KEY POINTS:
Ironic fun or racist rubbish - that's the debate triggered by an anthology of war comics which describe Maori as "cannibals" and Asians as "Nips".
Anzacs at War is a recently released compilation of 12 stories originally published by Scottish company DC Thomson, whose titles included Beano and Dandy.
The first is Maori Challenge set in the North Island during the Land Wars of 1866.
Pakeha soldiers are glorified, while Maori warriors are portrayed as heartless and savage barbarians with moko, bulging eyes and protruding tongues.
It's not just Maori who bear the brunt of the racial slurs.
In subsequent strips Japanese soldiers are dismissed as "Nips" and "saki-drinking vultures", Arab bedouins are "thieving scoundrels" and Germans are "Jerries".
AUT Maori issues lecturer Jason King was outraged, saying the strips relied on cheap laughs to drive sales.
"This could be another 'cheeky darky' episode," said King, referring to Paul Holmes' controversial comment about former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan in 2003.
Auckland University associate professor of Asian studies Manying Ip said the book should explain the racist references were dated.
She said they should not be used to ridicule, but to educate people about what was no longer acceptable. Ip said it might undermine efforts to improve relationships with Asians and respect for the Treaty of Waitangi.
Maori mother-of-five boys Andrea Moon was unsure if she'd let her sons read the compilation, which is widely available throughout New Zealand.
But the Hamilton resident thought they would be smart enough to dismiss it as dating from a time when minority groups weren't tolerated.
"Maori and Pacific Islanders are quite good at laughing at themselves. We have to because we are forever in the news for doing something bad. But it's not funny to keep the fear and speculation alive."
New Zealand cartoonist Dylan Horrocks said the comics dated from a time of "pervasive everyday racism".
"Commando comics have always been racist to Germans, and especially Japanese."
But he didn't think the compilation should be banned. "It's all part of the genre of World War II. Part of what people like about the reprints is the old-fashioned, retro attitudes. It's all very ironic and people laugh about it."
But bro'Town cartoonist Ant Sang said the age was no real excuse. "If it was created today that would be crazy. Even in that era it seems quite strange to have that slant and language."
The publisher, Carlton Publishing Group UK, did not respond to Herald on Sunday requests for comment.
