Comically Underrated

The dynamics of a society's subtext and their global influences can sometimes best be analyzed through the media that they have produced. Throughout the 20th-21st century the United States has not only emerged as a self-contained capitalist entity, but it has also become one of the largest international entertainment influencers. As the entertainment industry has shifted through the different technological innovations and eras, one of the most primary self-contained American constants is the comic book industry and their characters. Each adaptation contains and builds upon the historical values and present tone to display them appropriately on platforms such as radio, television, and one of the most successful to date, cinema. Through the stories of their development and scripts surrounding specific characters, one can begin to answer the question of, “How and why have comic book characters influenced and been influenced by social changes and history?” Each historical dynamic in regard to the American comic book industry reveals more about our cultural focuses for that respective time period.

Literature and cohesive storytelling are important prospects for compelling mediums. Everyone understands the fundamentals and historical relevance of documented books, but only recently have comic books been analyzed with a more academic light. As Paul Hirsh stated, “Today, the American commercial comic book has been tamed and brought into the light. Comic book culture is beyond mainstream culture— ­it’s American culture” (Hirsh 3). It’s acceptance and relevance in mainstream contexts has allowed for more holistic dissection of its content. Basically, everyone knows that two companies, DC and Marvel, dominate the American market in the context of storytelling for comics, but something that a lot of people don’t is the importance of their respective histories. Many characters have interacted with real historical events through the guise of fiction. Many characters have also been created to emphasize real systemic injustices or failures of representation in mainstream media as well. When the Superman character emerged in the summer of 1938, the implications of his historical relevance were a mystery. His relevance today, however, is unquestioned. His existence, and the existence of many characters like him helped America establish a nationalist identity during WWII and through all of its respective global conflicts through to the present. Although many of these examples of cultural relevance and tone can be seen as dated today, their existence helps show history in an unrefined manner.

Perhaps one of America’s most relevant entries in the global scale, is during the World War 2 era. This time is not only where it established itself as a global powerhouse, but also a mass media machine. The contexts and subtexts established by American comic book media companies were pushed to extremes to encourage the war effort. This premise is broken down by Paul Hirsh who outlines the fact that, “During World War II, the U.S. government, through the Writers’ War Board (WWB), co-opted comic books as an essential means of disseminating race-based propaganda to adult Americans, including members of the armed forces” (Hirsh 2). This style grew harsher as the war continued and eventually became a situation where, “WWB members demanded increasingly vicious comic-book depictions of America’s opponents, portraying them as irredeemably violent” (2). As the war continued, so did the situations where, “Japanese people were not depicted as superhuman, they often appeared as incompetent and subhuman” (Hirsh 467). Unfortunately, the existence of this dehumanization process is not strictly limited to Japanese people. These books were published in order to push the narrative that, “Americans needed to believe that Germans, along with Japanese, were incurably hostile; they could be re-educated only after a necessarily brutal conflict and total Allied victory” (462). These generalizations contributed to the harsh climate and racial tensions emerging in the US. These depictions can also be deemed successful propaganda tools due to how prevalent printed information was and the eventual events that unfolded. It’s no secret that FDR relocated large populations of native-born Americans to internment camps without anyone batting an eye. This is best shown by how “A poll from the American Institute of Public Opinion in March 1942 shows that 93 percent of Americans were in favor of the removal of Japanese immigrants and 59 percent supported the removal of Japanese American citizens.” (Taylor 2) These stories do not only outline the harshness and complexities towards the dynamics of war, but they also display some of our famous historical hypocrisies. As an individual with Asian American heritage these concepts are quite frankly horrifying. These depictions became the normalized racist understanding of an entire culture. On top of this, these events show how subjectively and quickly rights can be taken away from you.

In a post-World War 2 climate, two superpowers emerged. The dissection of undertones and fundamental uses for comic books continued through this Cold War saga briefly. As stated by Paul Hirsh, “during the early Cold War, the State Department made frequent use of comic books as instruments of US diplomatic policy” (Hirsh 33). One big difference towards the national perspectives on war, however, became the updated bursts of technology through this era. The introduction of television provided a poor optic for what was once an efficient pro-war propaganda machine. This is best shown by how, “American visual propaganda was soon competing with images of Asian children doused with napalm and TV broadcasts of entire Vietnamese villages set ablaze by American soldiers. It was as if the violence, brutality, and racism of uncensored crime and horror comics had been made real. Against these images, printed propaganda had little force.” (240) The format had hit a standstill with effectiveness. As opposed to competing with other dialogues in print or radio, pro-war comics began to compete directly with direct visualizations of the brutality of war. Instead of being characters on the page, the people involved in these conflicts were instantaneously humanized through the lens of a camera. It’s no secret that the direct visualization of warfare has long lasting consequences on viewers, and the constant depiction of raw brutalized death in comparison to commercialized cartoons did not bode well for sales. This shift in effectiveness of comics as a pro-war tool became the catalyst for more meaningful and progressively complex stories.

When war no longer sold, a gap in the sales and an overall decline in the industry emerged. After a few decades of a sales slump, comics retooled and redefined their focuses. Instead, they now opted to utilize a more diverse pallet of pop culture phenomena to capture the hearts of their audiences. Interestingly enough, some examples of this included, “In 1972–1973 an influx of movies from Hong Kong allowed Western audiences to discover a new kind of action cinema. The popularity of kung fu expert Bruce Lee, enhanced by his untimely death in 1973, and the television series Kung Fu (broadcast by ABC from 1972 to 1975) stoked demand for martial arts themed stories until 1977. Marvel fired the first shot in the summer of 1973 with Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu. The following year saw the appearance of Iron Fist.” (Jean-Paul Gabilliet 1) This era from the 70s approached more liberal themes that could now be seen as socially acceptable. Seeing Asians even presented in media was rare and you can even see this dynamic sometimes present today. The presence of these Asian characters back then, although sometimes archetypal and incorrectly, is still meaningful. Comics acted as the antithesis to mainstream media’s struggles to maintain accurate and developed examples of diversity across television screens. Through comics the American public began to see, “the appearance of an industry born out of the counterculture and coming, in time, to compete with mainstream publishers, constituted the symptoms of a profound reorganization of an industry that had, for a long time, profited from the stability of its structures and its modes of production” (Gabilliet 1). Although some struggles with characterization remained constant, the presence of diversity was now established.

It’s no secret that historically a lot of publications have struggled with the implementation and creation of diverse characters in the guise of fiction. The comic book industry was no different. The start of these publications trying to utilize the hype for kung-fu is described as painting stories with a “constant reminder of unsavory Asian stereotypes” (Lee 120-135). This is not very dissimilar to how Marvel’s first African American comic book character, Luke Cage, during this time was described as, “dismissed by critics on the multicultural front...failing to do anything more complex.” (Aldama 149). The continued dissection, successes, and failures of black representation in comics is also very important so it will be expanded upon a bit later. Perhaps one of the most consistent issues with the depictions of these new characters has to do with the fact that many of these writers were in fact white. They were not really experienced with the critical lens required to portray the struggles these characters or demographics of people would go through from firsthand experience. Fortunately, through the form of competition these characters became more thoroughly constructed as time went on. DC participated in this development phase by establishing one of their decades standing characters as Japanese, Val “Karate Kid” Armorr. They opted to allow Armorr to explore the “wilds of modern America” (Lee 120-135). These narratives of exploration throughout a western subtext of eastern and black cultures continued. As a result, many of the racist and archaic characterizations changed in favor of pursuing a platform sensitive to the “multi-ethnic audiences in mind” (Lee 120-135). This embracing of diversity is best displayed by how eventually “DC’s Richard Dragon: Kung Fu Fighter featured a white delinquent who teams up with a black monk in Japan to battle international baddies” (Lee 120-135). Seeing publications or films with characters of all ethnicities traveling abroad and exploring diversity was practically unheard of in the Nixon era, and where more mainstream mediums failed, comics attempted something at least. This concept of cultural blending and dynamic experimentation through storytelling would become a new constant theme. While these early pieces were less complete on the aspect of perspective, they were somewhat of a steppingstone for what was to come. Of course, a few decades later, these characters would also be revisited by more appropriate and diverse writers to establish more holistic story dynamics.

Social and political issues in the 70s were not limited to the principles of diversity and racism though. Another huge part of this era in America and the world was the war on drugs. The exploration of these topics was largely seen as taboo throughout American media and was even banned by the CCA (Comics Code Authority). An establishment set as the standard for comics in 1954 to avoid government regulation, the CCA stood as another outdated regulatory system that writers sought to bypass. This was seen with how when writing a new Spiderman story about addiction “Stan Lee’s stance was that society had changed since the mid-1950s and drugs had become a dire social problem that could no longer be ignored.” (Gabilliet 75). Ironically, DC, “had been working on an identical project for several months: in the summer Green Arrow found out that his ward Speedy was a drug addict.” (75) The expansion of these topics through a new medium allowed for more conversations and discussions on the framework of the industry. As a result, “the CMAA accepted that the spirit of the times had changed, and comic books could not continue to develop inside an outdated ideological framework.” (76) The expansion of these stories into more mature themes and real world struggles quite literally changed the regulations for the whole industry. Drug addiction is a huge part of the American landscape, and the discussion of the affects it has on characters draws parallels to the real world. The opening of the conversation on these topics helps to normalize the stigmas surrounding those who do struggle. Unfortunately, these narratives were still stuck propagating in the underground. Sales figures continued to drop, but that does not change how comic books were some of the first publications to discuss and depict the topic of addiction. Comic books' exploration of social struggles and addiction in the framework of the United States’ historical experiences only continues to highlight their relevance.

Through these expanded capabilities writers became more comfortable exploring the compatibility between fictional characters and historical events. This is best seen by how Magneto's character established his most memorable identity in the 80s. Since 1963, he has had many different origin stories as most long-standing comic book characters do. In 1985 Magneto was definitively established as “a Holocaust survivor” (Smith 1). Written by Chris Claremont, a writer who has since become known for his strong character driven narratives and female characters, this new X-Men book, “demonstrates the extent to which Claremont had come to rely on Jewish experience during and soon after World War II in order to recast Magneto as an elder statesman rather than a militant terrorist.“ (Smith 1) Drawing from personal experience growing up with Jewish heritage in a post-World War 2 era, Claremont sought to enrich his characters in more realistic historical contexts. He described his experience writing Magneto by characterizing him as, “a good and decent man at heart, I then have the opportunity over the course of 200 issues to attempt to redeem him. To take him back within himself to the point where he was that good and decent man and see if he could start over” (Smith 1). His successful more complex characterization established Magneto as the flawed villain, with high potential to be an anti-hero in many Marvel stories. This is a standard that continues through his portrayals in movies and properties to date as well as the display of his history ingrained in the Holocaust. More importantly though it highlights the tragedies and complex dynamics in an effective way by allowing a man with Jewish heritage to place historical context passionately in fiction.

Another form of progress for the medium of comic books came with the increased credibility of graphic novels in the late 80s and early 90s. The expansion of these narratives through the graphic novel medium allows for these stories to take on a new form. Despite the vessel of a cartoon image, these stories represent very real hardships and historic tragedies that allow adults and kids alike to express their thoughts on history. These narratives cause readers to think more about historic injustices in relation to themselves and allow for the expansion of teaching lessons that need to be seen. As a platform, comics have become necessary and incredibly important expressions of these values. A great example of these heightened storytelling abilities comes from the graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman. A definitive retelling of one of history’s most fundamental injustices, the graphic novel is best described by how, “it stretches the boundaries of comics as art” (Dauber 299). These influences are further stretched by the impressions they made on American society by how it also, “received comics’ first frontpage New York Times book review, Michiko Kakutani crediting Spiegelman with ‘stretch[ing] the boundaries of the comic book form’ and creating ‘one of the most powerful and original memoirs to come along in recent years.’” (300) Maus became one of many instances of critically acclaimed stories that were told through the guise of the comic book medium. In a world still unfortunately full of Holocaust deniers, these acclaimed works of art stand as reminders to the importance real world events hold, further showing readers that history is still factually history. Its existence pushes the capabilities and academic lenses possible through any storytelling device, further amplifying comic books’ importance on history.

Another example of these historical American cultural time periods being analyzed through more comprehensive graphic novels would be how Alan Moore depicted the Cold War through his Watchmen series. Also released in the late 80s and early 90s, these issues stood as historical documents and breakdowns of the era that the US had just most recently left. It stands as a self-referential and in-depth analysis towards the impact America has on itself and the rest of the world. In this story, the existence of an omnipotent character, Doctor Manhattan, stands as an allegory for American expansionism and imperialism. His ability to vaporize and create any atomical construct allows readers to ponder the question of what it means to be human and how you sympathize with your supposed enemies. Something that stands out is how the series tackles themes through character dialogue that includes, “God exists, and he’s American” (295), which begs the reader to think about, “How fare other countries in the face of an imperial superpower?” (295). The self-analysis and criticism of the American Cold War era through the guise of a graphic novel allowed for more nuanced takes on the harsh realities and conditions that existed during that time. It helped show some of our hypocrisies and global ties to proxy wars, and our overwhelming lust to express American superiority over other peers. Standing as a very significant take on the potential nuclear fallout between the USA and the USSR, “Watchmen is, among much else, a Cold War story, occurring in the shadow of nuclear apocalypse” (295). The utilization of the government’s doomsday clock while telling these stories helps to highlight these historical contexts further. It helped outline the isolationism and fear mongering expressed by both governments during this time by expressing the minutes we approach towards midnight and impending doom visually. The destruction of New York City as a direct result of the calculated plan by Ozymandias in the end of the story further outlines the consequences of unmitigated disaster. These events also foreshadow how powerful the premise of fear can be on any member of the global population, a theme that runs true through our modern global conflict climate. Critically acclaimed today, the Watchmen series provides further steps into the historical landscape that can be covered by comics.

Expanding on the personally enriching experiences and stories, the appearances of black superheroes follow a similar path to many of the diversity issues surrounding other ethnicities previously discussed. Through primarily white writers, “DC Comics and Marvel Comics, both tried to create legitimate black superhero characters. Both companies failed to achieve any long-lasting success because their black characters were too closely identified with the limited stereotype commonly found in the blaxploitation films of the era.” (Brown 4). The establishment of complex character dynamics that are less tied to stereotypes was a huge issue with black characters as well. However, “in the spring of 1993, Milestone Media, an African American–owned and controlled comic book publishing company, began to provide the world with some new heroes.” (4) Led by the late Dwayne McDuffie, Milestone sought to expand upon the racial dynamics expressed in American society from the perspective of writers of color. Milestone Media became a large part of the modern age of comics. To contrast the lack of proper representation, the publication sought to contrast from the situations in which, “visible minorities were almost exclusively depicted on the comic book page as villains, indistinguishable petty criminals, screaming savages, and occasionally as comic relief sidekicks” (5). Instead, they showed more accurately how “today’s characters of color are finally starting to emerge as real heroes, as new heroes, demanded by new audiences.” (5) This allowed for writers to tackle more realistic subplots along with the classic superhero genre story points. Instead of indirect interpretations of other cultures, much like the discussion of Magneto, the people involved in the storytelling were the ones who experienced many of the hardships discussed in the pages.

Written from firsthand experience, one of Milestone Media’s most popular characters, Static, was able to tackle, “not so traditional problems, like trying to defuse the bombs and the propaganda of a militant black terrorist, accepting that one of your best friends is gay, and losing your virginity.” (39) These themes on top of the dissection of antisemitism and racial profiling in the Static title alone encapsulated important mature themes in the new comic narrative. As a reader, these concepts became normalized and understood. Through the tone and texture of densely meaningful comic pages young readers can begin to break down the stigmas and barriers that exist. Specific memorable stories include the dissection and discussion of the history of hardship black and Jewish communities both experienced through the character Static and his friend Frieda expressed constantly throughout the original run of his comics. Another prominent example would be tackling the discussion of homophobia through the depictions of various high school bullies bullying one of Static’s best friend’s Rick Stone for being gay. As a kid, reading through these stories provided clarity to all these different cultural dynamics, hardships, and wrongdoings. Looking back on these stories now, there is no doubt that they ended up being useful educational tools that helped shape more mature and adult perspectives on a young mind. The writers successfully added more human elements to a genre that is incorrectly conceived to be based on the invulnerability of its main cast. These complex discussions became the forefront of the Milestone Media print and their influence on not just media, but modern culture is undisputed. This is so apparent, even Supreme Court Justice Thomas “was known… to actually quote Icon's sometimes pedantic dialogue” (Donohoo 1). Icon, a conservative black comic book character being utilized in this manner was something that caused McDuffie to experience writer's block. This entire situation was something that “he feared … could be used to advance a political cause he disagreed with” (Donohoo 1). The clashing of his liberal perspective through his own creation of a conservative character is fascinating. It helps display how multifaceted the perspectives truly have become. The stretches of influences reaching so far as a Supreme Court Judge is also just as interesting. This experience and situation further outline the complex relationship comic books have with the continuing dynamics of American culture.

 Perhaps one of the largest aspects of this generation's political fulcrums must be the subject of immigration and the perspectives surrounding individuals with South American backgrounds. One of the most glaring topics in American idealisms and the discussion of what it means to be American comes from the perspectives surrounding immigration. To tackle these important themes, DC revitalized one of its existing characters, Blue Beetle, into something new for the new millennium. It retooled the Blue Beetle superhero mantle and created a new character that followed the legacy through the eyes of a young Latino teenager. This new series tackled important realities of the American frontier especially in the south that included, “gangs, generational and assimilation issues within some Latina/o families, nativism among U.S. citizens, the trafficking of immigrants, and the militarization and politics of the El Paso– Ciudad Juárez border” (Aldama 51). These new themes utilized and integrated important presences in America. It provided a clarity and distinct amount of humanization for some of the harsh realities that exist in our current state. The comic also importantly, “echoes the sentiments of nativists resentful of Latinas/os, who, whether U.S. citizens or not, may be perceived as immigrant” (52). As much of this run occurred from 2006 onward, it is disheartening to see the US still dwell on these sentiments more than a decade later. What is also interesting to see is how seemingly in a post-Trump era, many of these feelings of resentment and blaming remain amplified and increasingly apparent. This is best supported by how, “a majority (54%) of Hispanics say it has become more difficult in recent years to be Hispanic in the U.S” (Lopez et al.). These regions of dialogue allow for the context of American experience to be expanded to cover all forms of issues. As part of a unique instance where a well-known character was reinterpreted to discuss important social issues, the different Blue Beetle characters directly help show changes over time. Through stories like this, we can see more about the true American situation and what it feels like to live in the country today.

Another largely politicized issue that comics tackled pretty head on ahead of the rest of mainstream culture is that of homosexuality and gay rights. After the AIDs pandemic had spread lots of false and homophobic stigmas surrounding the gay community, there was a lot of room for improvement culturally in America. In the 90s, the Wildstorm comics publication sought out to change this and to explore a character dynamic best described as, what if Batman and Superman were in a romantic relationship. They established this through the creation of characters Midnighter and Apollo. These characters were displayed with a “long-term monogamous relationship, eventual marriage, and the adoption of a daughter” (Yeich 3). Occurring in 2002, these situations unfolded through the pages of a comic book story, sadly long before the normalization of many of these events for gay individuals. Also, long before the legalization of many of these practices. The existence of these character dynamics normalizes these practices for many readers and allows for more diverse perspectives and realities to be widely accepted. It is interesting to see how these characters, “conveys the relationship as normalized, regardless of the gender identity of the members involved.” (3) The expressions and general humanizations of these gay characters paints a more vivid diverse image of what the gay experience should be in a progressive and highly educated society. Comic’s lack of fear to approach these highly stigmatized subjects helped impact generations of readers looking to explore the more diverse possibilities.

This exposure and normalization of the gay experience in America continues to the pages of DC comics in the present. The current incarnation of the Superman mantle has been passed to Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s son Jonathan Kent. As a direct descendant of some of the most iconic and easily identifiable characters in comic book history, his relevance is unquestioned. As a character that first appeared in 2015 and aged a lot since then, the concept of his sexuality and his own personal stories are now just recently being explored. The expansion of perspective is furthered by the writer of the series, Tom Taylor, being an Australian who grew up in Melbourne idolizing the original character. In an interview with Anderson Cooper much of the discussion centralized around establishing this new character and backstory centralized around the shifts in focus the Superman character can achieve. As someone who is supposed to stand for truth, justice, and what is right it is interesting to see how this new Superman character’s experience can further the dissection and discussion of American culture, sexuality, and perspective. When Anderson Cooper asks about whether or not Jonathan Kent’s same sex relationship was going to be a focal point of the character, Tom Taylor states, “This is part of his identity” (“Anderson Cooper speaks with DC Comics writer about the new bisexual Superman” 11:55-12:00). Perhaps what is most interesting and meaningful about these new stories is how they can build upon established continuity to achieve more compelling and accurate human storytelling. In a world that is still full of misinformation surrounding homosexuality, bisexuality, and sex education the new Superman provides a healthy dose of fun along with these more mature realities.

Comic book’s influence stretches far beyond the pages and weaves through different systems of media. Surprisingly, hip-hop has a long relationship with comic books. Some examples of this include Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah utilizing the stage name Tony Starks- a direct adaptation of the Tony Stark Iron Man moniker published by Marvel comics. References to comic book characters constantly appear through the lyrics of the Wu-Tang Clan’s songs. Famously, the song “Protect Ya Neck” includes a line that directly references Spider-Man. Another influence of comic book characters on the careers and identities of musicians in this genre comes from the MF DOOM stage name identity crafted by Daniel Dumile. Directly cited as being sourced by Marvel Comics’ Doctor Doom character, it is well understood that “The rapper MF DOOM, whose real name was Daniel Dumile and who died last fall at age 49, wore a large metal face mask on stage. It was reminiscent of Marvel Comics' Dr. Doom” (Pfeiffer 1). His pursuit of a supervillain career arc was catapulted by a series of betrayals set forth on his professional career. After being dropped from his label after his musical partner, and brother, died in an accident, he sought to utilize the Marvel character’s likeness to seek vengeance on the industry that betrayed him. This identity crafted is precisely in touch with reality. MF DOOM’s ability to establish a coveted successful professional career and identity under the guise of Doctor Doom’s character highlights real world problems like the lack of humanity expressed by capitalist focuses. A fortunate outcome from these references and displays of influence from comics is that the respect is mutual. From 2015 onward, Marvel published remixes of famous hip-hop album covers integrating their superhero characters on the covers as a large collaboration project. Some of which included MF DOOM and Wu-Tang Clan albums. This further epitomizes the influences of comic books on American culture and the relevance they have maintained to the present.

Also existing in the present, the Marvel Cinematic Universe stands as the fulcrum of the American film industry and the soft power expressed through media and film. It is almost comical how Disney can push out 11 films centralized around the same cinematic universe over the course of just 3 years. The releases of these movies in specific and planned phases borrows from the continuity based and narrative building expressed in some of the oldest issues of comics. As the films produced so far stand on a profit of around $23 billion worldwide (Clark 1), the dominance and relevance of comics in the global media landscape is in fact a force to be reckoned with. In fact, with Disney’s acquisition of Fox, they have also regained some of the film rights that Marvel lost when they sold different characters to different studios years ago to evade bankruptcy. This further establishes comic book characters' staying power in the foreseeable future revitalizing a cast rotation that has been at the front of cinematic focus. On top of that, Marvel and Disney’s biggest competitor, Warner Bros., and DC, also continue to turn out movies at a comparable rate. As the context and premise of these characters continues to be adapted by different mediums over time, and displayed around the world, the origins of these characters stay the same. Comic books and the characters they have created are now the focus of our blockbuster film events and releases. It will be interesting to see how this could potentially change in the future.

Comic books are currently sold individually by issue in comic book stores for $2.99, packaged in volumes sold in bookstores and online retailers like Amazon for around $15-30, available digitally for purchase or rental through various subscription options, and in most library systems. Just like the stories they contain, the platforms they are available on have evolved over time. According to a Statista online survey, individuals in the United States from the age groups 18-34, and 35-54 read comics at a surprisingly similar rate. 18% of people in the age group 35-54 read at least once a month, 23% of readers in the age group 18-35 read at least once a month as well. 25% of people in the age group 18-35, and 35-54 read less than once a month. Surprisingly, 17% of people in the age group 55+ say that they also read less than once a month (Watson 1). As a hobby they seem to currently be very accessible and widely available. On top of that, the audience age range seems to cover a large base of people, even if they are not always as consistent readers. These numbers and comic’s availability to read also tell a story of how penetrative the market can be to anyone looking to catch up and revisit old characters, try something new, or understand more about certain parts of history.

Looking to the future, these concepts are continuing to be built on. The Milestone print has just recently been rebooted by DC Comics, Shang-Chi has just recently become a blockbuster movie, and Warner Bros. Media plans to release a TV series based on Blue Beetle and Static on HBO Max. The Captain America mantle in the comics is currently being used by Marvel to dissect the current meaning of being American, outlining other communities like the Filipino American community through a new female Filipino American college student. The updating of these characters through new stories and media formats allows for these important points of our history and culture to breath new life on a fresh audience and to remind them of the processes we have gone through as a society overall. They also outline the importance of the normalization of respect and empathy for those that also occupy the space around you. This is in fact a concept highly critical to understand in a pandemic everyone is living through right now.

Overall, the existence of comic books through American history from the 20th century onward provides clarity to some of the most focal historical and cultural values expressed. The emerging themes, mediums, and genres intertwined with the stories that engaged generations of audiences through the pages of pictures and word bubbles gave context to what the American experience is and can be. The exploration of these ideas gives readers exposure to the diverse aspects of life and the potential conflicts and resolutions that exist in the real world. Through the continued publishing and expansion of these characters, comic books continue to journey with society’s progression. Their centralization on story-based narratives only stands to continue to educate the public in unique and critical ways, and the expansion of these characters platforms through sound and move screens provides America and the rest of the world with countless potential for stories in the future. Stories centralized around family, unity, respect, the reimagining of American idealisms, historical disasters, and so many more important and relevant events can be developed to continue the chapters of relevance this medium has. Comics’ importance on the landscape of American history and the relevance of their existence today is undisputed. They stand as healthy and important tools for understanding the culture and history of America and the world’s progress.

Works Cited:

Aldama, Frederick Luis, Frederick Luis Aldama, and Project Muse. Multicultural Comics : From Zap to Blue Beetle. 1st ed. ed. Austin: Austin : University of Texas Press, 2010. Web.

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Yeich, Adam J., "Regression and progression: portrayals of midnighter and apollo wildstorm and dc comics." (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3462.
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