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.
Throughout the 60’s, comics were at the forefront of social transformation. Possibly the best example of this is through comics reflection of the public’s view of the Vietnam War. At the beginning of the war a majority of Americans fully supported the cause. The idea that communism, the most evil idea conceived, could spread first through South-East Asia and eventually to the US lead Americans to accept the need to occupy Vietnam. However as the war progressed it became more obvious that it was less to defend democracy and actually just a proxy war against Russia. As support for the war diminished, comics greatly altered their position on the war to question the causes of the war, and whether the US should actually be there. The comic Iron Man accurately represented this shift in support as he stopped dealing arms, and took a moral stand against their use. As well as Vietnam War culture, comics also accurately portrayed youth culture in the US throughout the 60’s. Comics suc...
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