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
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army; artist Will Eisner
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1143MM (NAID 514710).
Text on the object
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
