HANSI ,THE GIRL
WHO LOVED THE SWASTIKA

An issue of Hansi, The Girl Who Loved The Swastika, may be a very unique certified comic. Recently, this issue was returned to Back Issue Comix from Comics Guarentee Corp. with the Blue Universal Grade Label. Comics published before 1975 are routinely given this label and those after that date are given the brown Modern Grade label. Hansi, was published in 1976 by Spire Christian Comics  and this info appears correctly on the label.

" To the best of our knowledge this is the only instance of a comic published after 1975 to receive the blue Universal Grade Label. " says Reynold Jay, owner of the comic and president of Back Issue Comix. Reynold believes the label may have been either an error during the grading process or perhaps a decision to attach the label as a "recognition that this book is truely unique. "

Mr. Jay explained that the comic was graded along with a batch of modern grade books and was the only one returned with the blue label. "It didn't dawn on me at first that the label was an error. I looked at it  and just wondered ' What the heck is this? '  and  then just forgot about it until we decided to sell it  six weeks later. "
The book, has since , been  withdrawn from sale and is not available for purchase.

"Just the fact that the book sold for thirty-nine cents is unique." Mainstream DC and Marvel Comic books from that period sold for thirty-five cents and then jumped to forty cents. In that Hansi wasn't distributed to comic shops, the price probably seemed more appealing at thirty-nine cents on a spinner rack in a drug store or Christian book store.

The appearance of the bright red swastika flags waving conspicuously on the cover must have been startling to the casual buyer during this period. World War 2 was long over and a cover like this had not appeared for three decades. Spire apparently was not a part of the superhero movement that had taken over the storylines with other publishers. Nor were its pages crammed with novelty advertising on every other page.

What the reader received was an inspired story  that was a cut above the rest. Looking at the cover, one can only wonder  what was inside.  First question that would come to mind, " Why did Hansi love the swastika ?" or " Is this book going to claim that Nazism is good! " Hansi looked very happy during the Nazi parade on the cover.

Spoiler warning. Story is to follow.

Hansi was a part of the Hitler youth movement before the advent of World War 2. Being a member wasn't much different than being a member of the Girl Scouts. One would attend meetings, play games, sing songs, earn badges, and sell cookies. As the story unfolds, Hansi realizes that the organization to which she belongs is actually a war machine that terrorized everyone around her. She eventually rejected the whole concept  and accepted Christianity instead.

"We'll place this book in our office so everyone can enjoy looking at it. It's a true collector's item regardless of the color of the label. " Visitors to the BicComix.com web site may view this  book  in the Best In the World collector's gallery.