CBR Cover Contest - May Day! - May 17th through May 23rd

[Rob Allen]

[Kirby101]

I am finding this one hard. And so many good covers already posted.

I'm going with the MAYDAY! route. An early Joe Kubert. The best image i found had the bonus of including page 1 from the book, also by Kubert.

[Sugar Spun Sorceress]

[CJStriker]

[Abe]

I know it's not technically what was asked for, but May Day is also International Workers Day, which means a lot to me, so would this also qualify?!

So agree... I can't give another meaning to the 1st of day of May, a day to remember the 1st May 1886 in Chicago and the even older eight-hour day movement!

So I'll go with that 1906 cover for L''Assiette au Beurre, an illustrated French weekly satirical magazine . Technically not exactly a comic book, I know, but it fits the theme so well! Look at all the beautiful flowers on this allegory of workers' demand for :

"8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure and 8 hours of rest!"




Of course one day those flowers will become cherries. Then it will be "The time of the cherries", "Le temps des cerises" (you can check the link for the meaning and the history of this very old (1866) French song)

When we'll sing the time of the cherries
And joyful nightingale and mocking blackbird
Will all be in a festive mood.
Beauties will have folly in the head
and the lovers sun in the heart.
When we'll sing the time of the cherries
Whistle much better the mocking blackbird

But it's so short the time of the cherries
Where we both go pick while dreaming
drop earrings...
Love cherries with vermilion's robes
Falling under the leaf in drops of blood
But it is so short: the time of the cherries,
Coral earrings we pick up while dreaming!

When you'll be at the time of the cherries
if you're scared of love sorrows:
Avoid the beauties!
I who do not fear the cruel sorrows
I'll not live without suffering one day...

When you'll be at the time of the cherries
You too will have love sorrows!
I'll always love the time of the cherries
It's from that time that I keep in my heart
An open wound!

And Lady Fortune, being offered to me
will never be able to ease my pain....
I'll always love the time of the cherries
And the memory I keep in my heart!


You can find several versions of the song clicking on this link to the site where I found the English translation. .

There is also a very nice version of it in the wonderful movie by Hayao Miyazaki Porco Rosso, you know, the one where the hero Porco Rosso is an "Italian World War I ex-fighter ace, now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing "air pirates" in the Adriatic Sea. However, an unusual curse has transformed him into an anthropomorphic pig". (I quote wikipedia). He even says in it : "I'd much rather be a pig than a fascist". The singer is Gina, and they both have a complicated and very beautiful love story. You can watch the full scene here.

[Shalla Bal]

[Abe]

[Stony]

Melinda May...?

[foxley]

Dance 'round the Maypole
Dance 'round the Maypole
Over the green fields
And down to the hay
Lift up your hearts
And dance 'round the Maypole
Run to your true love
And dance all the day



So there's flowers, dancing, a maypole, creepy puppets...

Um, creepy puppets are a traditional part of spring celebrations, aren't they?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

A pretty girl among pretty flowers:

[Chicken Pocket]

[Shalla Bal]

LOL--good one Abe!

[The Darknight Detective]

Seemed like there were quite a few Grey Panther stories back in the late '70s between the Big 2, IIRC.

[worstblogever]

[Kai "the spy"]

@seismic-2, The Darknight Detective, Scott Taylor & Abe: You guys rock. Long Live International Solidarity!