American superhero-comics have been around for over 70 years now. In that period not only the genre and its medium matured but also the social, cultural and political environment changed. This paper hypothesizes that superhero comics change over time to stay relevant and that the observant reader can make conclusions about the time during which a comic was written by analyzing it.
The first part of this paper gives a short summary of the history of superhero comics from the creation of Superman in 1939 to the Modern Age of Comics. It explains how the superhero comic originated in the late 1930s, blossomed in the 1940s, struggled in the 1950s and reinvented itself in the 1960s. Events like the introduction of the Comic Book Code and the death of Gwen Stacy will be presented and it will be explained why they had an immense impact on the comic-book culture. Also, the definition of the term superhero will be discussed.
Afterwards, the essay focuses on the different kinds of comic-book revisionism and the different reasons for it. This and the chapters before help to understand how the comic book industry works and how innovations in comic books are introduced and why they happen.
The main part of the essay continues to prove the hypothesis on the example of three superheroes that have all existed since the Golden Age of Comics: Wonder Woman, Captain America and Batman.
Each of those superheroes will provide an example for a different kind of social change: With the help of Wonder Woman, the change of the women's role and the change of feminism will be examined. Captain America is a great example of a superhero created out of a social and political need and of the struggle that arises when this need is fulfilled. He also poses as an example for how comics comment on political changes. Finally, the Batman comics are used to illustrate the power Dr. Frederic Wertham's book Seduction of the Innocent had over society and over comics itself. That chapter also discusses what the changes, made to Batman comics in reaction to the accusation of homosexuality, say about the reputation of homosexuals in the 1950s.
The last part of this essay gives an example for the possibilities to use this topic in school, in English as a foreign language or history classes.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Explanation of quoting style
- 2. Introduction
- 3. History of superhero comics
- 3.1. Before the superheroes came
- 3.2. The Golden Age of Comics
- 3.3. The comic book regression of the 1950s
- 3.4. The Silver Age of Comics
- 3.5. The Bronze Age of Comics
- 3.6. The Modern Age of Comics
- 4. What are Superheroes?
- 5. Kinds of revisionism
- 5.1. Additive Revisions
- 5.2. Fundamental Revisions
- 5.3. Conceptual Revisions
- 5.4. Critical Revisions
- 5.5. Critique on Wandtke's classification
- 5.6. Maturing of the medium
- 6. Wonder Woman 1941 vs. 2009: Comparing two origin stories and their messages
- 6.1. William Moulton Marston and his idea of an ideal world
- 6.2. Wonder Woman in the 1940s
- 6.3. Wonder Woman in 2009
- 6.4. Comparing the two stories
- 7. Captain America
- 7.1. Captain America in the late 1940s and 1950s
- 7.2. Captain America in the 1960 and 1970s
- 7.3. The War on Terror and the Death of Captain America
- 8. Batman
- 8.1. Batman and accusations of homosexuality
- 8.2. Impact of Wertham's accusations on Batman comics
- 8.3. Batman revisited: The "New Look"
- 9. Example for an English-lesson involving superhero comics
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to demonstrate how American superhero comics have evolved alongside societal, cultural, and political changes over the past 70 years. It hypothesizes that these comics adapt to remain relevant, and that careful analysis can reveal the historical context of their creation. The paper examines this hypothesis through case studies of iconic characters.
- The historical development of superhero comics.
- The relationship between superhero comics and societal reflection.
- Different types of comic book revisionism and their causes.
- The impact of social and political events on superhero narratives.
- The use of superhero comics as a tool for education.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Explanation of quoting style: This chapter outlines the citation style used throughout the paper, explaining the deviation from standard APA style for citing comic books due to the frequent changes in authorship. It justifies citing comic book issues instead of individual writers for clarity and reader comprehension, referencing the author's names in the bibliography instead. The omission of publication years in subsequent citations for reprints is also explained to avoid potential confusion.
2. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper's central argument: that superhero comics reflect and respond to societal shifts. It provides a brief overview of the paper's structure, highlighting the historical overview of the superhero genre, an exploration of revisionism in comics, and detailed case studies of Wonder Woman, Captain America, and Batman to illustrate the evolving relationship between comics and societal change. It concludes by mentioning the final section, which offers an example of how this subject can be incorporated into English or history classes.
3. History of superhero comics: This chapter provides a comprehensive historical overview of superhero comics, starting from their pre-superhero roots in newspaper cartoons and early comic strips. It traces the genre's evolution through key periods such as the Golden Age, marked by the creation of Superman and the establishment of the genre's core tropes; the challenges faced during the 1950s; and the subsequent revitalization and evolution in later decades. It explores the development of the medium, its classification as both art and literature, and the evolution of the superhero archetype itself. The chapter also discusses seminal moments and their impact on the comic-book culture, including the introduction of the Comic Book Code.
4. What are Superheroes?: [This chapter summary would need the content of Chapter 4 to be written.]
5. Kinds of revisionism: This chapter delves into various types of revisionism prevalent in superhero comics, exploring how and why these revisions occur. It categorizes and analyzes different approaches to altering existing narratives, such as additive, fundamental, conceptual, and critical revisions. The chapter likely discusses the motivations behind these revisions, considering elements like changing social norms, audience expectations, and the evolving creative vision of the writers. This section would also offer insight into the workings of the comic book industry and how innovations are introduced and evolve.
6. Wonder Woman 1941 vs. 2009: Comparing two origin stories and their messages: This chapter uses the character of Wonder Woman as a case study, comparing her 1941 and 2009 origin stories to illustrate changes in the portrayal of women and feminism. It explores the contrasting values and societal attitudes reflected in each version, highlighting the evolution of the character's image and her role as an icon. The analysis likely delves into the creator's original intentions and how these compare to later interpretations. The chapter utilizes the character's narrative arc to illuminate larger themes concerning societal changes in gender roles and the evolution of feminist perspectives.
7. Captain America: This chapter analyzes Captain America's evolution across different eras, using the character's journey to demonstrate how superhero narratives can reflect socio-political change. It likely discusses his creation amidst World War II, his later adaptations during the Cold War and the War on Terror, showing how his stories mirror anxieties and sentiments of their times. The chapter's analysis would likely consider the challenges faced by creating a character whose initial purpose is largely obsolete and how this created narrative challenges for the character's continued relevance.
8. Batman: This chapter examines the impact of Dr. Frederic Wertham's "Seduction of the Innocent" on Batman comics and society. It explores the accusations of homosexuality leveled against Batman and the subsequent changes made to the character's portrayal in response to these critiques. The chapter would analyze these revisions and what they reveal about societal attitudes towards homosexuality in the 1950s. This likely includes discussion on how the character’s evolution reveals the cultural and social pressures shaping the comic book industry at the time.
9. Example for an English-lesson involving superhero comics: [This chapter summary would need the content of Chapter 9 to be written.]
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
American superhero comics, societal reflection, revisionism, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Batman, Golden Age of Comics, Comic Book Code, Dr. Frederic Wertham, Seduction of the Innocent, feminism, political commentary, popular culture, sequential art.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of American Superhero Comics
What is the overall topic of this paper?
This paper explores the evolution of American superhero comics over the past 70 years, analyzing how these comics have reflected and responded to societal, cultural, and political changes. It uses case studies of iconic characters to demonstrate this relationship.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The paper examines the historical development of superhero comics, the relationship between these comics and societal reflection, different types of comic book revisionism and their causes, the impact of social and political events on superhero narratives, and the potential use of superhero comics as an educational tool.
What is the methodology used in this paper?
The paper employs a historical analysis approach, examining the evolution of superhero comics across different eras. It utilizes case studies of Wonder Woman, Captain America, and Batman to illustrate its arguments. A unique citation style is employed due to the frequent changes in authorship within comic book production.
Which characters are used as case studies?
The paper focuses on Wonder Woman, Captain America, and Batman, comparing different versions of their origin stories and analyzing how their portrayals have changed over time to reflect evolving societal attitudes.
What is the significance of the "revisionism" in superhero comics?
The paper categorizes and analyzes different types of revisionism in superhero comics (additive, fundamental, conceptual, and critical revisions), exploring the motivations behind these changes and their relationship to evolving social norms, audience expectations, and creative vision.
How does the paper address the historical context of superhero comics?
The paper provides a detailed historical overview of superhero comics, covering periods such as the Golden Age, the challenges of the 1950s, and subsequent revitalizations. It explores the impact of events like the introduction of the Comic Book Code and the influence of figures like Frederic Wertham.
What is the significance of Dr. Frederic Wertham's "Seduction of the Innocent"?
The paper examines the impact of Wertham's book on Batman comics and society, focusing on the accusations of homosexuality leveled against the character and the subsequent changes made to his portrayal in response to these critiques.
How does the paper discuss the portrayal of women in superhero comics?
The paper uses the evolution of Wonder Woman as a case study to illustrate changes in the portrayal of women and feminism in superhero comics, comparing her 1941 and 2009 origin stories and their respective messages.
What is the practical application of this research?
The paper suggests the use of superhero comics as a tool for education, providing an example of how this subject can be incorporated into English or history classes.
What is the structure of the paper?
The paper is structured with an explanation of the citation style, an introduction, a historical overview of superhero comics, a discussion of what constitutes a superhero, an analysis of different types of revisionism, detailed case studies of Wonder Woman, Captain America, and Batman, and finally, an example of how to use superhero comics in an educational setting.
What are the key words associated with this paper?
American superhero comics, societal reflection, revisionism, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Batman, Golden Age of Comics, Comic Book Code, Dr. Frederic Wertham, Seduction of the Innocent, feminism, political commentary, popular culture, sequential art.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Björn Saemann (Autor:in), 2011, How Comics Reflect Society, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/166723
