!  you, cherie, are my choice " said as she grabs April but April doesn't want to do crimes "i jus'wanta be home - an' go T' dances an' stuff!".  Sanjak replies with her anticipation of the reluctance and "now I weell make you hypnotized" all this happens in 2/16/39.  the next day she is hypnotizing April to " then A-preel weell be the slave to the mind of Sanjak. "  later in the same daily "you sleep, ba-bee... yoor brain answairs only to sanjak's brain!  you cease to theenk!... you weell not know anyone except Sandjak!  sleep... sleep...sleep."  In the final panel Sanjak asks April "who ees your mastair?" to which she replies S-San-Jak!".  Later that week Sanjan highjacks a plane and takes April "Sleep in heepnosesees, cherie!  Soon you an' Sanjak deesapear from the face of the earth"  Later when unhypnotized and in Sanjak's custody Sanjak says "jus' relax, A-preel!  Soon your weel learn that Sanjak ees the most eemporant person een your Life!  April is crying in the next panel and Sanjak is watching "See!  The Cherie weeps so (underlined) beautifully! "  Sanjak has found the so rare jewel eendeed!"  The next morning Sanjak awakens April in her bed and suggest her dressing in a "pret-tee frock".  When April refused "So!  But that ees your conscious weesh!  Sanjak has but to heepnotize you and your subconscious self ees Sanjak's slave!  Come Cherie, why wate the time?" April then is taken to the bath by her maid as Sanjak looks on.  Later Sanjak tries to win April over with piano playing.  Perhaps Sanjak is just a well meaning but misunderstood mentor looking for a student.

Posted on 4/24/2021

Thanks for that synopsis. I mean it's clearly intended to make the reader feel creeped out, but still wondering "what the hell is this weirdo actually up to?". But you've read the whole thing, so Sanjak's true intent must've been ultimately revealed to the readers, right?

Either way, it is clear that Caniff intended for her to be a gay character. I jus twondered if he portrayed her making obvious plays for other females within the stories, but I highly doubted that given the era this was being published. That fact that Caniff made her a villain also played to the social mores of the day, whereby all gay people were considered sexual deviants due to the overwhelming power of the Catholic church at the time.