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Ages of Heroes, Eras of Men--The Pop Culture Question

Does popular media shape your belief or does belief shape media? It is a good question, and of course, comic books are one way to consider the problem. Think about it, comic books have for many decades, offered their readers a self-contained world with detailed character histories and evolving circumstances. If you read Superman in the 1940s his dress, ideas, language, and surrounding reflect that time. Today, they reflect contemporary life incorporating radically different social, political, and economic circumstances. The writers update the characters and their world so that readers feel a connection to the story. Thus, we can make the argument strongly that comics reflect culture incorporate new ideas as they come. On the other hand, when comics introduce readers to concepts such as challenging political corruption in the 1930s, attacking the fascism in the 1940s, or challenging racism in the 1960s they do so ahead of mainstream opinion. Therefore, those comics help to shape the reader's view of these issues. Both position can't be right, can they? Someone who can offer some insight into the question is John Donovan. His contribution to Ages of Heroes, Eras of Men, traces comics' approach to communism. He joins several contributors who ask us to consider nationalism and the power of political ideology in comics.

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