Why do we blame comics for societal failure? Why do we turn to them to blame when things in our world aren't right? The reason people blame comics is because they are easy targets to put blame on. While comics were read and enjoyed by many, they were also the representation of the "bad stuff" in society. Therefore, when things went bad, people said comics were the reason for it. From war to sex to drugs to violence, everything in theory could be blamed on comics. When a young kid or teenager did something wrong, comics always took some of the blame because they were supposedly influencing kids into thinking bad stuff was okay. Our society was and still is very influential, and when a controversial thing like comics are all over the market, they are a very easy thing to blame for corrupting the youth, or anyone for that matter. Although comics are often blamed, I think that it is societies' overreaction, not the comic books, that are to blame.
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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