The Powerful Katrinka (Toonerville Folks) - Super Shell Gasoline - Advertising Paper Mask (1930s)

This vintage advertising mask features The Powerful Katrinka, one of the most beloved and memorable characters from Fontaine Fox’s “Toonerville Folks” comic strip. Debuting in the 1910s, Katrinka was the towering, strong-as-an-ox village woman who could push stalled trolleys, carry grown men under each arm, and strike both awe and laughter in readers. Her exaggerated strength made her one of the first truly iconic “strongwoman” characters in American comics.

Promotional Tie-In
In the 1930s, Katrinka’s popularity was harnessed by Super Shell Gasoline through promotional paper masks produced by the Einson Freeman Company. Distributed at Shell gas stations, these masks tied a powerful comic character to Shell’s marketing — symbolizing energy, endurance, and strength. Kids wore the masks for fun, while parents remembered where they got them, reinforcing Shell’s brand identity during the competitive growth years of the petroleum industry.

Cultural Significance
The combination of Katrinka’s cultural recognition with Shell’s advertising campaign makes this piece a fascinating crossover between early comic strip history and corporate Americana. Katrinka was an especially progressive character for her time, embodying female strength in an era when women were rarely portrayed that way. Her image, tied to a major brand, is both unusual and historically important.

Measures 8 inches by 11 inches.

A vibrant artifact at the crossroads of comic strip heritage and corporate marketing history, this mask captures the enduring strength of The Powerful Katrinka and the bold advertising of the 1930s.