Super What Now?

          

           Look up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s some random guy in a costume with powers beyond the understanding of mortal men. In layman’s terms it’s a super hero. I am a pretty big fan of super hero comics. I have read my fair share of both classic and modern age comics, and in general I like them both. While I prefer to think of most things in a relatively neutral way, anything can have a negative side if you are looking hard enough, super hero comic books are something that I can say have definitely been an unintentionally oppressive force, even if only a minor one.

            Super heroes did not really begin to appear until the 1930s, specifically 1938 with the first issue of superman. This time period coincides with the ending of the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II. This era is often times called the “Golden Age” of comic books. Most of the big name characters in the Marvel and D.C. comics’ lineups, like Batman Superman Captain America, as well as the classic incarnations of some lesser known heroes, like Green Lantern and the Flash, first debuted in this time period. The comics of the time were very nationalistic, especially after World War Two started. Comics were basically American propaganda for kids, acting as cheap short stories where the obviously good American superhero would triumph over villainous caricatures of the Axis Powers’ soldiers. The number of times Hitler got punched in the jaw by some hero was pretty ridiculous.

 Super heroes at the time weren’t really heroes at all. Yes, they did fight against tyranny and injustice, but it was only the kinds of tyranny and injustice that was defined by the socio-political norms of American society at the time. I think we all can recognize that while the Axis powers governments did some really horrible stuff, the Allies weren’t angels themselves they just happened to be on the side of the angels that time. Superman’s original tagline was a big speech about being faster than a speeding bullet and etcetera, but after comes the more important part where it says that Superman fights for truth justice and the American way, the “and” sticks out to me now. The comics at the time were just so biased and more than a little racist that they’re hard for me to read with a straight face.

            Considering the time period, it’s not really that much of a surprise that super heroes were at the time just extensions if the American national propaganda engine, even the Looney Toons were part of it. It’s just sort of disappointing to find out that something I think is pretty cool originated from using larger than life characters to create an image that America was the most perfect place in the world in the minds of children. This is why I generally prefer to start with silver age comics, like this guy.                                                                      

At this point super heroes stood for truth and justice without getting so caught up in the American Way.