---
title: The murder of a perfectly good differential (reel-1)
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/joe-dope-murder-of-a-differential-1943/
description: 'Six-panel comic strip for soldiers in the Joe Dope series, styled as a film reel: a title card, then Joe Dope draining a truck''s differential oil.'
section: Collection
---

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3. The murder of a perfectly good differential (reel-1)

[![The murder of a perfectly good differential, 1943 US poster: Six-panel comic strip for soldiers in the Joe Dope series](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/joe-dope-murder-of-a-differential-1943.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/joe-dope-murder-of-a-differential-1943.jpg)

# The murder of a perfectly good differential (reel-1)

Six-panel comic strip for soldiers in the Joe Dope series, styled as a film reel: a title card, then Joe Dope draining a truck's differential oil, distracted by a woman in a red dress, driving off without refilling it, and a sergeant showing him the wrecked gear. The slogan 'Don't be a dope!' is name-calling aimed at the careless mechanic, softened by humour.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Name-calling](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/name-calling/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
THE
MURDER
of
A PERFECTLY GOOD
DIFFERENTIAL
Reel-1
Starring
JOE DOPE
While draining the oil one day,
The gaze of Joe Dope chanced to stray
To a pippin so cute that the love-sick galoot
Left the oil - and the gears - by the way!
Don't be a dope!
HANDLE EQUIPMENT RIGHT
[signature: Cpl. Will Eisner]
[imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943-O-512339-[illegible]
[imprint:] ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT, U S ARMY
```

[← The murder of a fine Cal. .50 killer by Joe Dope (Reel-2)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/joe-dope-murder-cal-50-1943/) [Don't be a dope: Order equipment right! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/joe-dope-order-equipment-right-1943/)

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