University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

The comic book superhero: his amazing journey to connect and communicate with society

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The comic book superhero: his amazing journey to connect and communicate with society

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Content THE COMIC BOOK SUPERHERO:
HIS AMAZING JOURNEY TO CONNECT AND
COMMUNICATE WITH SOCIETY
by
Katherine Seastrom-Probandt
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS)
May 2012
Copyright 2012 Katherine Seastrom-Probandt
ii Table of Contents
Abstract iv
Introduction v
Chapter One: The Birth of the Comic Book 1
1.1: Scientification 2
1.2: Superman 5
1.3: Batman 11
Chapter Two: World War Two 13
2.1: Impact of Comic Book Industry 15
Chapter Three: Censorship 19
3.1: EC 25
3.2: Fredric Wertham 27
Chapter Four: Rebirth and Marvel 35
Chapter Five: DC versus Marvel Comics 43
Chapter Six: Watchmen 49
Chapter Seven: Comic Book Stores and Distribution 54
Chapter Eight: DC Re-launch and Value of PR 59
Chapter Nine: Future of Comics and the Superhero 61
Bibliography 64
Appendix A: Interviews 68
iii List of Figures
Figure 1: Amazing Stories Cover September 1928 3
Figure 2: Amazing Stories Cover August 1928 6
Figure 3: Action Comics #1 Cover 10
Figure 4: Captain America #193 Cover 13
Figure 5: Batman the Dark Knight Returns 50
Figure 6: The Watchmen Cover 51
iv Abstract
In this thesis the author will explore the comic book industry relating to the
superhero. She will analysis how the superhero communicates and connects to society’s
ideals and the contemporary perception of good and evil so as to better speak to our
modern era.
v Introduction
Comic book superheroes are a caricature of the concerns and aspirations of
society. They not only mirror social issues and ideals but exaggerate the underlying
feelings behind them. This has created a marketable formula that has appealed to
children and adults throughout the decades and streamlined into other entertainment
platforms. Today the comic book superhero’s influence has grown beyond the pages of
the comic book, but his true power lies in his ability to evolve and connect with society’s
conscience.
The strength of the superhero is found in the power of the written word and its
ability to form stories that ignite the imagination and impart the ideals of the storyteller.
A good story is the basis of all immortal tales. From a romantic perspective, we could all
be deemed players in a great production, our very lives the fabric used to construct some
ode to our own mortality. The tale moves through our triumphs and failures, settling on
life’s perceived truths.
Good stories, ones that stay with a person long after the yarn is finished and
through the years of their life, are relatable. People connect to tales that serve as a
reflection capturing the hopes, fears, dreams and desires of the listener. Obviously, this
theory is not absolute, but its truth is not difficult to perceive. People, generally, are
enamored with people. Stories provide the canvas to explore who we are and to
contemplate the great mysteries of good and evil.
In our modern era, we do not lack vehicles from which stories can be relayed.
From novels, to radio, television or the Internet, we are provided with numerous sources
vi for entertainment. We also benefit from a wealth of material built upon throughout the
ages -- stories that endure long past the short lives of those who first imagined them; tales
that are mimicked by future generations in re-imagined landscapes, whispering the same
truths their long-dead creators had first tried to impart.
The comic book is a uniquely modern variation of traditional literary options and
is the perfect environment for the superhero. Comic books combine the art of storytelling
with a visual artistry, enabling the reader to watch the action unfold within its panels.
First developed in the late 1920s, comic books impart stories to both juvenile and adult
audiences (Jones, 2004). While comics are not restricted to a singular type of tale,
superheroes have helped define the medium. Within the colored panels of a comic, the
superhero can demonstrate his awesome powers. The artistic style of the book is also
used to enhance the story; color, style and composition can impart emotion without
dialogue.
The superhero enhances the richness of the medium. Some heroes are unique to a
particular era, beautifully illustrating a moment’s concerns and politics. Others are
continuous, never aging, but changing ever so slightly to reflect a new generation’s
worries and ideals. Commercial survival is based on their ability to adapt. Their writers
need to understand the social environment and mold their heroes to fulfill a need in that
environment.
The first superhero, a titan of confidence, intelligence and wit, was Superman.
The absurdity of his costume and powers was balanced by his half-knowing smile,
hinting that perhaps he was in on the joke, aware that his very existence was ridiculous
vii but confident in his powers and mission (Jones, 2004). Many superheroes followed, few
survived the test of time, the majority faded into obscurity.
The superheroes that persevered connected to something more than the mere
novelty of being a superhero; they offered a genuine element that spoke to society. As
the decades have passed, some of these superheroes have become universally recognized
outside of the comic book arena. They have infiltrated radio and television, been
plastered on cereal boxes, and featured theme parks, backpacks and more. Their power
as a marketable asset is undeniable. Where then, is that power rooted? People
understand what Superman stands for without reading his comic books. But without his
comic books, is Superman the same entity? His strength and ability to endure come from
more than just an image. He is a fleshed-out persona with the wealth of over seven
decades of material to add to his character. His story has evolved to keep him relevant.
The comic book industry has effectively harnessed the power of the story.
Through the comic book superhero, comic book publishers, writers and artists have
created an entity that can speak to us. The superhero’s concerns reflect our own worries.
He is who we want to be, better than ourselves while wrestling with the same problems.
It is little wonder that such an entity can be marketed so effectively.
1 Chapter One: The Birth of the Comic Book
To properly comprehend how superheroes are a caricature of cultural concerns, it
is important to understand the environment from which they were borne. The 1920s
witnessed the birth of the comic book during the expansion of the middle class and the
introduction of a consumer culture (Jones, 2004). Greater numbers of families moved
from rural areas into the cities, settling in the suburbs. Children could stay in school
longer as families moved away from the farm while their parents found jobs in the cities
(Jones, 2004). Without the financial obligations of the farm that had once forced children
into working at a young age, kids had unprecedented amounts of time for play and other
leisure activities. Children had freedom to be children and from that phenomenon, a new
youth culture developed. Middle-class youth had the time to let their imaginations run
wild and to develop their passions. This led to new demands on the market, dictated by
children who now had access to small weekly allowances (Jones, 2004). In turn,
companies, such as Tootsie and the Knickerbocker Toy Company, saw children as a new
audience to market to and began mass-producing toys. During this time period iron-cast
toy cars, the Yo-Yo, and Raggedy Ann dolls were introduced (History of Children's
Games and Toys, 2004). Additionally, publishers of popular comic strips like Tarzan,
The Katzenjammer Kids and Buck Rodgers licensed their characters to be made into
children products (Jones, 2004). Comic strips were predecessors to comic books and
published in newspapers.
A longer childhood did not just include more time to play, but also enabled those
interested in the arts or literature with the tools through school to pursue such interests
2 (Jones, 2004). Instead of running out to the fields, children remained in school longer,
honing their skills in reading, writing and drawing. Those who found passion in the arts
had time to develop their imaginations and learn how to articulate stories of their own in
a synthesized storyline. This atmosphere encouraged both a comic book audience and a
future pool of contributors.
1.1: Scientifiction
It was within this setting of possibilities that comic books took root. The art form
evolved, building upon two existing entertainment media: comic strips and pulp
magazines, commonly referred to as “the pulps” (Jones, 2004). These paperbound books,
which could be found in newsstands across the country throughout the turn of the
century, were aimed at both adults and children and covered a full range of genres,
including romance, crime, war and horror. The covers were in color and illustrated in
such a way to entice readers by depicting the most dramatic moments in the stories
(Wright, 2001).
From this medium came the term “science fiction,” originally coined
“Scientifiction” by Hugo Gernsback on the cover of his September 1928 pulp magazine,
Amazing Stories (Jones, 2004). The cover featured the word “Scientification” written in
cursive, along with a heraldic device pointing to both fact and theory. Gernsback
explained the genre as “wag(ing) war against superstition and ignorance and
illuminat(ing) the technological paradise that awaited mankind (Jones, 2004, p. 31).”
Individuals growing up in the 1930s, such as Jerry Siegel (the co-creator of Superman)
3 were inspired by the optimism of science fiction and counted that magazine as a major
influence (Jones, 2004).
Figure 1: Amazing Stories Cover September 1928
(Google Images)
The introduction of science fiction categorized a type of storytelling that had
previously lacked an identity. The genre was more real than fiction, with roots in
science, which pushed the limits of what man could accomplish. Science fiction stories
and ideas would eventually influence future content in comic books (Jones, 2004).
For example, fans of magazines like Amazing Stories wrote to the publishers,
asking questions or discussing recent issues. Some of those letters were published in a
section of the magazine. The letter writer’s name and address were often included,
providing fans with the means to communicate with one another. Readers of the various
4 titles were able to build a sense of community through letter writing, discussing the
magazines and stories they loved. Communication between fans formed the foundation
for the first Fanzines, self-published magazines that discussed the readers’ favorite titles
(Pustz, 1999).
This small act between a handful of devoted followers is important because it
marked the beginning of fan culture. Letter writing coupled with small, humbly
produced fanzines evolved, eventually coming to define a very important aspect of the
comic book industry. Comic book fans are no different than the fans of pulp magazines.
Early comic books included a section dedicated to fan letters (Jones, 2004). Fanzines and
fan fiction were, and remain, prevalent in comic culture (Jones, 2004).
The comic book industry feeds off of the fan’s enthusiasm and ideas. From the
ranks of the first pulp magazine enthusiasts came many major comic book contributors,
including Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman (Passman, 2008). Through fan
letters, fanzines and newsletters, the fan communicates his opinions and ideas. His
opinions drive sales and ultimately feed the industry with writers and artists who will
develop future stories (Jones, 2004). In assessing this dynamic, it becomes clear that the
superhero is capable of evolving because the fan gives him the guidance to change. In
this way, the fan became the torchbearer of the story, serving as both the true keeper of
the hero’s mythos and harshest critic of his adventures. As will become evident as the
history of the comic book unfolds, the fan is the life’s blood of the industry, even more
pointedly than the superhero himself.
5 1.2: Superman
Initially, comic books began as collections of newspaper comic strips. The books
featured no main story and no original material (Jacobson, 2001). In the beginning,
books were created by artists in art “shops”. These studios were stocked with editors and
freelance artists who collectively compiled completed comic books to be sold to
publishing companies. Credit was not given to any of the artists, and the publishing
company generally maintained the rights to successful characters due to a standard clause
included in all employment contracts. Artists and writers forfeited their ownership of
anything created while employed to the publishing company (Wright, 2001). Typically
multiple artists would create a single comic book, with a different individual drawing,
inking and lettering of the stories. Eventually, these books evolved to include original
strips by artists. Typically, a book would contain multiple stories, with the cover
advertising the feature tale.
In the industry’s earliest days, Independent News Company, owned by Harry
Donenfeld and run by Jake Liebowtz, became the largest distributer and publisher of
comic books, largely without forethought or foresight. Independent News was initially a
publishing house for “nudies and smooshes,” cheaply produced pornography and other
pulp magazines (Jones, 2004). By distributing and publishing its own work, Independent
News was able to outlive other publishing houses during the Depression and acquire
failing distributors and publishers (Jones, 2004). In 1937, Independent News acquired
Wheeler-Nicholson’s Detective Comics (Wright, 2001, p. 5). The acquisition meant little
to the company at the time, but eventually the partnership would shape Independent
6 News for the better and ensure its future. With Detective Comics, Independent News
entered the comic book industry and its success in that industry was greater than any of
its previous ventures (Wright, 2001). The introduction of Superman caused the fortunes
of the comic book industry and Independent News to skyrocket.
Siegel and Schuster created Superman, a super-powered Adonis, when they were
still quite youthful. Siegel and Schuster drew inspiration from the comic strip, radio and
pulp magazine heroes of their childhood. Some of their noted influences included the
August 1928 issue of Amazing Stories featuring a man in a skin-tight red suit hovering
above a woman in her front yard, Philip Wylie’s Gladiator, a man of exceptional
strength, and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan (Jones, 2004).
Figure 2: Amazing Stories Cover August 1928
(Hugo Gernsback, 1992)
7 According to Passman (2008), both Schuster and Siegel were Jewish boys from a
Cleveland superb. They experienced relatively lonely childhoods due to their fascination
with fiction, devouring pulp magazines, movies and radio shows about their favorite
characters (Passman, 2008); social outsiders who found their peers in the letter pages of
pulp magazines. Both dreamed of creating a character like Gladiator or Buck Rodgers,
and had aspirations to move to New York City to work on a comic strip. From these
dreams, the Man of Steel was born in 1938 (Jones, 2004).
It has been noted in countless commentaries that Superman represents the
idealized fantasy embodiment from two such individuals. Superman was the ultimate
outsider. He was sent to Earth aboard a rocket ship created by his father as his home
world, Krypton, exploded (Passman, 2008). Adopted by a couple that owned a farm in
Kansas, Superman was taught wholesome American values and vowed to use his
amazing powers to protect his adopted world (Bridwell, 1995). As an alien, he could
never truly belong to Earth, but he was loved and accepted by its people regardless.
Superman works in Metropolis in the guise of a nerdy and good-natured reporter
(Bridwell, 1995). As Superman, he protects the citizens of Metropolis from evil and is
cheered and celebrated for his efforts. He symbolizes ultimate acceptance, an
exaggerated interpretation of the perfect man.
Schuster and Siegel shopped Superman around for years, originally hoping for a
comic strip syndication (Jones, 2004). At the time, newspaper strips were the most
lucrative opportunity for artists and writers, while the comic book industry offered little
financial security. Society perceived comic books as a form of entertainment for the
8 lowest denominator of individuals, little better than pornography (Jones, 2004). A job in
a comic book shop was not a glamorous occupation. Neither comic shops nor publishing
houses rarely hired artists or writers as full-time staff, to keep production costs low
(Jones, 2004).
It was largely first and second-generation immigrants to the U.S. who built the
comic book industry. Since either they or their parents had already worked in the textile
mills and large factories of New York City, their occupational perception did not
differentiate between those who worked in factories and those who created comic books
(Jones, 2004). At best, those that created the art and stories for comics were perceived as
a slight step above unskilled laborers (Jones, 2004). Like unskilled factory workers, the
comics’ artists and writers produced a product with all ownership retained by their
employers (Jones, 2004). Interestingly, when the opportunity was finally offered to
Schuster and Siegel to develop a comic book, they rejoiced and obediently signed the
paperwork, giving Independent News (which later merged with Detective Comics and All
American Comics and renamed National Periodical Publications, then subsequently
renamed DC) the rights to their character in return for jobs (Jones, 2004, p. 223). The
opportunity was not their ideal, but after years of searching, the boys were happy to
finally receive a chance to reveal Superman to the world.
Superman made his first appearance in Action Comics number 1 in June 1938.
On the cover page, the Man of Steel, wearing a blue suit and red cape with the little “S”
emblazoned upon his chest, lifted a car (Siegal & Schuster, 1938). The original
Superman was cynical and humorous. He delighted in his strength and wit while taunting
9 villains and grinning through the panels at the reader (Wright, 2001). His strength and
powers, such as lifting cars and leaping great distances through the air, were absurd, but
his humor and juvenile enthusiasm toward righting wrongs and demonstrating his super
powers to the world balanced the fantasy.
The first four Action Comics issues featuring Superman were produced with only
200,000 copies printed, a cautious number considering competitor Eastern Color Printing
distributed between 350,000 to 500,000 issues of its book Famous Funnies during the
same time period (Miller J. J., 2009). Actions Comics was a monthly comic book, so it
took four months for the editors at DC to learn that Superman was selling out (Jones,
2004). This delay can be attributed to the distribution method used at the time. Liquor
stores and newsstands, the primary carriers of comic books, purchased books on
consignment. This means that unsold comic books were returned to the publishing
company (Jones, 2004). The challenges behind this method of distribution to the
publisher were great. Employees at publishing companies needed to guess at print run
quantities months in advance (Jones, 2004, p. 91). As a result, executives at publishing
companies could not adjust print runs based on consumer response without several
months’ lag. It was because of this that Jack Liebowitz, owner of Detective Comics Inc.,
did not increase the print run of Action Comics featuring Superman to 500,000 copies
until issue 6 (Wright, 2001, p. 9).
10 Superman became an unparalleled success soon after his first appearance, and
publishing houses scrambled to mimic the formula. Copy-cat heroes flooded the market
as artists, and writers raced to meet the consumers’ new desire for the superhero genre
(Jones, 2004).
Figure 3: Action Comics #1 Cover
(Siegal & Schuster, 1938)
From today’s perspective, it is difficult to imagine a world where the superhero is
a new notion. Today, the superhero has freed himself almost entirely from comics,
becoming an element embedded throughout our social culture and entertainment. The
1930s, however, were a different world and life. Increased urbanization and
modernization, coupled with the dire circumstances of the Great Depression, transformed
11 America’s landscape, creating the necessity for a contemporary hero. The “modern” hero
needed tools to battle new evils, to stand up against criminals with machine guns, and to
navigate through new landscapes of metal and glass. He needed superhuman strength to
save society from itself (Jones, 2004).
1.3: Batman
Closely following the creation of Superman came his opposite, Batman, another
DC character. Batman had no superpowers but rather relied on his intelligence and
fighting skills to subdue enemies. He had developed his intellect through intense study
and bodily strength through hours of training (Waid, 2012). While the Man of Steel is
the fantasy of a godlike being, Batman instead serves as the dream of what an actual man
can be through study and training (Wright, 2001). Superman embraced the lively glow of
the city Metropolis, which is booming and modern, an optimistic world of color.
Batman’s world in contrast is dark and gothic, appropriately named Gotham. He utilizes
fear, superstition and the night to intimidate and apprehend his villains.
An issue of Detective Comics in 1938 introduced Batman with no back-story
(Wright, 2001). Bob Kane and Bill Finger created the character (Jones, 2004). Batman’s
origin story came much later, after officials at DC Comics decided the character was
popular enough to warrant a past (Jones, 2004). Finger developed an origin that set
Batman apart from his fellow heroes. His secret identity was Bruce Wayne, billionaire
playboy. As a child, while returning home from the movies with his parents, a man held
them up at gunpoint in an alley. The man shot both parents in front of young Bruce and
ran away, leaving the boy with the bodies of his mother and father. Traumatized, Bruce
12 vowed that he would spend the rest of his life saving others from his fate: he would
protect the innocent and rid the streets of crime as the Batman (Waid, 2012).
Before Batman, the rationale behind why superheroes fought crime was simple:
they were physically able and it was the right thing to do. Finger attempted to add
realism to his character by providing a plausible answer as to why any individual would
dedicate his life to such an existence (Jones, 2004). The tale provided Batman with depth
that his peers lacked and created a precedent for future heroes to follow.
13 Chapter Two: World War Two
Another notable character from the comic craze of the late 1930s and early 1940s
is Captain America. Created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon for Marvel Comics, Captain
America was the answer to the swell of patriotism in the 1940s. Jones (2004)
characterizes Jack Kirby as a talented artist with a violent and aggressive artistic style.
Kirby never received drawing lessons on the human body, so his art was not entirely
anatomically correct. Instead, it was active and bold, highlighting his character’s
movements and violent interactions. The heroes Kirby illustrated expanded beyond the
confines of the comic panels, creating the illusion that they could break free (Jones,
2004). Kirby gave life to Captain America, a super solider created by the government to
fight the Nazis (Jones, 2004).
Figure 4: Captain America #193 Cover
(The 7 Most Awesome Moments From Jack Kirby's Captain America, 2011)
14 Captain America began his life less than super, unlike most of his super-powered
peers. Before donning the stars and stripes, the Captain was a scrawny asthmatic boy too
weak to join the military named Steve Rodgers (Stevens, 2011). Rodgers is determined
to join the Army and his persistence is rewarded when the government recruits him to
participate in an experiment (Captain America History, 2012). Rodgers is injected with a
super serum that gives him incredible strength and agility (Jones, 2004). The character
became an important and popular propaganda tool as the United States entered World
War II. In fact, one year before the attack at Pearl Harbor led the country into the war,
Marvel Comics published a Captain America book with a cover depicting the hero
slugging Adolf Hitler in the face (Stevens, 2011).
Before, throughout and after World War II, Captain America defended the
country from the Nazis, and later the Japanese. He also reminded readers of the
importance of war bonds and supporting United States troops. However, his popularity
rose and fell with the war, and by the late 1940s, the Captain America comic book was
cancelled due to poor sales (Jones, 2004). He made a brief reemergence in 1954 to fight
the “Commies,” but America’s attitude had changed and the comic book lasted only three
issues (Wright, 2001). Captain America has been revived throughout the decades in
several incarnations, but he never fully recovered the popularity he retained during World
War II (Wright, 2001).
World War II was a unique period of time when American citizens felt certain of
their righteous involvement and equally abhorred Adolf Hitler and the Axis powers
(Stevens, 2011). This attitude would not be repeated, as evidenced by the decline in
15 Captain America’s popularity. The Captain thrived in an environment of certainty. To
the public, he represented America: strong, confident and brave, better than any solider,
but at the same time still a part of their ranks. Glorifying the war effort, Captain America
was the personification of America’s ideal hero. He was independent but ultimately
compliant, upholding and protecting the country and her people (Wright, 2001). The end
of the war ruined the certainty World War II had created. As Americans shifted their
attention from the unifying peril of war, they grew apart and became concerned with
other issues. Without a clear enemy to fight, the original incarnation of Captain America
lost his way. Captain America protected the country from foreign threats, but the country
was no longer in need of his protection. The character could not return home to join the
employment ranks like real soldiers, so instead he clung to World War II long after its
completion, fighting Nazis until the title’s cancelation.
2.1: Impact of Comic Book Industry
Captain America was not the only comic hero to thrive and then decline with the
Second World War. The early 1940s witnessed a boom in both comic books and
superheroes. The businesses that created comic books increased, art shops, printing
companies, distributors and toy companies benefitted from the whirlwind of new titles
and characters. One million books from titles like Superman and Captain Marvel were
produced and consumed by the public (Jones, 2004). Jobs for artists and writers
multiplied as those in the industry found their skills in high demand. Publishers were so
desperate for talent that they hired children, straight out of high school. Artists worked in
art shops, in the “bull pens” of large publishing houses, and as freelancers (Jones, 2004).
16 By 1946, there were an estimated 950 million comic books in circulation (Wright,
2001, p. 89). Nearly 15 million comics were sold per month, with an estimated four to
five children reading each book (Jones, 2004, p. 170). According to Jones, 90 percent of
4
th
and 5
th
graders described themselves as ‘regular readers’ of comic books (Jones, 2004,
p. 170). Superman made the transition from comic books, to newspaper comic strips, to
radio. He became a nationally recognized hero. The Superman radio show immortalized
phrases like “Look! Up in the sky!” (Jones, 2004). Superman’s name was used in
popular culture to describe certain men of strength and character, like Joe DiMaggio
(Jones, 2004, p. 212). In a few short years, the original superhero had become more than
a character in the comics; Superman had become embedded into the popular and social
culture of America.
World War II added to the popularity of this already thriving business. Jones
(2004) notes that during this time period; one-third of the printed matter mailed to
military bases was comic books (Jones, 2004, p. 213). As a result, a generation of young
men would come to relate comic books to their idea of home. Comic book heroes like
Captain America and Superman provided an entertaining distraction from the worries and
dangers of war. The affection many soldiers had for these heroes would benefit the
industry in later years. More importantly, by shipping comic books to soldiers,
publishing leaders successfully linked themselves to the nostalgia of home and further
embedded the industry as an important part of American culture (Jones, 2004).
Superheroes provided both soldiers and those at home with a form of escapism.
Their brightly clad uniforms and god-like powers removed the superhero from reality.
17 Furthermore, the destruction caused by epic battles was so absurd it could not be
considered devastating (Jones, 2004). Superheroes floated throughout the pages,
thwarting evil while cracking bad puns and jokes. The world they created was a
welcomed retreat from the worries of a country at war. Within their brightly illustrated
pages, the reader knew what to expect: a fun story with action and adventure that
ultimately ended with good triumphing over evil (Jones, 2004).
Despite the rationing of paper, the comic book business grew. Large distributors
like DC comics benefitted the most because they were allotted the most paper (Jones,
2004). Despite the fact that the medium’s reputation had not significantly improved,
comic books thrived. Even as some superheroes grew to become national icons, comic
books were still perceived as a pastime for the very young and very ignorant. Ironically,
while society enthusiastically embraced Superman, it rejected the vehicle that had created
him. This was especially seen in educated circles where, to illustrate a truly dim witted
and low-class individual they would describe him as a fan of comic books (Jones, 2004).
During this time DC comics rose as the undisputed leader in the publication race
(Wright, 2001). They would remain the giant in the comic book industry for more than
20 years. From this time period also came a slew of heroes including Plastic Man,
Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern. The 1940s was good to the comic book and the
superhero, creating fortunes for many publishing professionals. Commonly referred to as
18 the “golden age” of comics, within less than a 10-year span the industry grew from a few
titles to hundreds. This boom also produced superheroes that connected to society in
such a way that they became greater than the industry that had created them (Wright,
2001).
19 Chapter Three: Censorship
The end of World War II marked the end of the comic book industry’s boom
years. One of the major contributors to the industry’s decline was the Comic Book Code.
The Code was composed of industry-imposed guidelines that dictated comic book
content (Wright, 2001), intended to waylay fears that comic books were inappropriate for
children.
While the superhero genre declined after World War II, crime and horror comic
books thrived. Soldiers who had read comic books while at war, returned home with
affection for the medium. Publication companies found that by appealing to a slightly
older audience with crime and horror comics, sales increased (Jones, 2004). As crime
and horror books flooded the market, opposition towards the industry grew.
With the Baby Boomer generation emerged a complex youth culture (Wright,
2001). Young people had the time to develop their own ideas, tastes and trends (Jones,
2004). The term teenager was invented to identify this new segment of the population
(Wright, 2001). The emergence of this new youth culture was frightening to adults
because they did not know how to interrupt or respond to their children’s assertions for
independence (Wright, 2001).
From ignorance and fear came the accusations that the tools of the new youth
culture inspired juvenile delinquency (Wright, 2001). Comic books suffered greatly from
this accusation. Parents and the media interpreted young people’s need for independence
as rebellious behavior. It was necessary to hang the “ruining of today’s youth” on
20 something. Long before television and rock music were blamed for corrupting the youth
of America the fault was placed on comic books (Wright, 2001).
DC comics, under the direction of title Jack Liebowitz, voluntarily adopted a
moral code for its comic books early in the crisis, banning excess violence and guns from
its pages. Ironically, for this reason Batman never used guns, a noteworthy fact because
the hero’s aversion towards firearms became a defining characteristic (Wright, 2001).
Originally however, Batman had carried a gun.
In 1940, Liebowitz hired respected psychologists and experts in the field of
childhood delinquency to speak well of the industry in retaliation to a negative article that
appeared in (specify) (Jones, 2004). Liebowitz named this board of professionals the
“Editorial Advisory Board” (Jones, 2004). He published their expert opinions in both his
comic books and in press releases, including the credentials of the experts (Jones, 2004,
p. 171). His actions were sophisticated for the time period. Through proactive public
relations, Liebowitz actively tried to sway public opinion by addressing the negative
views of some experts with the positive perspectives of others. Liebowitz hoped to
convince the public, through the use of experts, that comic books were not a cause of
childhood delinquency. In fact, his experts detailed the benefits comics had on youth
(Jones, 2004). Children’s book expert Josette Frank “compared Superman to Paul
Bunyan and John Henry” and consulting psychologist for Family Circle magazine,
William Moulton Marston, stated that comic books spoke to “the tender spots of
universal human desires and aspirations” (Jones, 2004, p. 171).
21 Unfortunately, these actions only temporarily quieted concerns. The most
damaging critic was Fredric Wertham, a New York City psychologist. In 1948, he
presented a paper entitled “The Psychopathology of Comic Books” to the Association for
the Advancement of Psychotherapy (Jones, 2004). The association coordinated a
symposium for experts in the field to discuss the comic book industry and its influence on
children. In actuality, the symposium was a witch-hunt, condemning comic books
without allowing any other perspective to be heard. The event was covered by Time
magazine in an article that devoted a considerable amount of space discussing Wertham’s
paper (Jones, 2004).
Throughout the next year, Wertham launched a crusade against the comic book
industry, publishing multiple articles and contributing his opinion to countless
newspapers and journals. His belief, after observing delinquent children, was that every
one of them had read comic books. He reasoned that comic books were an “influencing
factor in the case of every single delinquent or disturbed child” (Wright, 2001, p. 95).
He also argued that especially violent comics, like the horror and crime books that had
become so popular, led already unstable children to crime (Wright, 2001).
The growing fear of childhood delinquency added to the fire behind Wertham’s
statements, although his arguments were tenuous. According to Bradford Wright in
Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America (year),
approximately 70 million children and adults, close to half of the United States
population, read comic books in the 1940s (Wright, 2001, p. 57). So the revelation that
22 juvenile delinquents were also consumers of comic books was not indicative of anything
other than the popularity of the medium.
Wertham became famous due to his involvement in the comic book discussion,
speaking on radio shows and publishing multiple stories on the subject (Wright, 2001).
As the argument built steam, cities banned and censored the sale of comic books.
Attempts to pass censorship laws through the Supreme Court failed because the laws
were deemed unconstitutional under the First Amendment (Jones, 2004). These events
forced publishers to act. Marvel executives tried to replicate Liebowitz’ PR defense by
hiring experts to speak in favor of and help self-censor their comic books (Jones, 2004).
Ultimately, many publishers decided that self-censorship was the best solution and
created the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers (ACMP) in 1948 (Jones, 2004).
ACMP created six provisions for comic books and stamped the covers of titles
that adhered to those provisions with a mark of approval (Wright, 2001). The stamp was
meant to assure parents that the publication was safe for children. The provisions
indicated that crime in comic books needed to be presented as harmful and devious;
lawmakers could not be depicted as anything but honorable and excessive sex, bad
language, and violence would not be tolerated (Wright, 2001). It also banned prejudice
and mockery of religious and racial groups. To uphold these rules, ACMP hired a lawyer
named Henry E. Schultz (Wright, 2001).
Unfortunately the industry’s attempt to self-regulate did not succeed, due to a lack
of participation from the majority of publishing houses. The largest companies in the
industry, like DC, Marvel and Fawcett, left the ACMP shortly after its creation because
23 they felt their own self-regulation efforts were sufficient enough to dispel reproach
(Jones, 2004). Without the support of the largest businesses ACMP faded into obscurity
by the 1950s (Wright, 2001).
The first attempt to censor comics hurt the comic book superhero because it
limited what he could do and how he could be portrayed. Even with the disappearance of
ACMP and the public’s temporary disinterest in comic censorship, the discussion did not
stop. It would reemerge over the next decade, eventually causing dire consequences for
the genre. By stripping away any subject matter that might be perceived as
unwholesome, the superhero, who had once been able to speak to both children and
young adults through his sharp wit and interesting stories, was left with nothing (Jones,
2004). He became a flat simplistic being of great power and little substance.
This is not to suggest that publishers did not make an attempt to regain the
superhero’s former glory, but the world had changed. It became evident quickly that the
Korean Conflict lacked the clear-cut certainty and support that had been an important
characteristic of World War II (Jones, 2004). America wasn’t doing as well in Korea,
and opinions were divided about the country’s involvement. The black-and-white stories
of good and evil that had been so popular during the Second World War did not resonate
with audiences in this new conflict. The situation was murky at best, and as America
retreated from Korea during the winter of 1950, the superhero seemed even more absurd
(Jones, 2004).
The superhero needed to change, but he was hampered by the Comic Book Code.
It was difficult to add complexity to the character without moving away from his uber-
24 moral stance. With the end of the 1940s, many of the superheroes that had flooded the
market disappeared. The majority of those that survived were properties of the larger
publishing houses like DC and Marvel. These companies were more prudent with their
characters and remained aware of the juvenile delinquency debate. As a result, the
superhero would take a back seat in comic book sales until the 1960s. He became the
property of the very young and devolved to suit their needs (Wright, 2001).
Television became a platform the superhero was able to succeed on in the 1950s.
Superman made the transition onto the small screen and found success (Jones, 2004).
Liebowitz, who by the 1950s was in sole control of DC, was the only publisher who
successfully marketed a comic book hero to television. The Adventures of Superman ran
for four seasons and put the Man of Steel back in the hearts of Americans. Although
unable to recapture the glory of the 1940s, Superman once again became a pop culture
icon (Wright, 2001). The Superman comic book also benefitted from the television
show’s success.
Another accomplishment of DC in the 1950s was its acquisition of the rights to
popular paperback series like those developed by Mickey Spillane, who wrote violent
books that followed grizzled detectives like Mike Hammer (Wright, 2001). Paperbacks
served as a safe venture to satisfy the public’s desire for gore without attracting criticism
of parents. Large publishing houses created clean comic books and explored other media
to distribute more violent or sexual content (Jones, 2004).
The comic books that did thrive during the 1950s came from smaller publishing
houses that measured the production of more lurid titles as a calculated risk (Wright,
25 2001). Crime, horror and war comic book genres were once again very popular, and
smaller publishers blatantly ignored the Code in favor of high sales. The gamble paid off
for several years and resulted in the fortunes of smaller publishers who pushed the
boundaries of the Code or outright ignored it (Wright, 2001).
3.1: EC
One of the greatest success stories during this time period was Entertainment
Comics (EC). The company was started by Maxwell Charles Gaines, who, if his family
legend can be believed, is credited with the creation of the modern comic book in 1933
by publishing collections of comic strips in small paper books (Wright, 2001). Originally
named Educational Comics, Gaines ran wholesome titles including Picture Stories From
The Bible. In his younger years, Gaines was a teacher and school principal, so he was
adamant later in life about creating stories that were moral (Jones, 2004). His approach
to the industry was less than profitable, so when he died suddenly in 1947 in a boating
accident, he left a failing company to his son, William Gaines (Jones, 2004).
The younger Gaines had had a tumultuous relationship with his father and was
less than enthusiastic about the acquisition. He was 25 years old and finishing school at
NYU when his father died (Jones, 2004). When faced with decisions about the struggling
business, the younger Gaines decided to overhaul the entire operation. His father had
been strongly opposed to any content that was overtly violent or sexual. Perhaps it was
delayed revenge stemming from the younger Gaines’ difficult relationship with his father,
but son William shortened the name to EC and started producing horror and crime titles
(Jones, 2004).
26 William also created a youthful and fun corporate environment at EC. The artists,
writers and managers pulled practical jokes on each other. The light and youthful
atmosphere was reflected in EC comics, where the bad taste and vulgar actions of its
characters came to define the company. In a time when other publishing houses shied
away from overly crude or violent work, EC embraced it under the direction of the
younger Gaines (Jones, 2004).
EC comics often read like a sick joke, and its creators found delight in turning
socially acceptable American ideals on their heads. Some EC titles include Tales from
the Crypt, The Vault of Horror and Two-Fisted Tales (Wright, 2001). As Jones notes,
“They unmasked respectable fathers who torture their children, big-eyed toddlers who
plot their parents’ deaths, young couples who seethe with homicidal venom, and… sexy
women who lure horny blockheads to hideous doom” (Jones, 2004, pp. 256-257). EC
also published books that commented on racial inequality, criticized the idea of the
glorification of war and uncovered corruption in law enforcement and the judicial system
(Jones, 2004).
EC comics were not soulless, but rather dealt with crime in new and arguably
vicious ways. Justice was served, but often in a creative and grotesque manner. The
lesson repeatedly conveyed in EC comics was that crime did not pay,
the brutal
drawings without reading the stories. The violence was also balanced by dark humor.
After the horror of the story concluded, a narrator would finish the tale with a blatantly
bad pun playing off the lesson of the story (Jones, 2004). It was this humor that
27 resonated with readers and found success in another EC popular title, Mad, a satiric
comic book that openly mocked popular culture (Wright, 2001).
What contributed to EC’s success and made it unique was its publishers’ ability to
embrace the genre and celebrate themselves as “producers of trash” (Wright, 2001). EC
made no claims of enlightenment (Jones, 2004). Instead, the executives and employees at
EC poked fun at themselves as often as their publications poked fun at the world (Jones,
2004). This attitude formed an atmosphere of inclusion for readers. EC titles were
littered with inside jokes that connected fans more closely to the publications. EC was
one of the first publishing companies that credited its writers and artists (Jones, 2004).
The company went so far as to include small biographies on its employees in its comics,
so fans could feel like they knew the individuals who spun EC tales (Pustz, 1999).
The sense of inclusion manufactured by EC resulted in a devoted following. Fans
sent letters, and, as with pulp magazines, some of them were published in EC titles and
answered by the writers, artists and the title’s fictional narrators (Pustz, 1999). The letter
pages of EC comics also served as a meeting ground for fans to develop fan groups and
collaborate or distribute fanzines. EC successfully developed a social culture around its
comic books, but the means to do so and its success gave way to a slew of imitators that
subsequently flooded the market with copycat material (Pustz, 1999).
3.2: Fredric Wertham
The onslaught of violent art in comic books awakened the temporarily silent
discussion on juvenile delinquency. Once again the industry found itself under attack,
but the resolution to this conflict would be far more damaging. In 1954, Wertham
28 renewed his criticism of the industry with the publication of his book Seduction of the
Innocent (Wright, 2001). The book articulated his case against the comic book industry
to a popular audience using righteous outrage to fuel his professional opinions (Jones,
2004). The book sensationalized the problem and used his studies of comic books and
his work with juvenile delinquents as evidence. However, as Jones (2004) notes, the
book lacked proper citation of his resources. Rather, Wertham hoped to buoy his
arguments on the fears of parents by illustrating extreme cases to insight fear and support
(Jones, 2004).
Although Seduction of the Innocent was wholly one-sided, Wertham succeeded
by connecting to mid-century parents who had become increasingly bewildered by the
actions of their children. Youth culture had become ever more complex since the 1920s.
Children were further separated from their parents’ ideals as their exposure to the world
grew. Adults wanted an answer to explain this bewildering development that both
expunged them of responsibility and provided an action plan to remedy the problem.
Wertham had given them exactly what they desired (Jones, 2004).
In his book, Wertham blamed comic books for corrupting children, because comic
books provided the youth of America with violent material for emulation. He noted that
comic books created a false perception of reality that could undermine the impact of
parents and teachers (Wright, 2001). Companies like EC went against the grain of social
morality by developing stories that blatantly promoted violence to the impressionable
youth. The fandom that grew around EC titles instilled in the reader a sense of
inclusiveness, and created an environment where children could easily come to accept its
29 violent lessons as normal behavior (Jones, 2004). Wertham also argued that the violent
and sexual content in comic books desensitized children to such an extent that they
perceived gore as a normal part of society (Jones, 2004). Thus, he argued that children
who read comic books had no qualms with handling their problems with violence.
Another issue of discontent in Seduction of the Innocent was racial discrimination.
Wertham stated that comic books propagated racial and ethnic stereotypes (Wright,
2001). He used many jungle and war titles as evidence, pointing out that the “bad guy”
was always depicted as an ugly racial caricature, causing children to identify villains by
the color of their skin (Wright, 2001). While this case was one of his stronger arguments,
Wertham conveniently forgot to include the books that spoke out against racial injustice.
Among others, many EC titles and some Green Lantern and Superman issues released
stories that highlighted the wrongs of racial discrimination and argued for equal rights for
all men (Pustz, 1999).
Seduction of the Innocent also attacked comics for projecting an unrealistic
female body type through overtly sexualizing their form. The use of rope or lassos by
women in comics added to the perverted image by implying bondage (Wright, 2001).
Wertham stated that heroes like Wonder Woman that used a lasso, fulfilled a sadistic
fantasy for readers. This fantasy was enhanced by the continuous theme of violence
toward women in different titles. He stated that comic books portrayed women either as
victims or as sadistic man-eaters, instilling in children a stereotype that was unhealthy
(Wright, 2001). Wertham argued that the blatant sexual images coupled with the sadistic
30 implications thinly veiled the true nature of the comic book industry. He asserted that
many comic books served as porn, marketed to children (Wright, 2001).
To further frighten parents, Wertham stated that beyond sexualizing male-female
relationships, comics promoted homosexuality (Wright, 2001). The evidence he used to
back up this claim was a conversation held with a male prostitute who was a fan of comic
books. Wertham also stated that the caped crusaders, Batman and Robin, did not have a
father-son relationship, but rather their close association fulfilled “a wish dream of two
homosexuals living together” (Wright, 2001, p. 161). This accusation was damaging to
the comic book. Wertham choose single conversations with a handful of individuals to
substantiate his claims (Wright, 2001). The method is comical and lacks any true value as
legitimate scientific research.
Regardless of the weak evidence behind his claims, Seduction of the Innocent was
a huge success. It had managed to feed into parents’ paranoia. This, however, is not to
imply that all of Wertham’s arguments were completely baseless. Comic books did use
unflattering racial caricatures and the argument on how women are sexualized in comic
books is still a matter of contention. Wertham, however, failed to address the books that
did not fall into his pre-established philosophy (Wright, 2001). By doing so, he
conveniently presented overwhelming “evidence” for his arguments, gaining the favor of
public opinion without allowing for any contrary viewpoints.
Publishing companies like EC built their business on the public’s desires. The
mere fact that so many other publishing houses imitated their style demonstrates how
31 large the market was for such a genre. In the superhero’s place came crime, horror and
detective books that found an audience with the more mature comic reader.
The demographic of comic book consumers changed; as the genre grew up, so did
its original fans. According to Gerard Jones in Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and
the Birth of the Comic Book, by the early 1950s approximately 50 million comic books
were sold per month. Over half of comic book consumers were over the age of 20,
female and averaged around 11 comics per month (Jones, 2004, p. 237). Individuals with
white-collar jobs made up the largest portion of comic book readers (Jones, 2004, p. 237).
With these demographics, it should come as no surprise that comic books had evolved to
cater to an older audience. However, Wertham did not address this trend in his
arguments, assuming that all comics were intended for children.
Wertham’s book and the fervor around the issue eventually culminated with a
Senate investigation. On April 21, 1954, a subcommittee was formed in New York City
to conduct hearings and investigate the real impact of comic books on the youth of
America (Jones, 2004). Wertham appeared before the committee to discuss his findings.
He stressed that comic books were a major factor that lead to juvenile delinquency. Not
surprisingly, his expert opinions were embraced.
William Gaines, the owner of EC comics, asked to testify in defense of the comic
book industry (Jones, 2004). His appearance was a noted fiasco as the subcommittee was
far from neutral on the subject. When Gaines appeared, the committee members had
already aligned their beliefs on comic books with Wertham. Gaines’ testimony defended
consumer rights and personal responsibility (Wright, 2001). He also tried to justify his
32 own books that had been misrepresented in Wertham’s book and testimony. It was an
impossible task against a group of people who were not open minded. The hostile
treatment Gaines received on the stand unnerved him, and as time lapsed his responses
became increasingly angry and arrogant. The episode was not helpful to the comic book
industry (Wright, 2001).
In June 1954, the Senate’s subcommittee recessed to discuss its findings. It was
determined that a decision on how to address the problems associated with comic books
would be announced in early 1955 (Wright, 2001). To stop the bleeding and proactively
remedy the problem, the industry took drastic measures that would unfortunately have
devastating consequences. In September 1954, the Comics Magazine Association of
America (CMAA) was formed to address public criticisms about the industry (Wright,
2001). To avoid government involvement, this final effort at self-regulation could not
fail like the ACMP.
The restrictions created by CMAA were similar to the provisions crafted for
ACMP. Criminals could not be portrayed sympathetically and government officials
could not be corrupt. Violent and sexual imagery, slurs against racial or religious groups
and drug use were banned as well (Wright, 2001). Advertisements in the back of comics
could not include liquor, weapons or tobacco (Wright, 2001). This time, all the major
publishing houses, including distributors, joined the association. Publishing executives
utilized public relations tactics, aggressively promoting the Code through newspaper and
magazine interviews, press conferences, public appearances and alternate media sources
like radio (Wright, 2001).
33 The subcommittee’s findings were published in February 1955. It concluded that
horror and crime comic books posed an unacceptable threat to the mental welfare of
America’s children. The subcommittee promised to monitor the CMAA and become
involved only if the association failed to maintain self-regulation. At the same time, 13
states including New York introduced laws that outlawed the sale of horror and crime
books (Wright, 2001, p. 175). However, the laws that would eventually deem these as
unconstitutional came too late. The CMAA had effectively eliminated the genres
(Wright, 2001). Companies like EC that refused to join the CMAA went under or moved
into other industries. EC successfully transformed its satire comic book Mad into a
magazine, thus avoiding the limitations instigated by legislation and the new comic code
(Wright, 2001).
This period of self-censorship was horribly damaging to the industry. By 1956,
18 publishers had folded or left the medium and the number of comic books in circulation
had dropped from 650 in 1954 to 300 in 1956 (Wright, 2001, p. 179). By 1956, the
fervor over how comic books affected juvenile delinquency had vanished. The Senate’s
subcommittee shut down and the public’s witch-hunt over the cause of juvenile
delinquency shifted to television and movies. The comic book industry that remained
was a mere shadow of its former self.
Comic book content was regulated to such an extent that storylines had become
flat and uniform. Stories stressed conformity to traditional American ideals and touted
wholesome values. The regulations of the code prevented any thought provoking or
controversial content. Comic books became a product exclusively for the very young.
34 Meanwhile, the youth of America had finally come into their own. Movie and television
producers began marketing material directly to teenagers, and the birth of rock and roll
ushered in a new era of rebellion (Wright, 2001).
Before the code, the comic book industry would have been optimally positioned
to target this new generation with it edgy content.
35 Chapter Four: Rebirth and Marvel
The comic book code had effectively “cleaned up” the industry, eliminating any
subject matter that could incite controversy, or intelligent thought and conversation.
Comic books became bland, and for several years comic book publishing houses
languished, constrained by their own codes. The industry lacked direction as it attempted
to connect to readers and attract a new generation of young Americans. However,
working under such strict constraints, writers and artists were unable to address the issues
that affected teenagers. Ironically, from this gray existence the superhero reemerged and
changed the future of comic books once again.
The 1960s was a new era of uncertainty, self-discovery and innovation. President
John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the Vietnam Conflict would rob the country of its
clear-cut ideals. Americans were becoming increasingly more cynical. The public could
not connect to the authoritarian certainty projected by superheroes in the 1940s and ‘50s.
They craved a different sort of hero, a human one. Creator Stan Lee and his company
Marvel Comics fulfilled that desire.
Marvel Comics, under the direction of Stan Lee and fueled by the creative minds
of artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, remade the superhero in the likeness of the
American teenager. In 1961, Marvel Comics published its first issue of the Fantastic
Four (Pustz, 1999, p. 48; Read Spider-Man's First Appearance for Free, 2008). The book
followed the adventures of a super-powered but dysfunctional family. During a scientific
mission in outer space, Dr. first name? Reed, his best friend Ben Grimm, and brother and
sister Sue and Johnny Storm are exposed to radiation that gives them superpowers. Reed
36 becomes Mr. Fantastic and can form his body into any shape; Grimm is transformed into
a hideous rock creature with super strength called the Thing; Johnny becomes the Human
Torch because he can light on fire; and Sue becomes Invisible Girl and can turn invisible
and project force fields (Fantastic Four Biography, History, 1991). The four return to
earth irrevocably changed and must find their place in life with their new powers.
What made this comic book so different was the relationship between the four
main characters. Before the Fantastic Four, superhero comics were about the battle
between good and evil. The Fantastic Four was about relationships. The storylines
chronicled the interactions between the main characters and placed emphasis on those
relationships (Pustz, 1999). The fact that the Fantastic Four also fought villains was a
side note in a bigger tale.
More importantly, Sue, Johnny, Reed and Ben were inherently flawed. Unlike
their all-powerful forefathers, the Fantastic Four did not know nor pretend to have all of
the answers. They were constantly uncertain of their place in life and whether their
decisions were the correct ones (Jones, 2004). With few exceptions, the superhero genre
relied on the reader to believe that good people are unwavering in their dedication to
uphold the law and do what is morally right. By the 1960s, this perspective had become
outdated.
The Fantastic Four bickered amongst themselves as often as they fought villains.
Ben was insecure about his appearance and explored the definition of humanity. Since
Ben had transformed into a being that was not altogether human, he wondered what it
meant to be human (Wright, 2001). Johnny acted as a typical teenager, pulling pranks,
37 harboring crushes and lashing out against adult authority. Reed, as the patriarchal figure,
was overprotective and sometimes overlooked his family’s feelings in favor of the bigger
picture. Sue would grow over the years, eventually marrying Reed. She searched for her
place in life as an independent woman and wife (Wright, 2001).
Another differentiating factor is that the Fantastic Four, and many other Marvel
superheroes, was age. They did not age infinitely, as the majority of these characters still
exist and are far younger than normal chronological aging would suggest. However, they
did change, grow-up and evolve. Spiderman, introduced in Amazing Fantasy number 15
in 1962, grew from a nerdy high school student into a confident adult, married to the
woman of his dreams (Read Spider-Man's First Appearance for Free, 2008). Over the
decades, the comic book followed protagonist Peter Parker through high school, college
and into his adult life.
Peter Parker is another example of the genius behind Marvel comics’ superheroes.
Plagued by self-doubt Peter, is bitten by a radioactive spider and gains superpowers that
emulate a spider (Spiderman Biography). Unlike Superman, however, he does not use
the opportunity to help the weak but rather to earn extra money as a fighter. That is, until
he lets a burglar escape out of spite. In a sad turn of events, that same burglar later kills
his Uncle Ben, teaching Peter the tough lesson that “with great power comes great
responsibility” (Pustz, 1999, p. 50). The event pushes Peter to become the masked hero
Spiderman, but it is a role with which he is never fully comfortable.
Marvel Comics heroes, unlike superheroes from the 1940s, are not defined by
their super-powered alter egos. Instead, they are real people first, living average lives
38 and dealing with problems not unique to the American teenager. Marvel Comics
addressed the problems faced by normal, people and by doing so, developed an
interesting proposition on how an average person would handle the responsibilities
associated with super powers. This theme attracted new readers without blatantly
breaking the comic code. However, the power of the Code was fading. With the passing
of time, Marvel Comic books would delve deeper into issues originally banned by the
industry’s self-regulatory system.
Marvel Comics also benefitted from a unique campaign developed by Stan Lee.
The fun of Marvel comic books during the 1960s and ‘70s went beyond the stories. Lee
carefully crafted an atmosphere not unlike the one originally created by William Gaines
at EC. Lee published the credits of all the writers, artists and editors who worked on his
books. He also cultivated their personalities in the comic books. Writers, artists or Stan
Lee himself were featured in different titles, sometimes making guest appearances in
storylines (Pustz, 1999). The attitude projected was “self-effacement.” Lee urged
readers to embrace their identities as “Marvel zombies” and laugh in the face of criticism
towards the genre (Pustz, 1999, p. 48). Lee pushed his readers to reject the old
classification that comic books were “trash entertainment.” Through flattery to the reader
and the introduction of real issues into his story lines, Lee was able to elevate his comic
books to an intellectual level never before obtained. He told his readers that Marvel
39 Comics were intelligent, and backed that claim with edgy content. As a result, not just
readers but respected media outlets like Esquire, the New York Times, Wall Street
Journal and Newsweek took notice of how the genre was growing up (Wright, 2001, p.
227).
The progress Stan Lee made with Marvel Comics in changing the world’s
perspective of the genre was cultivated through courting the reader and shameless self-
promotion. Marvel titles included a letter page where notes were answered and
published. The page incorporated the address and name of each letter’s author (Pustz,
1999). Lee also worked hard to create a system so that the majority of fan letters were
answered, even if they were not published in the comic. Individuals who sent fanzines to
Marvel received handwritten thank you notes (Pustz, 1999). Readers were
enthusiastically encouraged to comment on storylines and provide feedback. On multiple
occasions, Stan Lee credited his audiences’ suggestions as the inspiration for many
storylines (Pustz, 1999).
Stan Lee built upon his relationship with the reader by establishing the “Bullpen
Bulletin” in his comic books. It was a short newsletter to readers, keeping them informed
of the gossip about writers and artists, and granting sneak peeks to upcoming titles and
storylines (Pustz, 1999). This small entry in Marvel comic books connected fans to the
individuals responsible for creating their favorite characters. Readers felt like they were
a part of the Marvel universe and benefitted from personal jokes littered throughout
Bullpen Bulletins and across all Marvel titles.
40 Another strength of the Marvel universe was the optimistic attitude propagated
throughout all Marvel correspondence. Stan Lee was enthusiastic and humorous in all of
his interactions with the reader. He assured the reader that Marvel was the right choice
and that only the very best were wise enough to understand its superiority. Marvel fans
devoured his wit and reveled in Lee’s proclamation that Marvel was the very best comic
company and that the readers of Marvel were the brightest of all comic fans (Pustz,
1999).
Stan Lee credited the reader for giving Marvel the ideas to create intelligent
content. The authors of letters published in Marvel comic books were praised for their
observations, thought-provoking questions and considerate suggestions. Stan Lee and
other Marvel managers, writers and artists repeatedly commended the readers for her or
his intellectual contributions and stated that Marvel comics could not produce its ground-
breaking work without such dedicated and literate fans (Pustz, 1999).
In the Bullpen Bulletin, for instance, Lee stressed that competitors like DC
“obviously aim for a totally different type of reader than we do. We don’t cater to any
special age group, but we do cater to a special intellectual level” (Pustz, 1999, p. 53).
This statement is a glaring jab at DC. The former titan was slow to learn from its
competitor and change its superhero formula to attract young adults. It lumbered in this
new environment, still constrained by the comic book code and decades of history.
The elements that had led to the monumental success of DC superheroes in the
1940s hindered them in the 1960s. The majority of superheroes during the Second World
War were used as propaganda for the War. DC superheroes like Superman had come to
41 represent America. In the 1960s, society lacked an extreme uniting element to tie them
together in support of the country. The DC superhero represented the ancient ideals that
brought Americans together to meet a common foe. Without that foe, DC’s characters
lacked context and depth.
In the years since Marvel established itself as a leader in the comic book industry,
speculation concerning who is responsible for creating characters like the Fantastic Four
has clouded the issue. Jack Kirby co-created a large portion of Marvel’s new superheroes
introduced in the 1960s (Pustz, 1999). Through his artistic style, he gave them a forceful
and violent manner that had been all but eliminated by the comic code. Kirby favored the
allusion of action and aggression over accuracy of the human form and this preference
connected with readers. However, despite the fact that the heroes themselves were
brilliant and the substance that lured people to read Marvel comics, it was the cultural
atmosphere cultivated by Lee, both inside and outside of the organization, that truly set
the company apart (Jones, 2004).
William Gaines had been the only other individual in the industry to instigate
such an environment of friendly self-deprecation mixed with wit, pride, and arguably
astoundingly successful self-promotion. Lee set his comic books above his competitors
by allowing readers to become involved with their characters, the storylines and the
people responsible for producing the comic books. Content was created to make readers
42 feel like they were a part of an elite group or exclusive club. This included inside jokes,
crossover storylines and references in comic stories to letter page discussions or Bullpen
Bulletin topics. These elements engaged readers and encouraged them to collect all of
the titles in the Marvel line to remain abreast on Marvel news (Pustz, 1999).
43 Chapter Five: DC versus Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics’ sale figures soared in the late 1960s, and by 1967 the company
had made substantial ground to become a close second in sales to DC (Wright, 2001, p.
223). By the 1970,s Marvel had toppled the giant who had dominated the industry for
over 30 years, becoming the top-selling comic book publisher in the country. More
importantly, Marvel comics successfully attracted the attention of young adults. Once
again, thanks to Stan Lee, the comic book industry established itself as a medium not just
for children. In a 1967 Esquire article, the reporter noted that Marvel comics received
fan mail from students at over 225 colleges (Wright, 2001, p. 223). Stan Lee became a
popular speaker at college graduations as his human superheroes were embraced
nationwide.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, DC comics seemed to finally receive the
message that its material was antiquated. In an attempt to humanize their superheroes,
DC executives introduced modern problems into the DC universe. In a series called
Green Lantern / Green Hornet, the title characters, which had been introduced a decade
earlier, dealt with issues of prejudice, politics, racism, corruption and poverty (Jones,
2004). After a decade of light adventures and encounters with aliens, magical beings and
monsters, Batman returned to his dark roots. He was once again a man possessed by
vengeance, pushed to stalk the night and put criminals behind bars.
Marvel comic writers and creators were enthusiastic about the direction of the
genre and pushed the boundaries of the comic book code. Peter Parker/Spiderman
encountered protesters against the Vietnam Conflict and unmasked corrupt, overly right-
44 wing politicians. His experiences were not unique for superheroes. Daredevil, Green
Lantern and Green Arrow all challenged deceitful politicians (Wright, 2001). Their
adventures marked the first time since the Code that government officials were depicted
as potentially dubious.
The comic that eventually broke what was left of the comic book code was a
Spiderman book that addressed the issue of drugs. Peter Parker’s best friend Harry
Osmond overdoses on pills. In retaliation, Peter beats up the drug dealers. Despite the
fact that the book was against drugs, it was rejected by the comic code because it
referenced and depicted illegal substances (Wright, 2001). So, Stan Lee published the
book anyway, and the story was met with enthusiasm from the public. His actions forced
officials to rethink the code, which was rewritten in such a manner that all content was
acceptable as long as it was not overly violent, gruesome or sexual (Wright, 2001).
In this new environment, heroes like Captain America got their groove back.
Captain America had been a sad story of a once-successful franchise, until Marvel
Comics revitalized his character in the late 1960s. Marvel creators did not want to
eliminate Captain America’s rich history. So instead of wiping his slate clean, they built
upon his past and used the potential weaknesses associated with a character bogged down
by decades of history as strengths (Stevens, 2011).
At the end of World War II, Captain America went on a mission to apprehend
Baron Zemo aboard a drone plane. During the ensuing fight, Captain America’s sidekick
Bucky is killed by a bomb that sends the plane into the arctic sea. Captain America,
however, survives the crash, frozen and preserved in a block on ice for 30 years until the
45 superhero team known as the Avengers, find his body. Sustained by suspended
animation, Captain America awakens in the 1970s and is immediately overwhelmed by
his changed surroundings (Stevens, 2011).
He suffers from guilt over the death of Bucky and struggles with adapting to
America of the 1960s. According to Richard Stevens in Let’s Rap With Cap”:
Redefining America Patriotism through Popular Discourse Letters by removing Captain
America from his own era, the “Cap’s mythos allows him to continue to represent
conservative values while consistently offering a liberal critique of the culture through
which he walks” (Stevens, 2011, p. 609). Captain America holds true to the family
values and wholesome ideals of the 1940s and it is through that lens that he judges the
“future” (Stevens, 2011).
It was a powerful tool to which readers responded well. Like all comic book
heroes, though, Captain America comic books would never obtain the readership they
had once sustained in the 1940s (Jones, 2004). He had, however, become a popular
character once again. His very nature as a patriotic figure attracted discussion, and the
letter pages of the Captain America comic books became a battleground for political
discussion (Stevens, 2011). While writers at Marvel comics were careful to avoid
dialogue that addressed specific political issues, some readers inferred that the mere fact
that Captain America was Captain America insinuated a party preference (Stevens,
2011). As Stevens (2011) notes, the concept of “patriotism” had evolved from a feeling
shared by all people in the country to a characteristic more closely associated with the
Republican Party.
46 After initially setting up Captain America’s back-story as a man removed from
time, in 1965 they sent him back to the 1940s, where he relived his World War II glory.
These storylines lasted for a short time due to lack of interest, and the Captain was soon
returned to the 1960s (Stevens, 2011). What is most important about his character is that
he now serves as an excellent example of how the world had changed and how comic
books had morphed to meet that change.
To survive, comic book superheroes needed to stay relevant. Relevance meant
maintaining their connection with their reading public. History proves that comic books
thrive based upon whether they can provide readers with content that speaks to who they
are and addresses their worries and ideals.
The changes in readers’ perception from the 1930s and 1950s, to the 1960s to
1970s, is clearly illustrated by the differences between DC’s and Marvel’s superheroes.
These two companies are excellent examples because DC’s most popular heroes were
born in the 1930s and ‘40s while Marvel found success with its heroes in the 1960s. DC
characters are defined by their super-powered alter ego. Superman uses Clark Kent to
disguise his true identity. He is not in actuality Clark Kent, who is a bumbling moron
with little self-confidence. Clark Kent is the persona Superman uses to hide his true
identity. Bruce Wayne, if he ever existed, died with his parents when he was eight.
From that moment on, the individual who was Bruce Wayne becomes another person,
fueled by revenge and haunted by tragedy. Batman comes from those feelings of anger
and despair. Any dreams young Bruce had harbored are consumed by his new identity
and Batman’s determination and drive to rid the streets of harm.
47 Contrarily, Marvel superheroes are ordinary people who are pushed to become
extraordinary. Peter Parker is always Peter Parker. Spiderman is borne from his guilt
and the burden of responsibility he feels. Unlike Batman, Peter is not pushed to become
a superhero from some inner desire to save others from the pain of losing a loved one.
Peter becomes a superhero because he learns through experience that despair is found by
thoughtlessly using his powers. His life as Spiderman is his penance for his selfish
actions that lead to his uncle’s death. Even as Spiderman, the Peter persona does not
disappear. Spiderman’s very actions are often motivated by the needs of Peter’s personal
life. For example, Peter takes pictures of himself as Spiderman when apprehending
villains, to sell to the Daily Bugle so that he can pay his rent (Bridwell, 1995).
Bruce Banner, another Marvel character, is a scientist who is exposed to gamma
ray radiation during an explosion. The exposure turns him into “the Hulk,” a lumbering
green monster, when he is angry. The monster is fueled by rage and aggression and
Bruce is unable to control him in most circumstances (Hulk, 2001). The entire comic
book series covers Bruce’s attempts to cure himself of “the Hulk”. Bruce is the main
character; the Hulk is the entity that complicates his life.
Both publishing companies crafted superheroes based on totally different
formulas. DC’s formula was developed by understanding the needs of people in the
1930s and ‘40s while Marvel created the flawed hero, who connected to a generation
unsure of their place in the world. Both companies flourished by accurately interpreting
the trends, ideals, passions and fears of their audiences, which ultimately marked the
decade from which they won acclaim. Superheroes became a form of modern
48 mythology, imparting the wisdom of a generation through brightly colored panels and
playing out the dreams and fears of the decades.
49 Chapter Six: Watchmen
In the 1980s, several short-run comic series were published that have since
become comic book milestones. These books were dark, edgy and commented on
society. After initial publication, the series were bound together into graphic novels and
earned critical acclaim outside of the comic book industry (Wright, 2001). One of these
stories is Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. The book explores an
alternate version of Batman as “an older and slightly mad right-wing moralist in a
dystopian Gotham City gutted by corruption and vice” (Wright, 2001, p. 267). The book
marked a trend in the 1980s to deconstruct classic comic book heroes in an attempt to
understand them (Wright, 2001). The approach was embraced; The Dark Knight Returns
50 sold out and ignited fervor over Batman that peaked with the 1989 Warner Brothers
movie Batman (Wright, 2001).
Figure 5: Batman the Dark Knight Returns
(Bunce, 2012)
Another important comic book of that era is The Watchmen by Alan Moore and
illustrated by Dave Gibbons. The Watchmen is a 12-part limited series published by DC
that were originally released throughout1986 and 1987 (Wright, 2001). The comic
follows a group of superheroes living in an alternate universe that resembles “modern
day” America. Due to their existence, history has changed; the U.S. won the Vietnam
Conflict because of the intervention of Dr. Manhattan, a blue superhero with cosmic
powers. Richard Nixon is still President and has been in office for multiple terms. More
threatening, the world is still in the Cold War and the possibility of global nuclear
51 destruction ticks ever closer on the Doomsday Clock (Moore, 1986). Due to public fears,
the superheroes disband after the Vietnam Conflict. The story follows the now middle-
aged superhero Rorschach as he investigates the murder of a fellow hero, the Comedian
(Wright, 2001).
Figure 6: The Watchmen Cover
(Before Watchmen, What Was There?)
The Watchmen explores the superhero in an entirely new way. The heroes of the
novel speak and behave like regular people, with familiar doubts, fears, vices and
ambitions. The Comedian is a right-winged zealot who works for the government after
the superheroes disband, but is also jaded by his work and surprisingly insightful about
his own plight (Reynolds, 1992). Rorschach, arguably the moral compass of the story,
perceives the world as black and white, punishing evil using extreme violence (Wright,
2001).
52 The superheroes of The Watchmen are complicated and morally ambiguous,
navigating a frightening reality where the threat of nuclear war looms ever closer. The
mystery of the Comedian’s murder gives way to a more devious plot to end the Cold War
at the price of millions of lives (Moore, 1986). The novel asks readers to consider if a
few million lives are worth billions. The difficult nature of the story has led to critical
acclaim and praise from outlets that do not ordinarily review comic books. Time
Magazine named The Watchmen one of the top 100 novels of all time (Pustz, 1999). No
other graphic novel is on that list. The popularity of The Watchmen has seeped into
popular culture as well. The Watchmen has been referenced in The Simpsons, Mad
Magazine, and other popular culture outlets (Pustz, 1999).
Through The Watchmen, the comic book superhero is reborn into the real word.
Moore explores the psyche of individuals who would choose to be superheroes in real
life. This new breed of hero is not as noble as the superheroes of the DC and Marvel
universes. Instead they are wrought by insecurities (Moore, 1986). For these reasons, as
well as the difficult moral questions the novel explores, The Watchmen has been
embraced by comic geeks and critics alike (Pustz, 1999).
Not surprisingly, Hollywood attempted to make The Watchmen into a movie for
over a decade. In 2009, Warner Brothers successfully released the movie adaptation of
the novel, directed by Zack Snyder (Scott, 2009). The movie was greeted with mixed
reviews. Both A.O Scott of the New York Times and Richard Corliss at TIME agreed that
the film had moments of greatness but overall failed to connect to viewers (Scott, 2009)
(Corliss, 2009). Jim Vejvoda at IGN, a video game and movie review site, noted that the
53 film was too far removed from the public’s reality since it was set in the 1980s (Vejvoda,
2009). Film critic Roger Ebert, however, enjoyed the film and its commentary on the
superhero (Ebert, 2009).
Eric Ditzian of MTV observed that reviews were overly mixed between causal
viewers and comic fans (Ditzian, 2009). Generally, casual observers and dedicated fans
disliked the film, while those who had some familiarity with the novel enjoyed it
(Ditzian, 2009). To date the film has grossed $107,509,799 domestically on a $130
million production budget (Watchmen). It also has a 65% “fresh” (positive) rating on
Rotten Tomatoes, an online website that pools all critics reviews (Watchmen 2009).
From a financial standpoint the film, was considered largely a failure and reviews
from both newspapers and fan websites indicate that The Watchmen superhero could not
connect with viewers in the same way that propelled the graphic novel to greatness.
Whether the fault lies with the medium or superhero remains to be determined.
54 Chapter Seven: Comic Book Stores & Distribution
Since the 1930s, the superhero had grown up with the American people,
becoming a reflection of their needs. His personality, attitude and opinions were crafted
to speak to the current generation of youthful readers. In fact, his very survival was
dependent upon publishing companies correctly interrupting the changing attitudes of
their readers and incorporating those moods into the mythology of the superhero.
However, the superhero’s fate, as a comic book character, is reliant upon more than his
story. The distribution method of the comic book is a huge factor in predicting his
ultimate survival.
As previously mentioned, comic books were originally distributed on
consignment. This method was costly and inefficient to publishing companies. As comic
books lost popularity in the 1950s, the industry’s profitability also declined. Due to low
profit margins, newsstands and liquor stores became less inclined to sell a wide variety of
titles (Miller G. M., 2011). Even with the comic book resurgence in the 1960s and
1970s, distribution lines were cut in favor of products with higher profit margins (Miller
G. M., 2011) Desperation led to industry efforts to begin direct marketing in the 1980s
and 1990s. Direct marketing to specialty shops meant that stores bought comic books
outright. Issues that did not sell were catalogued and eventually sold for inflated prices
as back issues (Pustz, 1999).
In the 1980s and 1990s, the number of specialty shops grew and publishers pulled
comic books from consignment dealers in favor of more profitable direct vendors (Pustz,
1999). This decision limited the number of places consumers could purchase the product.
55 Although consignment vendors offered a limited variety of comic titles, there were far
more consignment distributors than specialty retailers (Pustz, 1999). By limiting the
number of distributors, publishers made it less convenient for casual readers to purchase a
comic book, but they also curtailed supply, which eventually resulted in increasing
demand.
Direct marketing was a more profitable approach and specialty shops offered
benefits to the consumer. Before comic book stores, it was incredibly difficult for comic
book fans and collectors to obtain old issues (Pustz, 1999). Historically, comic books
were read by multiple individuals and either disintegrated, were donated by parents to
paper drives during the war years or thrown away (Pustz, 1999). The introduction of the
specialty shop preserved the lives of comic book issues. It also allowed for the creation
of more comic book titles. Specialty shops provided comic books companies with a large
platform from which a variety of titles, books and niche comic book publications could
be sold (Pustz, 1999).
In 1970, the first comic book price guide was published (Pustz, 1999, p. 47).
Early comic books and critical issues were valued at exorbitant prices. The comic book
shop furthered collecting by giving consumers a simple means to obtain rare books.
Publishing houses catered to and continue to accommodate this new consumer by
releasing limited edition comic book titles with special cover art. The first issue of
Generation X, an X-Men spin off, had a thin foil cover, while other “important” issues
featured covers with holograms or cardboard cutouts (Pustz, 1999, p. 14).
56 Another strategy publishing executives used, and continue to employ, to attract
collectors and fans, are crossover issues. Important superhero storylines jump through
different titles, forcing the consumer to purchase multiple books at once to understand the
big picture (Wright, 2001). Crisis on Infinite Earths was a major DC storyline between
1985 and 1986 that affected the majority of DC superheroes (Pustz, 1999, p. 14).
Another more recent example is Marvel’s Civil War, which ran between 2006 and 2007,
and chronicled the US government’s registration of super-powered individuals (Civil
War, 2010). These issues are advertised as limited, often with novelty art covers.
The 1980s and 1990s witnessed radical changes to the superhero in an effort to
attract more readers and manufacture value to individual comic book issues (Pustz,
1999). Some important events included Spiderman marrying his longtime love Mary
Jane Watson in 1987 (1987 - Spiderman Marries Marry Jane at Shae Stadium, 2011); the
Death of Superman, 1992 (Death of Superman) and when Batman’s back is broken by
Bane, Knightfall 1993-1994 (Knightfall). Comic book collectors and fans swarmed
comic book shops, purchasing multiples of the same issue as investments.
Fueled by specialty issues, crossovers and inflated comic book values the comic
book collector frenzy hit its peak in the 1990s. What comic book collectors and the
industry failed to account for was the rarity of old comic books (Pustz, 1999). Despite
the fact that comic book issues in the 1940s and 1950s had exponentially larger print
runs, very few survived the test of time. Comic books of the 1980s and 1990s were
created and purchased to be collected (Pustz, 1999). People valued comic books as an
57 investment. This change in perception preserved the lives and numbers of modern comic
books but also destroyed any potential investment value.
Within the last 10 years, the number of comic book shops and comic sales have
drastically decreased (Fritz & Boucher, DC Comics hopes revamped heroes and digital
will save the day, 2011). In the “1990s, there were 7,000 to 9,000 retailers that sold
comic books, including newsstands and drugstores. Today there are a little more than
2,000, most of which are specialty shops” (Fritz & Boucher, DC Comics hopes revamped
heroes and digital will save the day, 2011). This trend seems ironic given the
skyrocketing value of the superhero franchises. Superman, Batman, X-Men, Spiderman
and more have all found recent success in film. Superman as a brand is worth millions of
dollars in revenue and licensing fees (Steinberg, 2011). Despite this success, the comic
book industry is failing.
The reasons behind this alarming trend are numerous. Blame has been placed on
increasingly complex storylines and gimmicky stunts that kill off major characters just to
revive them several issues later as a ploy for more readers (Fritz & Boucher, DC Comics
hopes revamped heroes and digital will save the day, 2011). Fault can also be placed on
the distribution process. By ending relationships with consignment vendors in the 1980s,
publishers essentially put all their eggs in one basket by relying on specialty shops as
their primary means of distribution. Unfortunately, comic book shops are not a common
retail enterprise, with the most successful located near colleges (Pustz, 1999).
The environment inside these stores is also potentially intimidating to new
readers. The stores serve as meeting spots for fans to share comic mythology. (Pustz,
58 1999) Employees of comic book stores tend to be fans themselves and customers are
primarily male (Pustz, 1999). This atmosphere, coupled with the scarcity of shops, may
be creating an uninviting element for causal readers or new consumers.
59 Chapter Eight: DC Re-launch and Value of PR
In an effort to remove the obstacles that inhibited new and casual readers, DC
executives restarted the storylines for all of their superheroes on August 31, 2011
(Steinberg, 2011). This means that the company erased over 50 years of history from
their characters. For example, Batgirl, who had been crippled in 1988 by the Joker and
transformed into a computer savvy hero named Oracle, is now Batgirl again (The Killing
Joke). The move has been met with both anger and excitement from fans.
Paul Sager, the owner of Continental Comics in Northridge, which has been open
for over 32 years, is positive about the re-launch (Sager, 2012). In an interview
conducted for this study, Sager noted that the change came “at a time that somebody
needed to have the guts to try something, so huge, so, in a lot of ways, gutsy, that they
were supposed to do back in 1985 when they had the Crisis of Infinite Earths, but DC
chickened out. They weren’t willing to do it back then, but this time they took a look at
what was going on around (them), and as a comic book retailer it was a very well needed
shot in the arm. As a matter of fact, it helped save my business and many other ones
because it was a media blitz, and attention that we’ve needed for a long time” (Sager,
2012).
Both Sager and two employees at Earth 2, another comic shop in Northridge who
were interviewed for this work but wished to remain anonymous, agreed that the DC re-
launch has brought in new readers, but whether those new readers will stay, remains to be
determined (Sager, 2012) (Employee Earth 2, 2011). Sager stated that DC’s initial media
60 blitz was valuable because, more than making consumers aware of the DC restructure, it
let the public know that comic books still existed (Sager, 2012).
61 Chapter Nine: Future of Comics and the Superhero
The DC re-launch changed more than its superheroes’ histories. As a second
strategy to increase readership, DC executives now also release all comic book titles
online. This controversial move has been met with varying levels of skepticism and
excitement. Comic book companies have toyed with the idea over the past few years but
DC executives are the first to leap into online comics as a main product (Fritz & Boucher,
DC Comics hopes revamped heroes and digital will save the day, 2011). DC officials
created digital storefronts for their online comic books, designating 30 percent of revenue
going directly to the company (Fritz & Boucher, DC Comics hopes revamped heroes and
digital will save the day, 2011).
Surprisingly, both Sager and the people at Earth 2 were unconcerned about the
new digital platform. Both felt that the comic book does not translate well to electronic
platforms such as the iPad or Kindle. As Sager notes, the comic book is meant to be
held, turned and closely examined in ways that are difficult on a digital platform (Sager,
2012) (Employee Earth 2, 2011). Sager believes online comic books will serve as trailers
for readers, and entice them to purchase the real book (Sager, 2012).
The employees at Earth 2 have a different philosophy. They noted that the future
of the industry lies with the graphic novel. They believe the comic book industry will
survive if it departs from traditional monthly issues and embraces its identity as an art
form (Employee Earth 2, 2011). By producing quality pieces that can be cherished, the
comic book industry can cater to both the comic fan and to those who appreciate the art
(Employee Earth 2, 2011).
62 The transition of The Watchmen from graphic novel to film might support this
philosophy. Unlike traditional superheroes like Batman and Spiderman who have
decades of comic book history, The Watchmen was a limited series about one tale. The
story itself serves as a pinnacle of brilliance in illustrating to the general public the best of
what the medium can achieve. In this case, the comic book was the most effective
vehicle for the story and superhero. Other graphic novels have found both critical and
financial success by embracing the strengths of the comic book medium including Maus,
Pulitzer Prize winner (Kois, 2011).
The future of the comic book as a medium might lie with graphic novels. Comic
books allow for complexity not easily obtained in film (Wright, 2001). However, the
superhero in general is not as complicated as the heroes depicted in The Watchmen and
can more simply move through different vehicles. This can be seen by Superman’s
transition from comics to radio, television and film (Jones, 2004).
Theoretically, the online platform could work, but it may need to be approached
as a separate medium. Currently, the same comic book content is published for print and
online (Fritz & Boucher, DC Comics hopes revamped heroes and digital will save the
day, 2011). This has led to many of the negative critiques of online comic books. Panels
in comic books can often have a random alignment, with some panels stretching across
two pages (Employee Earth 2, 2011). Certain panels need to be viewed upside down,
while others require a closer examination. DC officials have invested a large amount of
money in electronic platforms but they may have stopped short of fully embracing digital
formats (Fritz & Boucher, DC Comics hopes revamped heroes and digital will save the
63 day, 2011). Digital comics must be created for online exclusively rather than converting
content created for print formats, to make the medium organic. Unfortunately, that move
could be expensive and most likely require traditional printed books to be limited or
discontinued.
The comic book superhero has survived over eight decades of change. He has
transformed himself to mimic our society’s needs and desires in order to persevere. Even
now, the superhero as a franchise continues to speak to the public through movies,
cartoons and television. He is a natural part of our pop culture and vocabulary. The
definition of “superman” in the Oxford Dictionary of Current English states “an
exceptionally strong or intelligent person” (Soanes, Hawker, & Elliott, 2006, p. 916).
The superhero’s presence does not seem in danger of disappearing, but the vehicle from
which he was born might.
The superhero has grown beyond the pages of the comic book, but within the
stories of comics lives his soul. Can he survive without the creative minds of the era
giving him direction and cause? It seems sad that an industry built upon storytelling
might fade away due to elements beyond the story itself. The answer remains hidden
within the fabric of time, but its possibilities breed new intriguing commentaries about us
as a people. We have not outgrown the superhero, which is clear from the burgeoning
film industry that continues weaving his story on the silver screen. But, perhaps we no
longer connect in the same way to the comic book. With this decade, maybe it is not the
superhero’s story that must change but the way he communicates and is communicated
about, that must evolve.
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68 Appendix A: Interviews
Interview Earth 2
January 21, 2012
(Two Anonymous Employees)
Katie: What is you guys opinion of the DC re-launch? Was it a good idea? What was
your opinion? Was it a bad idea?
Interviewee: Um, I think the rationale behind it was well intentioned. Whether it was a
good idea or a bad idea will probably take a little while to really determine.
Katie: What have you seen initially?
Interviewee: Initially?
Katie: Well obviously past the media blitz.
Interviewee: Initially it had brought people in the check out the line that didn’t before,
and the sales on the DC books are up.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: And even with the gradual downtick, with the initial, thing, they’re still up
overall.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: I think overall it’s been a positive thing as far as I can see right now.
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: But there are other things we won’t know.
Katie: What are your concerns?
Interviewee: my concern is the quality of the books, like to me in the end the quality of
the book is what’s going to keep people there, and.
Katie: Are you not seeing that initially, or.
Interviewee: No, no, a lot of the books are great. I think we’re talking fifty two books
right?
69 Interviewee 2: Fifty two books, and yeah, only about like maybe ten at most were just,
ok, and.
Interviewee: Yeah, most of them were very good.
Interviewee 2: Very good, yeah.
Interviewee: I was, like, pleasantly surprised. I was happy to be surprised, I was
optimistic, and a lot of the books are very well done. And then some of them are not.
Katie: I’ve been reading the Batman, and I was just recently recommended Swamp
Thing.
Interviewee: Yes, and see that’s all in the, and they’re both written by the same guy.
Katie: Yeah.
Interviewee: Those are great, and they, I mean, any of the books that would have been
Vertigo books, which is sort of their adult line.
Katie: Right, yeah.
Interviewee: All the books that sort of have a darker tinge to them, those have all been
pretty good.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: You know? Some of the other ones, eh, you know? Like Hawk and Dove I
knew was gonna die. It’s a sad thing yes. *laughs*
Katie: Were you not a fan of Hawk and Dove?
Interviewee: Well I, you know, the writer I’m a fan of, but then it was just, um, yeah.
Interviewee 2: Sterling is a good writer.
Interviewee: He really is, and, I don’t know how to justify that series. Unfortunately. I
think the thing is, fifty two series is a lot, and the reason is say in the long term, because
what you’re looking at is what are the sales gonna be in like, a year from now. And
what’s the quality of the books gonna be? Are they gonna keep the same creative teams?
One of the main things is that the books come out monthly, so, these are some of the
major things, and then they’ve got the whole digital.
70 Katie: That’s what I wanted to talk to you about as well. Your opinion on the whole
digital, with them launching their whole digital line, especially as a comic book, working
in a comic books shop.
Interviewee: Yeah.
Katie: What is your opinion that?
Interviewee: Um, I don’t really have an opinion on it, like I mean, I’m not against
digital, but I don’t think it’s an accurate comparison to compare digital comics to Itunes.
Katie: No, yeah.
Interviewee: But that’s what people are doing, but so far, I don’t think they have found a
very good way to translate the comic book experience digitally, for me.
Interviewee 2: A good example right now is Batman number five, which is the basically,
is the best selling so far of this new Batman series, um, a lot of people who read it
digitally were frustrated. I actually asked a customer today, because I was curious, how
they read it digitally, and they said it was really frustrating. Because the way that the
layouts were required the reader to actually flip the comics around, like physically.
Interviewee: Which doesn’t happen.
Katie: Because it corrects itself, right?
Interviewee 2: It corrects itself, and, she read it on a computer screen, so it was even
worse. It was.
Interviewee: They just haven’t found a way, you know they have widescreen TV’s now,
and originally the TV’s were like. To me it’s almost the equivalent of panon scan, which
is how the old videos were. It’s just that they were, Until they find a way to create
holograms, or something like that, I don’t see digital, I don’t see digital effecting any of
the people that come in here, they don’t care about digital.
Katie: And do you see it taking away from future readers, or maybe leading to future.
Do you see it having any impact on, maybe.
Interviewee: It’ll have an impact, it’s just not. I think my biggest, I think, I’m not
laughing about it. Everyone likes to get this like gold rush mentality, I remember when
like t he web became, in like 99 the web was everything, everything’s the internet. It just
doesn’t happen like that, and it doesn’t happen that fast, and I think they’re putting too
many eggs in a basket, like this is gonna save comics, and its not, it’s a took, but it’s not
gonna overtake, it’s not gonna overtake anything anytime soon. And so, I think the
71 comic companies, um, I actually think they’re, by being so obsessed with the digital as
like the savior of their industry, they are forgetting that a lot of people can’t afford the big
computers. They are only targeting the one small segment of the audience. But a place
here like Northridge where a lot of people don’t have a ton of money, you know, they
can’t, they’re not gonna be the people that are going digital, and it’s like, so you’re
leaving out like a huge chunk of readers, and um, I think its.
Interviewee 2: That customer that I asked about reading digitally, she pirated it. It was
an illegal copy, so, ugh, the good thing is, she read it, she loved it so much she came into
the store and wanted to buy it.
Interviewee: And that’s what I see, and that’s what I see with music. I see a lot of
people sample music illegally, and then they like it and they go buy it.
Katie: Right, so you see that, sort of trend with comic books.
Interviewee: Yeah, I think, the people who steal will always steal. I mean that’s not
gonna change, but, at least most of the, again, it’s collectors, mentality. How do you
collect digital files, like how does that.
Interviewee 2: It’s too easy to share. It’s copy paste.
Interviewee: It’s like, what do you do. It’s a what do you call it? It’s like a fetish thing.
So you.
Katie: You want to look at what you have.
Interviewee: Right. If you can’t physically touch it, if you can’t, I mean, there are a lot
of things that come with collecting that can’t be replaced by digital. I see digital as a
convenience thing.
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: Like lets say I’m out of town, and I want to read the comics in the morning,
I don’t have time to go to my shop at home, I’m still gonna get them when I come home.
Katie: But you want to know the next stories plot.
Interviewee: I want to know what happens, yeah, to me, even if this leads to, I even
think the whole model of monthly comics is kinda outdated myself.
Katie: What would you personally?
72 Interviewee: I would be putting up, like, I would be waiting longer and having great art
teams, basically I’m looking at a book I can sell 50,000 time, rather than just *snapping*
cranking something out.
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: Every month, I’d rather like, I donno. I wanna say like Doctor Who or
something where they come and do twelve episodes, and that’s it.
Katie: But those are great episodes.
Interviewee: They’re really great. I think, I think the future of comics is more in
producing less, but higher quality. Like, that would be better for all of us, because we
would just sell more books, as opposed to, monthlies.
Katie: Do you think that will impact the stories, or do you think you’ll get a lot of fillers.
Interviewee: What you get now is a lot of fillers.
Katie: Yeah, that is what I was asking.
Interviewee: What you get now is basically artists. The um, the, the expectation of an
artist now, is, is unrealistic considering what people demand. They demand this level of
artistry that cannot be achieved on a monthly basis, and it’s like I would rather give that
guy like an extra six months. To draw it like, to make it look amazing. So that every
time a kid comes in and sees that book
Katie: That it’s something special.
Interviewee: Who cares about the monthly. Do you know what I mean?
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: I know I’m saying this and it sounds like, cause I don’t think the monthlies
are gonna die out right now, it’s just like vinyl, vinyl’s not gone. Nothing’s gone, it’s just
gonna be little transition, and people. But I see the future, the future is books, in my
mind. The future is reading things, you want to talk about people reading things digitally,
digitally in book form, its probably a more likely thing. Because people want a whole
story, they don’t want to read like, because they forget, I mean I forget.
Katie: I mean I wait until, I actually tend to wait until they all come out and then I’ll read
them all at the same time.
73 Interviewee: Right, because people want a beginning, middle, and end, story. So this
whole idea of just sort of serialized monthly things is just really based on, like, a model
invented in like 1936 when newsstands were everywhere.
Katie: And the stories didn’t even connect then. And generally you had multiple
storylines and multiple characters in one book.
Interviewee: I mean, I personally I would rather say I’m reading a great book like Action
Comics, drawn by Raggs Moralis who is a great artist, he couldn’t keep up with the
monthly thing, so they had a fill in artist in issue two or three. Threw off the whole story
for me, and now I don’t think I want to buy the story when it goes into trade, because it’s
not as good anymore. It’s like watching, like, like watching a great like academy award
winning actor, and then, oh, and now David Haddelhoff is gonna come in and play him
for like thirty minutes in the movie and then leave again.
Katie: Your not a fan of the Hoff?
Interviewee: I love the Hoff, but common, you’re not gonna have.
Katie: No I get it.
Interviewee: You’re not gonna have him do Hamlet. Hofflet maybe. No, I’m not
negative about any of it. I’m just more like, let’s see what happens. In the end I really
think it’s not about the delivery systems, it’s about the quality of the product. And if the
quality of the product is bad, that’s eventually what’s gonna kill it.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: You know what I mean? Not, you know whether you read it on your
computer.
Interviewee 2: For example there is Animal Man, that’s the series that nobody thought
would outsell Action Comics, and it did.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: In our store, a lot of the books that are considered, like superman and all
those, they sell ok, but books like Animal Man, Swamp thing, they sell better than
Superman, here. Number one because we pimp it out hardcore, but people like the
stories. The stories are good, and the art’s good. In the end that’s really all that people
want, good story, good art. I mean.
Katie: I just bought three Swamp Things, and I was just looking at the covers, I haven’t
had the chance to read them but I was like, oh, pretty.
74 Interviewee: Exactly, and that’s what you deserve as a customer, you know what? And
you know like, I think, so. This whole monthly thing, it’s just growing pains, everyone’s
afraid, oh, if we shift away from monthlies, I mean, maybe the monthly thing will
become more of a digital thing. And maybe they will release them like as they finish
them, like they finish twenty pages and then they post that on the internet.
Katie: Uh huh.
Interviewee: Like maybe you subscribe to Batman, and every, when they finish twenty
pages, then you get twenty pages.
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: And eventually the goal it to like compile it into a really awesome book.
Katie: Which would be cool. But see, then again I’d still wait until I got who whole
story in one.
Interviewee: That’s what I’m saying. In the end I think that’s what people want, and I
think if they’re smart. I think right now a lot of the people, the re-launch wasn’t a bad
idea, but a lot of the people who were behind the re-launch don’t understand, comics
really, or what people want. A lot of it was kind of the movie, Warner brothers
executives coming in and going “What’s the comic, thing.”
Katie: That’s my question, another one that was a little bit, a little off subject but still on
subject. How do you think the popularity of comic book movies now are impacting the
storylines of comic books? Like is there a correlation between the two, or.
Interviewee 2: Definitely. Theres, ugh, gear itself is a great example, um, Marvel having
its summer event this year circle around Captain America and Thor was not a
coincidence.
Interviewee: They basically go we need a story about Captain America and Thor. And
now Hawkeye looks like Hawkeye in the movie. I mean Hawkeye had a whole different
outfit in the comics, and now he has the same outfit as the movie outfit. But the link
between the movies and the comics I don’t think is as strong. It’s like, they don’t uptick
sales for sure. I’ve seen that over time, like its.
Katie: Really?
Interviewee: No, they don’t effect, people like the movies doesn’t mean they are gonna
come in and buy the comic. I don’t see that.
75 Katie: Your not seeing a connection being made between the two?
Interviewee 2: Not a strong one.
Interviewee: Not a strong one.
Interviewee: It still happens. We have kids who like the Green Lantern movie that will
come it.
Interviewee: I say more like that if it’s on Nickelodeon.
Katie: Really.
Interviewee: If it’s a cartoon on like Nick Toons, that drives kids in here. But the
movies themselves are really marketing to Fan Boys anyways who already like.
Katie: Who are already fans of the characters.
Interviewee: Who are already fans of the comics. I’m not saying it doesn’t have any
impact, but it’s not
Katie: It’s not as great as.
Interviewee: Well it’s like, when the Fantastic Four movie came out, it’s not like
suddenly people were like “I want a Fantastic Four comic”.
Katie: Did you see any change with the Watchmen, when that came out?
Interviewee: Yeah, it actually killed Watchmen sales.
Katie: Really?
Interviewee: Yes, it killed Watchmen sales.
Katie: But the book is so much better.
Interviewee: I know, I know, but it’s one of those things that sold consistently over
years, just, but the minute they made it into a move, people stopped buying it. I mean,
people are buying it now again, but we’re not at the level that they were. Because I
thought the movie was so horrible, and it didn’t capture the vibe of Watchmen at all. But
people are like, I’ll just watch the movie now.
Katie: It cut out a lot. I mean even the little.
76 Interviewee: You cant do Alan Moore in a movie, I mean, you can’t. It needs to be like
a BBC mini-series, twelve parts. He’s just, Alan Moor is about details and complexity,
so when you remove that from Alan Moore, you don’t, it’s not Alan Moore anymore, it’s
just, plot. And he’s not about plot, he doesn’t care where it ends. You can tell by reading
the end of Watchmen that he didn’t care how it ended.
Katie: With the big alien.
Interviewee: I mean that was an Outer Limits episode. You know what I mean, like,
like, From Hell, that was an Alan Moore movie obstensively, but the book has Jack the
Ripper, but it’s more about England itself, and the Druids, and the architects of England.
None of that’s in the movie, it’s just.
Katie: It’s just, yeah. I’ve seen the movie. I actually haven’t read the books.
Interviewee: He’s all about detail. It’s like he’s basically created a artifact that was
almost unfilmable, because, in my opinion the best way to make Watchmen would have
actually been to cut a lot. Capture the feeling of Watchmen, but not try and capture every
single, because you can’t. Like, maybe focus of Rorschach, who I think translates the
best to the movies. And then have a few things around Rorschach, but, like Kubrick
totally destroyed The Shining, and he made a great movie out of it. I mean you can’t,
you know what I mean, you can’t, you have to just. There was this whole movement in
the movies led by Snider, the director, basically I’m literally gonna film the page, literally
the page is gonna end up on it. So it’s like there is almost no different between the comic
and the movie, and there is like a huge different between story telling in comics and
movies. They’re not the same, and then the director who make that mistake end up
doing, like these, naturalistic like, like word for word translations, and yet don’t seem to
capture any of the heart of it. And frank, the only one that was sort of good was 300, but,
then you realized what jingoistic piece of junk 300 was. When you really step back from
it, but it only worked because Frank Miller only had like five words in the whole graphic
novel.
Katie: Oh yeah, it’s all pictures.
Interviewee: You know what I mean, like the density can’t. The things that Alan Moore
did with time and space, and perception in the comic, I don’t know. I didn’t see, the most
innovative part about that movie was the opening credits.
Interviewee 2: Oh that was a great sequence.
77 Interviewee: And if he had just kinda kept doing that, you know, something like that.
Katie: With ugh, yeah, and it told a lot in the very beginning, but then it went bad. Wow,
well thank you very much. That actually was perfect.
Interviewee: No problem.
78 Continental Comics
January 21, 2012
(Paul Sager)
Katie: My name is Katie Seastrom.
Interviewee: Nice to meet you Katie.
Katie: What is your opinion of the DC re-launch?
Interviewee: Lifesaving.
Katie: Really?
Interviewee: At a time that somebody needed to have the guts to try something, so huge,
so, in a lot of ways, gutsy, that they were supposed to do back in 1985 when they had the
crisis of infinite earth, but DC chickened out. They weren’t willing to do it back then,
but this time they took a look at what was going on around, and as a comic book retailer
it was a very well needed shot in the arm. As a matter of fact it helped save my business
and many other ones because it was a media blitz, and attention that we’ve been needing
for a long time.
Katie: So have you seen a change in your business concerning those comic books?
Interviewee: At first it was a huge change because the media blitz, everybody had to go,
“Oh! I want to get Superman number one, and Batman number one, and Wonder Woman
number one.” “Oh I want to be there for the first time!” and god help us all we hope that
they actually read them instead of just buy them for collectors value.
Katie: Which is silly now a days?
Interviewee: Ugh, well, its can go both ways, but comic books have always been an
entertainment medium just like movies. When you go to see a movie you want to go get
away from reality and have a good time, and comic books are they exact same way,
except you can take it home with you and read it a thousand times without having to pay
the ticket over and over again. And that’s, ugh, if you can turn around ten, twenty, thirty
years later, then you get to pay for a movie and then turn around and make money of it,
that doesn’t happen a lot.
Katie: Right. My understanding of reselling comic books and collecting it is after the
ninety’s, you know, as demand grew for the comic books they started to print more,
which obviously lessened its value.
Interviewee: Well actually, not true.
79 Katie: No?
Interviewee: The most comics that were ever printed were from 1938 to 1954.
Katie: But the reason they didn’t survive was because of the poor paper quality, and
then World War Two.
Interviewee: Actually no, that’s not what happened at all.
Katie: No?
Interviewee: What happened was is that they were printing both Captain Marvel and
Superman were already more than selling them a million copies a month.
Katie: Right, I knew that.
Interviewee: But what happened was, it was the poor paper quality. Mothers don’t think
about it, fathers were off to war, kids were buys comic books like they were going out of
style because we didn’t have Ipods, and Iphones, and computer games, and things like
that. And TV’s was nonexistent, it was radio and the movies.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: So comic books would sell *snapping* like that. But what people are
forgetting is that why comics disappeared and are worth so much from the Forties and
Fifties is that back them, Roosevelt pushed though, a lot of it is what we call the
recycling drive, but back them they were collecting all paper, all rubber, all metal.
Anything you had that was reusable. That they could use for the war effort they were
taking. Newspapers were being printed, especially Stars and Stripes, everything was
done in paper, so the military was going through it like it was going out of style.
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: And same with rubber and metal. Well, parents, you know, mothers at the
time if it was an actual book, especially with the way they were made on the bookshelves,
they usually didn’t get rid of that, but comic books to mothers were reusable newspaper,
just like the other stuff, and when they came around with the recyclable trucks parents
would be throwing them in there by the gobs, because it was for the recycling effort, and
they got a little money on the side here and there that helped out mothers at the time. So
it wasn’t that the paper quality was bad, its just that they were tossing it. Then you think
of all the soldiers that went to war, you couldn’t carry a lot, but sometimes they needed
anything to keep their minds off what was going on. So, it was easier to pop a comic
book in your back pocket, and you look at most soldiers, if you take a look at pictures, a
lot of them were reading Superman, and Batman. Whether it be in a, an you know,
80 foxhole, or in a tent, or, and they would carry them around wherever they went. And
sometimes you know, they would fall apart literally in their hands because in that kind of
weather its not gonna last.
Katie: Right. Of course.
Interviewee: But a lot of them went overseas with them, and a lot of times they were sent
overseas. That’s what they’ve done for what was going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. I, I
sent boxes, everyone was sending boxes over there because it was one of the most
requested things that our soldiers needed. And when you send it over there it usually
doesn’t come back.
Katie: (Laughing) No, no, generally. So after the initial media blitz with DC has interest
continued?
Interviewee: Yes.
Katie: Has is broadened the readers?
Interviewee: It was a huge increase in if anything it acknowledged that comic books are
still out there, and all these things are still going on, and it was a really good thing. We
all knew it was going to taper off. We knew it was gonna fall back. I was guessing that
by number two, oh, maybe fifty to twenty percent drop off, and it went a little bit lower.
And by number three it dropped off a little bit more. It still, still those DC comics are
selling better than they have in the last six, seven years, but I knew it wasn’t going to be
what the number ones were, because everybody would buy all fifty-two number ones,
and after that you knew the ones that were gonna last compared to the ones that were
gonna fall. They’ve already listed the first six that are being canceled, and the first six
new replacements so it stays at fifty-two titles a month. I mean I knew that was gonna
happen, because you can’t have fifty two grand slam home runs, it’s not gonna happen.
And there are gonna be ones that fall off because it just isn’t gonna do as well.
Katie: Personally, do you have a favorite out the fifty-two?
Interviewee: Yes.
Katie: Which is your favorite?
Interviewee: Well I have two favorites. There’s a writer names Scott Snieder who
started off working under DC’s Vertigo line with Stephen King to launch American
Vampire. He was also working on Batman, and he did so well that when they re-
launched it they wanted him to be the one to re-launch the new Batman, and I usually
don’t read Batman. But he also got a book, and I couldn’t wait because he has such a
great horror writer, like working with Stephen King says it all. And they gave him the
81 Swamp Thing, and I about fell off my chair because this is like Alan Moore coming back
because I know what I’m gonna get with this guy, and I was right. It has been one of my
favorite picks every month it comes out. And every time I think it’s gonna slow down
and get boring, it’s actually quite amazing, and the artists they got to do it reminds me of
the guys the got to help Alan Moore make that books such a hit in the eighties. And the
guys they picked for this, I’m just astounded at the detail because it’s not computer
generated crap, it’s, you can tell the guy takes the time to draw not just the character or
the background character, but the details, the backgrounds, the buildings, everything. It’s
like, my god, when he goes to bed at night, does he sleep? *laughs*
Katie: Right. That’s awesome. I haven’t read the Swamp-Man ones.
Interviewee: It’s pretty incredible what they’re doing with it right now, its made to be a
horror title. I might not say that word very well. H O R R O R.
Katie: Horror, right.
Interviewee: Sometimes my R’s get a little roll, so. But yeah, I love when its not like
Saw, Friday the 13
th
where it’s a slasher movie. I like where you don’t know what is
gonna be next, but there’s not a whole lot of blood compared to, surprise, mystery, shock.
Katie: It’s a good story that happens to be a horror title as well.
Interviewee: And when it does happen your says, “Oh, wow that’s cool, I didn’t see that
coming.” Compared to a slasher movie where you’re going, “Well I knew he was going
to kill somebody.”
Katie: Oh that’s cool. Ok, so last question. What do you think of their move to putting
comic books online? Especially from the perspective of a comic book store owner.
Interviewee: Well, I knew it was gonna happen, but why DC and Marvel are both doing
it, and some of the other ones. The minute the Kindle, the Ipad, and the Ipad 2 came out,
and they were doing books, I mean if you ever watch Star Trek the Next Generation, they
already had that idea on the show in science fiction. But everybody knows that a lot of
the stuff they put in Star Trek somehow becomes reality, and we’ve got cell phones
because of that.
Katie: Right.
Interviewee: And, that wasn’t too far off. But, they have a long way to go, because most
people, well I’ll put it this way, DC and Marvel did it to be like a movie trailer. They
think if you get it as a little bit cheaper as a download, and you try it out and like it, you’ll
go to the comic stores, whatever, and pick it up there. Because reading comics on an
Ipad or a kindle, or even an Iphone, ruins the experience. It’s a great lead in, but it’s not
82 something you like doing on the regular because no texture, no smell, no taste, no the in
depth of what makes comic books last. It’s like why people still buy a real good book,
because touch and smell are as important as anything else. I mean, I remember when I
bought my first comic book at seven years old. And I was at a Seven Eleven, I bought a
slurpee, and I was walking home slurpin’ it and reading the comic on my way walking
home. And I still remember what I was doing at the time. Technology takes that away,
there is no memory, you don’t retain it as well. If you’re doing it for research, like in
computers and libraries, it works great. But when you want something for relaxation, for
fun, for escapism. I mean, it lacks what that is, and that’s why Marvel and DC have both
said, you know, this is our way of doing the movie trailer. You takes the book, ad if you
like it enough, you’re gonna wanna go back and do it. And a lot of times that’s what’s
been happening.
Katie: Ok.
Interviewee: Because some people will go after it, one or two that way, but the Iphone
doesn’t do it well at all because people have been repeatedly saying, “I like to see, when I
can see the whole page in front of me, instead of trying to circumnavigate the screen on a
Iphone or Kindle, to try and see it all, because it doesn’t capture as well as holding it in
your hand where you can see it all in one swoop. And at the same time also, it doesn’t
have the graphics. What they do in black and white, what’s words from a book is easy on
Iphone, or a Kindle. Downloading actual line work and color doesn’t transfer as well to
the, at least right now, to the computer. Stuff like that, and it lacks it. It’s like when you
have pizza in front of you, and you’re ready to eat it, but then you see it on TV, and you
see it on TV but you don’t know the smell, you don’t know the taste, unlike when you
walk into a pizza place and ten minutes before you even get there you can smell them
cooking it outside the door. And the smell of it brings you in, and your mouth is watering
and you can’t wait to bite into it. And a lot of ways, reading a good book, or especially a
comic books, which is a visual medium, it lacks that. And no matter how pretty they
make it digitally, it’s always going to lack that. That’s why people are going back to
vinyl records, compared to CD’s. I mean they’re still buying CD’s. I listened to K-earth
101 today. He’s actually poppin’ vinyl’s on because the sound from a vinyl sounds less
tinney, is clear, and you enjoy it more. And with the same thing, with digital downloads
is it lacks it. It give you a lot of what your looking for, but it lacks the specialty, the
specifics of what makes it so popular.
Katie: That’s cool. That’s awesome. Thank you.
Interviewee: My pleasure.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract In this thesis the author will explore the comic book industry relating to the superhero. She will analysis how the superhero communicates and connects to society’s ideals and the contemporary perception of good and evil so as to better speak to our modern era.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Seastrom-Probandt, Katherine (author)

Core Title The comic book superhero: his amazing journey to connect and communicate with society

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 05/04/2012

Defense Date 05/04/2012

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag comic,OAI-PMH Harvest,superhero

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Floto, Jennifer D. (committee chair), Jackson, Laura Min (committee member), LeVeque, Matthew (committee member)

Creator Email klseastrom@gmail.com,seastrom@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-27569

Unique identifier UC11289031

Identifier usctheses-c3-27569 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-SeastromPr-744-0.pdf

Dmrecord 27569

Document Type Thesis

Rights Seastrom-Probandt, Katherine

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA