Wheeling Steel's Ductillite 'King Can' ad, 1941

(click on image to ENLARGE) ⬇

"I am that versatile King Can, marvelous things I do for man, like bringing food from far and near, and then I quickly disappear!"

"The whole world is our realm, not by conquest but by service."

Gee, I like His Majesty's credo. Seems a good platform for a world leader.

Have to say I'm curious about Queen Can, though, and how she and her benevolent King got together.

I recall a conversation I once accidentally overheard, two young ladies discussing the merits of girth versus length, but surely that obscure reference has no place here. "He's like a can of soda", one of them said, and ever since I've wished I could forget having heard such an utterance.

So can anyone identify the artist, 'Bates'?

Seems familiar. Familiar style, familiar signature, but can't place it...