One would think that comics are simply artistic entertainment targeted for the juvenile audience - and for the most part, that would seemingly look true. Still, when we look at the history that comicbooks helped mold, we realize that this may not entirely be so.
World War II, for example - not that I was around for it of course; used comics as a form of propaganda by presenting stories of heroes fighting Nazis and their allies - with the limited stock of paper, these comics were not really allowed to flourish, and those that did, served to uplift the morale of the armed forces in foreign lands (I of course mention this form a purely American historical viewpoint - as I have little to no knowledge in the comic histories of other nations, including my own).
Comics continued its somewhat subdued propaganda against Communism during the 60's as we could - by looking at the types of villains fought, realize that most of these antagonists hied from behind the Iron Curtain (of Communism). Though by this time, most readers (for lack of real data anyway) were believed to be more of the young impressionable minds, than those from the armed forces.
My personal discovery of comicbooks began in this decade. By this time, there seemed to be two major companies dealing with the continuous output of such stories - DC (an acronym for Detective Comics - one of the company's main titles, aside from Action) and Marvel. Of course there were other companies too - Harvey and its line of cartoons and of course Archies. But to a young boy like me, I found the stories with superheroes much more attractive than your run of the mill cartoon (exquisite taste at an early age? who knows? I can't exactly remember my thoughts from yesterday - much less those, from decades past).
The person who influenced me to begin reading comics was my Grandmother (form my mother's side). See, she would come home from work, and carry with her a bundle of comics she'd have bought form a news stand and put them down in her room - in what I can surmise as leisurely reading materials by the bedside. I distinctly remember copying and crudely drawing poses of the Batman swinging down - I'd use the arm to partially cover the face, so I would not have to draw the entire thing.
I also marveled (pun not intended) at the story of Captain America as he fought the Fourth Sleeper and wining against insurmountable odds. Needless to say, I was hooked - and continued reading the exploits of these fictional characters.
More of these adventures next time (you didn't expect me to share them all in one sitting, now did you?).
World War II, for example - not that I was around for it of course; used comics as a form of propaganda by presenting stories of heroes fighting Nazis and their allies - with the limited stock of paper, these comics were not really allowed to flourish, and those that did, served to uplift the morale of the armed forces in foreign lands (I of course mention this form a purely American historical viewpoint - as I have little to no knowledge in the comic histories of other nations, including my own).
Comics continued its somewhat subdued propaganda against Communism during the 60's as we could - by looking at the types of villains fought, realize that most of these antagonists hied from behind the Iron Curtain (of Communism). Though by this time, most readers (for lack of real data anyway) were believed to be more of the young impressionable minds, than those from the armed forces.
My personal discovery of comicbooks began in this decade. By this time, there seemed to be two major companies dealing with the continuous output of such stories - DC (an acronym for Detective Comics - one of the company's main titles, aside from Action) and Marvel. Of course there were other companies too - Harvey and its line of cartoons and of course Archies. But to a young boy like me, I found the stories with superheroes much more attractive than your run of the mill cartoon (exquisite taste at an early age? who knows? I can't exactly remember my thoughts from yesterday - much less those, from decades past).
The person who influenced me to begin reading comics was my Grandmother (form my mother's side). See, she would come home from work, and carry with her a bundle of comics she'd have bought form a news stand and put them down in her room - in what I can surmise as leisurely reading materials by the bedside. I distinctly remember copying and crudely drawing poses of the Batman swinging down - I'd use the arm to partially cover the face, so I would not have to draw the entire thing.
I also marveled (pun not intended) at the story of Captain America as he fought the Fourth Sleeper and wining against insurmountable odds. Needless to say, I was hooked - and continued reading the exploits of these fictional characters.
More of these adventures next time (you didn't expect me to share them all in one sitting, now did you?).
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