"I'm tired of taking the rap for missing a German or Jap" — 1942 WWII Maintenance Poster by Will Eisner

A frustrated GI points an accusing finger while two weary soldiers sit amid the wreckage of a botched bomb. In the thought bubble above, "Joe Dope" — the poster child for carelessness — has clearly mangled the fins, sending the unstable ordnance into a wild, unpredictable spin.

"I'm tired of taking the rap for missing a German or Jap — that Dope dents the fins and the blinking bomb spins and swoops all over the map!"

Created by Will Eisner in 1942 for the U.S. Army, this sharp safety poster was part of an internal campaign to hammer home proper equipment handling during the height of World War II. Joe Dope became a recurring figure in Eisner’s work, a relatable (if hapless) reminder that sloppy maintenance could cost lives and missions.

Here, the scene captures the raw frustration of troops who know one careless move turns a perfectly good bomb into a hazard that endangers everyone. The cartoon style is pure Eisner — expressive faces, dynamic action, and just enough dark humor to drive the point home without softening it.

Printed from a high-resolution Library of Congress scan onto archival paper — a faithful reproduction of the public-domain original, made for your wall and not for a vault.

Product features

- Giclée archival print with fade-resistant, vibrant color

- Three paper choices: Fine Art (textured), Matte (soft, low-glare), Semi-Gloss (satin finish)

- Multiple sizes and horizontal/vertical orientation options

- Paper weights from 180–285 g/m² depending on option and provider

- Ships rolled for safe delivery; sourced from USA and Japan

Care instructions

- If the print does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.