In Terms of Race Do Comic Books Offer Stereotypes? In terms of race comic books do offer stereotypes. But when the comic book characters were first created it was not intentional. The creators were well intentioned liberals, trying to make progressive steps for minorities in comic books. The exaggerated characters created became offensive in most characters. Comic books are very concentrated versions of society. Stereotypes of minorities aren’t created by comics but they were enforced, perpetuated and emphasized. Comic books accent certain characteristics of the character being created. Most often when it is an African American character the comic creator may accent the elements that construct the subject as “Black”. When the creator does this, they exaggerate the elements making the character not only look African American but then also creating the character to “act black” this then creates the “super black.” Because of the heavily embellished elements of the African American character a generality is made. The generality is made because when a black character is created and defined he then represents the race creating or enforcing a stereotype.
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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