This is the first in a series (of indefinite length and regularity) of pieces looking at instances in comic book history where, well, let's just say that some unfortunate choices were made. These decisions were certainly more acceptable in the context of the time when the comics in question came out, but "more acceptable at the time" or not, they're still clearly mistakes.

Today, we look at the problems of 1941's Young Allies #1, a "novel length" tale written by Otto Binder and Stan Lee (Binder wrote the first half and Lee the second) with art by Charles Nicholas (and Jack Kirby on the title sequences for each of the chapters), specifically Whitewash Jones.

In the issue, Bucky introduces his team to an Allied agent...



I could just stop there and I think you'd get the point, but I think it's worth noting just how MANY bad instances appear in the comic.

The agent is kidnapped, and the boys track him into a thick woods where Whitewash gets into trouble...



They then track the trail to a cemetery...



SOMEone's ignorance sure is shocking!

The lads are trapped by the Red Skull through trap doors, but Whitewash lagged behind, so he helps his friends...





After the agent they were trying to save dies, the boys head to Germany to help that agent's partner.

Once there, a bad guy tries to poison them...



The guys track the Red Skull to a castle, where Whitewash makes a discovery...





Pretty rough stuff, no?