{"id":988,"date":"2026-10-28T17:05:51","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T21:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/?p=988"},"modified":"2026-10-29T09:37:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:37:17","slug":"the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The Flake and His Secret Plan: A Halloween Horror Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<a href=\"http:\/\/resource.nlm.nih.gov\/101552129\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"222\" height=\"299\" data-attachment-id=\"990\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/flake-and-his-secret-plan-cover-small\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/flake-and-his-secret-plan-cover-small.png?fit=222%2C299&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"222,299\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"flake-and-his-secret-plan-cover-small\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/flake-and-his-secret-plan-cover-small.png?fit=222%2C299&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/flake-and-his-secret-plan-cover-small.png?fit=222%2C299&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-990 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/flake-and-his-secret-plan-cover-small.png?resize=222%2C299&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Flake and His Secret Plan cover image of crumbling paint on a yellow wall exposing some of the wooden structure beneath. The chipped paint resembles a face.\" \/><\/a>\n<p><br \/>The last week of October, in addition to leading up to Halloween celebrations, is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/lead-prevention\/php\/nlppw\/index.html\">National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week<\/a> (NLPPW). The theme for 2026, &#8220;Keep Kids Safe from Lead,&#8221; provides an opportunity for us to remind ourselves of three important messages, outlined on the NLPPW website as follows:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"nested-list\">\n<li class=\"level-1\"><strong>Get the Facts:<\/strong> Learn about lead hazards in your environment.<\/li>\n<li class=\"level-1\"><strong>Get Your Child Tested:<\/strong> Ensure early detection through a blood lead test.<\/li>\n<li class=\"level-1\"><strong>Get Your Home Tested:<\/strong> Identify and address potential lead sources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The vintage 1973 government comic book <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.library.unt.edu\/catalog\/b8046410\"><em>The Flake and His Secret Plan<\/em><\/a> was created specifically to educate children and their parents about the dangers of being poisoned by lead paint in the home. Its message is conveyed through a creepy horror story that serves equally well as entertainment for the Halloween season.<\/p>\n<h2>Historical Background<\/h2>\n<p>After WWII, millions of Americans migrated from smaller towns and farms to the larger cities. As those cities grew, the more affluent citizens moved to new houses in the suburbs, while the older houses in the \u201cinner city\u201d became occupied by less affluent inhabitants \u00a0who often could not afford to repair or maintain the crumbling old houses they had moved into.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Although the dangers of lead-based paint, especially on young children, had been known for decades, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/thisleadiskillingus\/collection-detail.html?imgid=15&amp;imgName=OB12578\">propaganda from the lead industry<\/a> and apathy from wealthier citizens who saw the dangers as a \u201cpoor person\u2019s\u201d problem conspired to prevent meaningful action. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A series of civil rights and public safety demonstrations in the 1950s and \u201860s eventually culminated in the 1970s in a series of landmark federal statutes and regulations supported by public awareness materials such as this comic book.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, in 1970, Congress passed\u2014and Richard Nixon signed\u2014the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/STATUTE-84\/pdf\/STATUTE-84-Pg2078.pdf\">Lead Based Poisoning Prevention Act (Public Law 91-695)<\/a>, which prohibited lead based paint in residential structures built, owned, rehabilitated, or subsidized by the federal government.<\/p>\n<p>A 1972 FDA regulation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/FR-1972-03-11\/pdf\/FR-1972-03-11.pdf#page=11\">37 FR 5229 (March 11, 1972)<\/a>) forbade more than \u00bd of one percent lead in paint after January 1, 1973. (The lead-based paint that already coated countless walls of existing homes, often in multiple layers, was not affected by this regulation.)<\/p>\n<p>By 1973, most cases of poisoning of children were being found in older houses in larger cities. As was pointed out in &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S1522840117300484?via%3Dihub\">An Update on Childhood Lead Poisoning<\/a>,&#8221; published many years later in 2017,<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cInfants and children are at higher risk than adults for lead exposure due to their smaller size and proportionately larger dose of ingested toxins, their proximity to ground dirt and indoor dust, their energy and curiosity, their oral exploratory and pica behaviors, their proportionately larger daily water and milk intake, and dietary preferences that differ markedly from those of adults.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>1973 proved to be a crucial moment in the history of lead-poisoning awareness. In addition to <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.library.unt.edu\/catalog\/b8046410\"><em>The Flake and His Secret Plan<\/em><\/a>, created to educate children about the dangers of eating lead-based paint, a companion volume entitled <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.library.unt.edu\/catalog\/b8183854\"><em>Lead Paint Poisoning in Children: A Problem in Your Community?<\/em><\/a> provided the parents with more detailed information on the subject.<\/p>\n<h2>The Style<\/h2>\n<p>This comic book exhibits many characteristics of the design styles popular in its era, and its story makes creative use of common horror movie tropes, sometimes following them and sometimes subverting audience expectations. Unfortunately, as is typical of so many government publications, neither the personal author nor the illustrator of this comic is credited.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The illustrations are drawn in a loose, informal style that emphasizes the imperfections of human free-hand draftsmanship rather than the more precise draftsmanship that requires rulers and other mechanical aids. An impressive variety of border styles are used, from full borders (always loosely hand-drawn), to partial borders, to no borders at all.<\/p>\n<p>The visual style of this early 1970s children&#8217;s comic recalls the Push Pin style of illustrators <a href=\"https:\/\/seymourchwastarchive.com\/\">Seymour Chwast<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miltonglaser.com\/\">Milton Glaser<\/a>\u2014sinuous, Art Nouveau\u2013esque contour lines depict hair, cross-hatching and stippling depict shadows, and decorative geometric textures recall the Art Deco style. Other images appear to be influenced by the &#8220;Cosmic Art&#8221; posters of <a href=\"https:\/\/petermax.com\/collections\/vintage\">Peter Max<\/a>. The images are depicted in line drawings with flat accents of black, gray, and yellow ink. (The color is significant: before it was outlawed in the late 1970s, the yellow ink used in comic books and glossy magazines frequently contained large amounts of lead. There has even been a rumor alleging that the yellow ink in <em>The Flake and His Secret Plan<\/em> might itself contain lead!)\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a nod to the style of comic book covers, a theatrical, 3-D style display typeface is used for referring to the Flake on the cover page and when that character is introduced, but otherwise a more utilitarian, sans-serif typeface forms a stark contrast to the ornate, hand-drawn illustrations. This is most likely to make sure that the text is accessible to children and others who might have less developed reading skills.<\/p>\n<h2>The Story<\/h2>\n<p>The story follows a conventional narrative structure that is simple enough for a child to follow. It also incorporates a few familiar tropes from popular monster movies to add to the creepiness of the plot.<\/p>\n<h3>Exposition<\/h3>\n<p>The setting is \u201can old building, somewhere downtown.\u201d Lead paint poisoning could happen anywhere, but it was especially common in old buildings and in less-affluent neighborhoods (\u201cthe slums\u201d). The exaggerated perspective and odd architecture create an unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere typical of many horror movies. There appears to be either an open door or a passage leading into a hallway located incongruously next to an exterior window. The shape and color of the architectural feature at the right also suggests a guillotine, contributing to the general feeling of dread. We never see the exterior of the old house, but it may have looked something like the cover illustration of <em>Lead Paint Poisoning in Children: A Problem in Your Community?<\/em>, the companion publication to <em>The Flake and His Secret Plan.<br \/><br \/><\/em><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/thisleadiskillingus\/collection-detail.html?imgid=15&amp;imgName=OB12578\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"367\" data-attachment-id=\"1061\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed.png?fit=300%2C367&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,367\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed.png?fit=245%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed.png?fit=300%2C367&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1061 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed.png?resize=300%2C367&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"An old, dilapidated wooden house and some old brick buildings above the title Lead Paint Poisoning in Children ...a Problem in Your Community?&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed.png?w=300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/lead-paint-poisoning-trimmed.png?resize=245%2C300&amp;ssl=1 245w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n<p><br \/>\u201cA little girl played alone in her room.\u201d Children were especially susceptible to lead-poisoning because of their proximity to the floor, their oral behaviors and insatiable curiosity leading to a tendency to chew on paint chips (a condition known as <a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/22944-pica\"><em>pica<\/em><\/a>), and their smaller size, which makes them more susceptible to toxic substances.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/101552129.nlm.nih.gov\/page\/n1\/mode\/2up\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"280\" height=\"300\" data-attachment-id=\"1003\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room.png?fit=397%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"397,425\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room.png?fit=280%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room.png?fit=397%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1003 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room.png?resize=280%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A little girl sits alone in a large, empty room playing with her button-eyed rag doll.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room.png?resize=280%2C300&amp;ssl=1 280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/a-little-girl-played-alone-in-her-room.png?w=397&amp;ssl=1 397w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px\" \/><\/a><br \/><br \/>\n<h3>Inciting Incident<\/h3>\n<p>Flake, the story\u2019s monster, is introduced as a section of crumbling paint on the wall of Sarah\u2019s room. The Flake is an example of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/magazine\/2024\/winter\/pareidolia-faces-in-nature\/\">pareidolia<\/a><\/em>; that is, perceiving faces in everyday objects. It is the sort of phenomenon that might lead to a feeling that a house is \u201chaunted\u201d by a mysterious entity or even has a malevolent mind of its own\u2014the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/tvtropes.org\/pmwiki\/pmwiki.php\/Main\/SapientHouse\">sapient house<\/a>&#8221; trope. Ironically, the family living in this house seem unable to see the monster that is right in front of their faces.<\/p>\n<p>The Flake&#8217;s initial statement of intentions emphasizes the creature\u2019s callous cruelty, a typical characteristic of a horror-story villain. The cruelty is even more horrific for being directed toward children and for not being justified in any way: <span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">\u201cKids! Yech! Here\u2019s my plan to get rid of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Flake hatches a secret plan to get rid of the children by flaking lead paint off the wall and tempting Sarah to eat it\u2014the paint chips resemble soda crackers, have a sweet taste, and attract the child\u2019s natural sense of curiosity.<\/p>\n<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"623\" data-attachment-id=\"1054\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px.png?fit=400%2C623&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"400,623\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"sarah-will-eat-them-400px\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px.png?fit=193%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px.png?fit=400%2C623&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1054 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px.png?resize=400%2C623&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A monster imagining a little girl leaning over and picking up crumbling, poisonous paint from the floor\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px.png?w=400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/sarah-will-eat-them-400px.png?resize=193%2C300&amp;ssl=1 193w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>\n<p><br \/>The Flake&#8217;s secret plan works like a charm, as Sarah eats the paint, falls ill, and her face grows ashen.<\/p>\n<h3>Complication<\/h3>\n<p>One day Sarah&#8217;s big brother Roger hears a PSA on the radio warning listeners about lead paint. Roger is the main character opposed to the Flake&#8217;s evil machinations, and he functions as a sort of avatar for the reader.<br \/><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/101552129.nlm.nih.gov\/page\/n7\/mode\/2up\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"480\" data-attachment-id=\"1074\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio.png?fit=300%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,480\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"roger-was-listening-to-the-radio\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio.png?fit=188%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio.png?fit=300%2C480&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1074 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio.png?resize=300%2C480&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A boy in a yellow shirt drums his fingers and listens to a vintage radio while musical notes and bubbles float in the air around him. Text: Sarah's big brother, Roger, was listening to the radio. In the middle ot Big Daddy's Top Twenty, there was a message.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio.png?w=300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/roger-was-listening-to-the-radio.png?resize=188%2C300&amp;ssl=1 188w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: revert;color: initial\">Hearing the voice on the radio urging listeners to check on their siblings, Roger discovers to his horror that his sister is sitting in that barren room, leaning against the crumbling wall and nibbling on lead paint chips. There is nothing in the room except Sarah, the crumbling paint, and her creepy button-eyed doll splayed out on the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/101552129.nlm.nih.gov\/page\/n9\/mode\/2up\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" data-attachment-id=\"1027\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?fit=773%2C556&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"773,556\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?fit=300%2C216&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?fit=580%2C417&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1027 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?resize=300%2C216&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A boy points at a little girl who is leaning against a crumbling yellow wall and eating paint chips. He says, &quot;Wow! Sarah, drop that stuff! Don't you know it's poison?&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?resize=300%2C216&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?resize=768%2C552&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/wow-sarah-drop-that-stuff.png?w=773&amp;ssl=1 773w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n<p><br \/>The dream-like atmosphere is enhanced by a disorienting inconsistency in the limited color scheme: Roger&#8217;s shirt switches from yellow to white, and the background switches from white to yellow. The radio also switches from a white face with a yellow grille to a yellow face with a gray grille.<\/p>\n<h3>Climax<\/h3>\n<p>Roger relates the news to his mother, who takes Sarah to the doctor. The mother is never named, perhaps because this is written from a child\u2019s perspective, and most children don\u2019t refer to their parents by their names. She is also only seen from behind, adding to the anonymity and odd blankness of her character. This is perhaps meant to keep the focus on the children, a technique somewhat analogous to how the Peanuts cartoons keep the adults offstage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The portrayal of the doctor subverts the standard trope of the plot being stalled by a rudely incompetent or useless authority figure, for this doctor is an expert and very kind toward the entire family. He is also the only adult shown in full face. The doctor explains that Sarah is very ill, but he can make her well\u2014<em>this<\/em> time. His explanation of Sarah&#8217;s illness, how he tested for it, and how he intends to cure her is largely glossed over. In many cases, children who managed to survive lead poisoning were left with one or more often incurable handicaps. Perhaps such medical explanations were considered too technical for young children, or perhaps it would have taken too much space to explain. The emphasis of this story for children is on awareness of the danger and on how to avoid getting sick in the first place. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/101552129.nlm.nih.gov\/page\/n11\/mode\/2up\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"266\" data-attachment-id=\"1034\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/brushing-down-the-walls\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/brushing-down-the-walls.png?fit=500%2C444&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"500,444\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"brushing-down-the-walls\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/brushing-down-the-walls.png?fit=300%2C266&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/brushing-down-the-walls.png?fit=500%2C444&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1034 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/brushing-down-the-walls.png?resize=300%2C266&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A woman in a flower-patterned top scrubs down a patch of peeling paint that resembles a face on a wall. Narrative text: &quot;And before very long, the Flake was evicted. Sarah was safe. But . . .\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/brushing-down-the-walls.png?resize=300%2C266&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/brushing-down-the-walls.png?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n<p><br \/>The doctor instructs Sarah\u2019s mother how to perform a sort of exorcism on the house, brushing the paint chips off the wall and sweeping them up off the floors. The mother&#8217;s scrubbing the paint chips from the wall with a wire brush resembles brushing teeth with a toothbrush, and her groovy, flower-power outfit helps establish the era and the style.<\/p>\n<h3>Denouement<\/h3>\n<p>The Flake is evicted from this house, but like a typical horror story villain, it is still around, not quite dead. There is a hint that he might even be in your own house!<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/101552129.nlm.nih.gov\/page\/n13\/mode\/2up\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"381\" data-attachment-id=\"1047\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?fit=800%2C526&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,526\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?fit=300%2C197&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?fit=580%2C381&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1047 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?resize=580%2C381&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Bird's-eye view of a suburban neighborhood with houses and trees and lawns, as well as clouds floating overhead, but no visible human beings or animals. The effect is unsettling.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?resize=300%2C197&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/what-are-your-little-brothers-and-sisters-doing-now.png?resize=768%2C505&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/a>\n<p><br \/>The final image is an unsettling portrayal of a seemingly normal suburban neighborhood of relatively modern houses, shrubs, trees, and fluffy clouds (presumably your own neighborhood, not the older location where the main story takes place), but on closer observation we can see that there is not a single human being or animal in sight on the street or in any of the houses. Is everyone dead? Is this a hint of things to come? Is this a trope of the suburban <a href=\"https:\/\/tvtropes.org\/pmwiki\/pmwiki.php\/Main\/GhostCity\">Ghost City<\/a>, or does everyone just happen to be at work today?<\/p>\n<h3>Epilogue<\/h3>\n<p>The story ends by enlisting the child reader in the fight against the evil Flake by encouraging readers to tell their parents about what they have learned regarding lead poisoning. Like many government comics, this one includes a one-page &#8220;poster&#8221; summarizing the basic concepts on the back cover.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/101552129.nlm.nih.gov\/page\/n15\/mode\/1up\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"315\" data-attachment-id=\"1049\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/parents\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/parents.png?fit=500%2C315&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"500,315\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"parents\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/parents.png?fit=300%2C189&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/parents.png?fit=500%2C315&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1049 img-fluid img-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/parents.png?resize=500%2C315&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"PARENTS . . . \n\nLead poisoning is a serious disease which children get when they eat lead paint chips. Kids are always putting things in their mouths, but paint chips are a special danger. \n\nYou can find out if your children are getting lead poisoned before they get really sick. What you do is take them to a special clinic for a lead test.  \n\nAlso, it is important to take these simple steps: \n\u2022 Brush any peeling paint off the walls. \n\u2022 Keep the floors swept clean of paint chips. Throw the chips away. \n\u2022 Ask a doctor, clinic or health department how to find out more about lead poisoning. They may have a pamphlet written just for parents. They can also tell you where to go for the lead test. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/parents.png?w=500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2026\/10\/parents.png?resize=300%2C189&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n<h2>Would You Like to Know More?<\/h2>\n<p>Explore more government comics and other government publications at <a href=\"https:\/\/library.unt.edu\/sycamore\/\">Sycamore Library<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Browse our UNT <a href=\"https:\/\/guides.library.unt.edu\/government-comics\">Government Comics Subject Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>View our digitized <a href=\"https:\/\/digital.library.unt.edu\/explore\/collections\/GOVCOM\/\">government comics in the UNT Libraries Digital Library<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hauptman, Marissa, Rebecca Bruccoleri, and Alan D. Woolf. \u201cAn Update on Childhood Lead Poisoning.\u201d <em>Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine<\/em> 18, no. 3 (2017): 181\u201392. Accessed October 24, 2026. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cpem.2017.07.010\" data-rich-text-autolink=\"\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cpem.2017.07.010<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mizelle, Richard. &#8220;This Lead Is Killing Us: A History of Citizens Fighting Lead Poisoning in Their Communities.&#8221; Online exhibit. <em>National Library of Medicine<\/em>. Accessed October 28, 2026.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/thisleadiskillingus\/index.html\">https:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/exhibition\/thisleadiskillingus\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNational Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW).\u201d Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 15, 2026. Accessed October 22, 2026. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/lead-prevention\/php\/nlppw\/index.html\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/lead-prevention\/php\/nlppw\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Health Services and Mental Health Administration, Bureau of Community Environmental Management. <em>The Flake and His Secret Plan.<\/em> Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, [1973]. DHEW Publication No. (HSM) 73-10008. Accessed October 25, 2026. <a href=\"https:\/\/collections.nlm.nih.gov\/catalog\/nlm:nlmuid-101552129-bk\">https:\/\/collections.nlm.nih.gov\/catalog\/nlm:nlmuid-101552129-bk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Health Services and Mental Health Administration, Bureau of Community Environmental Management. <em>Lead Paint Poisoning in Children: A Problem in Your Community?<\/em> [Rockville, MD: The Department, 1973.] DHEW Publication No. (HSM) 73-10011. Accessed October 25, 2026. <a href=\"http:\/\/resource.nlm.nih.gov\/101552288\">http:\/\/resource.nlm.nih.gov\/101552288<\/a><\/p>\n<p>U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Bureau of Community Services. <em>Lead Poisoning in Children<\/em>. By Jane S. Lin-Fu. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1978. DHEW Publication No. (HSA) 78-5142. Accessed October 28, 2026. <a href=\"https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/2027\/uc1.a0007740038\">https:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/2027\/uc1.a0007740038<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Article by Bobby Griffith.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The last week of October, in addition to leading up to Halloween celebrations, is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW). The theme for 2026, &#8220;Keep Kids Safe from Lead,&#8221; provides an opportunity for us to remind ourselves of three important messages, outlined on the NLPPW website as follows: Get the Facts: Learn about lead hazards&#8230;  <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2026\/10\/28\/the-flake-and-his-secret-plan-a-halloween-horror-story\/\" class=\"more-link\" title=\"Read The Flake and His Secret Plan: A Halloween Horror Story\">Read more &raquo;<\/a>","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9],"tags":[48,83,82],"class_list":["post-988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-libraries","tag-government-comics","tag-lead-poisoning","tag-safety-and-health"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9noXX-fW","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":827,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2024\/08\/15\/whats-happening-with-comics-studies-at-unt\/","url_meta":{"origin":988,"position":0},"title":"What&#8217;s happening with Comics Studies at UNT?","author":"John","date":"August 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome back, everyone, to the Fall 2024 semester and a new year of school, work, and Comics Studies at UNT! We've got lots of updates on our Comics Studies initiative and other comics-related events and activities happening at UNT. Over the last two years, our Comics Studies community has grown\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Comics Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Comics Events","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/category\/comics-events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/08\/Comic-Studies-Blog_F17_Event-Banner.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/08\/Comic-Studies-Blog_F17_Event-Banner.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/08\/Comic-Studies-Blog_F17_Event-Banner.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/08\/Comic-Studies-Blog_F17_Event-Banner.png?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":309,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2019\/01\/23\/309\/","url_meta":{"origin":988,"position":1},"title":"Comics Studies Reading Group Spring 2019 Update","author":"John","date":"January 23, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"We recently completed the first semester of our UNT Comics Studies Reading Group, and held our first meeting of 2019. The group has readers from UNT and TCU, including faculty, staff, librarians, and students. We\u2019ve had a regular attendance of 4-6 people, plus occasional others who have contributed to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Comics Reading Group&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Comics Reading Group","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/category\/comics-reading-group\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover of Emily Carroll's Through the Woods","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/01\/through-the-woods-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/01\/through-the-woods-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/01\/through-the-woods-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/01\/through-the-woods-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/01\/through-the-woods-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":29,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2017\/10\/20\/welcome\/","url_meta":{"origin":988,"position":2},"title":"Welcome to Comics Studies @UNT!","author":"John","date":"October 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to the brand new Comics Studies at UNT Blog! This blog is a project of the UNT Libraries, and will include contributors from across the Libraries' divisions, as well as from faculty, students, and others in the UNT community who share an interest in comics studies.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Comics in the library&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Comics in the library","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/category\/libraries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Poster for \"Comics in the Library\" Exhibit, April-August, 2017","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2017\/12\/comics-in-the-library-poster-e1513015933238.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2017\/12\/comics-in-the-library-poster-e1513015933238.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2017\/12\/comics-in-the-library-poster-e1513015933238.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2017\/12\/comics-in-the-library-poster-e1513015933238.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2017\/12\/comics-in-the-library-poster-e1513015933238.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":453,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2020\/06\/09\/get-ready-for-the-2020-flyover-comics-symposium\/","url_meta":{"origin":988,"position":3},"title":"Get ready for the 2020 Flyover Comics Symposium!","author":"John","date":"June 9, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Comics Studies@UNT\u00a0is excited to announce that we are partnering with comics studies groups at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and Michigan State University, and with Digital Frontiers, to host the first virtual\u00a0Flyover Comics Symposium, September 24-25, 2020. This event was designed to fill the gap left by the cancellation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Comics Events&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Comics Events","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/category\/comics-events\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Poster for Flyover Comics Symposium 2020","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2020\/06\/flyover-1.jpg?fit=1180%2C435&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2020\/06\/flyover-1.jpg?fit=1180%2C435&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2020\/06\/flyover-1.jpg?fit=1180%2C435&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2020\/06\/flyover-1.jpg?fit=1180%2C435&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2020\/06\/flyover-1.jpg?fit=1180%2C435&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":146,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2018\/02\/09\/logo\/","url_meta":{"origin":988,"position":4},"title":"Introducing our new Comics Studies@UNT Logo Design!","author":"John","date":"February 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Although some of you have gotten a preview of it on our Facebook page, this week marks the official debut of our new Comics Studies at UNT logo (now appearing in the top right corner of this blog)!\u00a0 This logo was designed by Kaleb Privett, a junior Communication Design major\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Comics in the library&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Comics in the library","link":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/category\/libraries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2018\/02\/funny-stare-e1777403044847.png?fit=1200%2C473&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2018\/02\/funny-stare-e1777403044847.png?fit=1200%2C473&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2018\/02\/funny-stare-e1777403044847.png?fit=1200%2C473&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2018\/02\/funny-stare-e1777403044847.png?fit=1200%2C473&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2018\/02\/funny-stare-e1777403044847.png?fit=1200%2C473&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":413,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.library.unt.edu\/comics\/2019\/12\/19\/comics-studies-happenings-fall-2019\/","url_meta":{"origin":988,"position":5},"title":"Comics Studies Happenings, Fall 2019","author":"John","date":"December 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This Fall has been a busy one for many of our Comics Studies Reading Group members, who have been reading, teaching, reviewing, and writing about comics and graphic novels, among other things. 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