Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact #20 [326]
"Electromagnets" offers a rare, stark glimpse into life in the Soviet Union during the early Cold War, portraying a society marked by stark contrasts: a vast population divided by ideology, privilege, and fear. Through detailed illustrations by Reed Crandall, the story presents a sobering look at a nation where promises of equality have given way to repression, with citizens constrained by rigid controls and surveillance. The cover by Ade Bethune captures the era’s tension with a striking, period-specific visual style.
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A look at the Russian people. They come from various ethnic groups and only 8 million of the country's 215 million people are members of the communist party. Many actually hate communism. Their leaders have promised them a happier life ever since 1917, but for the most part continue to live in fear and misery. Instead of a classless society, the elite members and scientists live the good life, while the peasants struggle. They are not allowed to travel within their own country, or change jobs. Those who attend the few churches still open are closely watched by secret police.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).