Comics are/were blamed for societal failure because they are the easy targets. Rather than blaming the real and more serious/detrimental reasons for our failures we tend to focus on issues that are areas of enjoyment but that can make an impression. Comic books can make an impression on their readers but it is likely that the material that is being transcribed through the comics has already been communicated in other forms; it is unlikely that a comic book reader is first introduced to violence or sex through Batman or Superman. Reasons to blame comic books for societal failure are: violence, sex, portrayals or marriage, horror, crime, etc. However, comics are one branch that extends the tree of these issues. By saying that comic books are the reason for societal failure, we are funneling the inherent issues; we take a broad description of our failure and narrow it down to why we are the way we are. In my opinion, comic books are the least of our worries; out of all of our media outlets I would think that comic books are one of the least likely, at least in today’s society, which would expose natural experiences and lessons at an exaggerated level. We blame comic books because we look to place blame anywhere but the appropriate arena: ourselves, we are the reasons for societal failure because we can’t accept progression.
The ruminations over new activity to bring Wonder Woman back to the small screen once again remind me of the unique place DC Comic characters occupy in our collective mind’s eye. The struggle to produce a Wonder Woman film says much about the challenge represented by the Amazon Warrior/Princess who does not need to be rescued. Despite the growth of women’s role in society, we still assume a paternal and maternal model for men and women's in society. While Wonder Woman is not barred from motherhood, she is not seeking to place herself within the familial framework in an obvious way. Indeed, the recent runs of Wonder Woman have been better in part, because they have embraced the character as who she is--warrior, diplomat, and leader. Wonder Woman is one of the key characters from DC, yet she has not had the iconic stories similar to Batman (The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, or Year One) or Superman ( Greatest Stories or Red Son) in print. Instead, many people know abo…
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