Comic-Books, a truly American Literary Format
Many of us are able to remember the first time we
truly connected to a book as readers. These books may have been introduced into
our lives by a family member, or a friend or a teacher at school. Although I am
not exactly sure how comic-books snuck into my repertoire (although it was most
likely through my cousins who were prolific comic-book readers), I vividly
remember reading and collecting them
before I even started first-grade. Having grown up in former-Yugoslavia, many
of these books were Italian imports (books like Alan Ford, Zagor, and later Dylan
Dog, Martin Mystère),
beloved and translated into my native language. Other comic-books I loved at
this time included Lucky Luke, The Adventures of Asterix, and later Modesty
Blaise. Comic-books provided me with an interesting story narrative
aided by entertaining pictorial images essential for the development of an
enthusiastic reader. I didn’t read books, I devoured
them.
I currently work as a Youth Services Librarian at
the West Windsor Branch Library (of greater Mercer County Library System),
where I have developed an intensive twelve-session comic-book writing workshop
for children ages 7-11. As part of this program, children not only learn about
the history and format of comic-books, but they also learn how to write and
script stories (simultaneously practicing spelling and other grammatical
aspects of writing); they learn how to conduct image research; they practice
penciling and inking their drawings, and learn about self-publishing as the
workshops’ completed comics are compiled and printed into zine-formatted
anthologies.
Comic-books are a huge part of my life and I have
spent a significant chunk of my life in their company. I even took my passion
for comic-books to Rutgers Graduate School, where I invested plenty of research
into their history, culture, and even socio-political analysis. In my opinion,
there has never existed a more utilitarian and reflective format than the one
offered by comic-books. Having said that, I thought it would be appropriate to
share some of the American history behind this versatile literary format and
make brief note of some exemplary titles. Also included is a section on criticism
that arose following unfounded claims that comic-books incited the raise in
juvenile delinquency in 1950s.
The
Beginnings
Comic-formatted stories have appeared in print prior
to the end of nineteenth century, but it wasn’t until Joseph Pulitzer purchased
one of the first color printing newsprint presses that they began appearing as
a supplement in the Sunday papers he published. The popularity of Hogan’s Alley, the first comic published
in Sunday papers, led to the creation of similar strips like Happy Hooligan and Katzenjammer Kids. Due to the fact that they were regarded as “low
culture”, criticisms and calls for comic strip censorship began to appear. Some
of those very same “low culture” comics are now praised as exemplars of American culture, comics like Winsor
McCay’s Little Nemo in Slumberland,
E.C. Segar’s Thimble Theater, and one
of my personal favorites, George Herriman’s Krazy
Kat.
Years
after World War I
Following World War
I, newspaper strips changed in tone and style. Many comic strip authors drew
inspiration from stories found in pulp magazines such as the Amazing Stories and Dime Detective Magazine. After all, children that read Katzenjammer Kids were now adolescents
and their interests shifted toward fantasy and adventure. Poverty was the
living reality of many Depression-era families from which comic-book’s first
fans (and later comic-book producers) rose.
Some of the most beloved
titles of this time include Chester Gould’s Dick
Tracy (1929), Philip Francis
Nowlan’s Buck Rodgers (first
appearing in Amazing Stories in 1928), as well as Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon (a comic profoundly
influenced by Buck Rodgers), Harold
Foster’s Tarzan (1930) and Prince Valiant (1937), as well as Milton
Caniff’s Terry and the Pirates (1930). Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster delivered
Superman, the “Champion of the Oppressed,” on the debut cover of Action Comics (June, 1938). Much like
his nickname suggests, Superman’s appeal lay in the fact that the populace
could identify with being a born immigrant and embodying the Rooseveltian-era
of power employed for public good.
World War II, Crime and Superhero Comics
In 1942, America
threw itself into World War II and every form of media (including comics,
movies, radio and pulp magazines) served in a patriotic movement benefiting the
war efforts. Many comic book superheroes found themselves taking on the Nazi
regime, and at times more than one cover featured Hitler as the villain. Superheroes took on fighting Nazis whenever not
fighting criminals. “A few heroes worked outside the law, nearly all above it,
but none worked against it.” (Hajdu, p. 61) Crime became a topic so popular
that even J. Edgar Hoover initiated a crime comic of his own. Following the war
however, a sudden shift in tone took place with Charles Biro’s Crime Does Not Pay. The rise of crime as
the comic’s favored narrative reflected popular culture’s demand for crime and
mystery paperbacks. Criminals took up leading roles and there was little
restraint in what was shown and prohibited. As the comic-book’s first
generation of readers matured, so did the themes in its most popular titles. At
the time, dozens of crime titles were available to the core of comic-book’s
audience comprised mainly of young adults.
1950s and the “New Trend” comics
“New Trend”
comics were initiated by EC’s
(Entertaining Comics) Bill
Gaines and Al Feldstein in early 1950s. They introduced two titles that shifted
in tone and style from other comics displayed at newsstands; titles that drew inspiration from other popular
culture formats, including those found in Mickey Spillane’s pulp novels, heard
on radio in The Witch’s Tale and Lights Out, and reflected
in horror, monster and sci-fi movies of the
time. “Citizens of a derivative society, comic-book creators took ideas from
all the popular arts, as well as each other’s work and horror had been a staple
of the pulps and Hollywood films since the 1930s, although the genre tended to
drift in and out of vogue” (Hajdu, p. 177). EC comics also borrowed from Ray
Bradbury, or in words of Al Feldstein, “…not only borrowings in terms of plot,
but borrowings in terms of writing style. I was very impressed with Ray
Bradbury. I read Dark Carnival and The Martian
Chronicles and The Illustrated Man, and whatever else
I could get a hold of Bradbury's at the time. I was very impressed with his
writing style and tried to emulate it, in the comic style” (Squa Tront, 1967).
Although earlier
forms of horror comics appeared in print with Spook Comics (1946) and Eerie Comics (1947), it wasn’t until “New Trend” that the
industry’s tone shifted to horror comics. At the time, the United States’ government discovered that the
Soviet Union
had tested an atomic bomb and comic-books depicting zombies whose skin and bones were
disintegrating were not far removed from frightening images present in the
minds of those living in wake of a nuclear war. By the end of 1952, EC had
several horror and science fiction titles under its belt, including Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror,
Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Two-Fisted Tales, Crime SuspeStories and Shock
SuspenStories. EC succeeded in reviving an interest in comic-books for
those discouraged by lack of thrilling comics following the ACMP organization’s
code by showcasing stories featuring exquisite art by artists like Jack Davis,
Johnny Craig, Will Elder, Reed Crandall, George Evans, Frank Frazetta, Graham
Ingels, Jack Kamen, Bernard Krigstein, Joe Orlando, John Severin, Al Williams,
Basil Wolverton and Wally Wood. In addition to the art, these comic-book
narratives featuring exciting “O.
Henry”
twist-endings. Enthusiasm for such stories is shared by
Bhob Stewart who almost stopped reading comics when he discovered EC’s exciting
“New Trend” comics. In an interview with David Hajdu he said, “The stories were
like radio stories rather than comic-book stories, and they had a point of view
that seemed original and provocative to me. They had an attitude that connected
me at the age of thirteen” (p. 178). Stewart’s enthusiasm proved so strong that
in 1953 he created one of the very first comic-book fanzines dedicated to EC, The EC Fan Bulletin. To him and many
other readers, EC provided an alternative view on the glorified suburban
lifestyle of modern American Era.
Controversy
and Calls for Censorship During 1950s
In February 1952, a
claim that comic-books incite juvenile delinquency returned with a voluntary
ban on crime titles in Walden, NY, following which the New York State
Legislature returned to the issue. Horror comics stirred up harsh criticism that
called for legislature regulating the books, but were vetoed on grounds of
vagueness. That same year, the United States Children’s Bureau announced a 10
percent increase in juvenile delinquency nationwide, with a 20 percent increase
in New York City as compared to 1950. Despite the criticism surrounding
comic-books, many analysts blamed the increase in juvenile delinquency on The
Korean War (war disrupts the balance of family life) and the display of
violence already present on television (Hajdu, p. 202). Some analysis of the socio-political climate in
America at the time hinted at the possibility that increased
criticism on comic-books was due
to increasing paranoia surrounding communism as perpetrated by McCarthy’s
office. “It was a bad time to be weird,” says Al Williamson, one of the artists
working for EC, in an interview with David Hajdu. “You were either a communist
or a juvenile delinquent.” Comic-books quickly became looked down upon, but so did
everything that presented heterodox views of the sociopolitical climate. The
reports on juvenile delinquency and its causes varied in source and severity. Despite
a headline in The New York Times (April
16, 1953) reporting “Youth Delinquency Down,” the United States Senate launched
an investigation into causes and effects of
juvenile delinquency, an act co-sponsored by Kefauver and Hendrickson who
claimed that juvenile delinquency was at its peak and that comic-books were
their culprit. With the investigation ongoing, harsh (and unfounded) criticism
of comic-books appeared in Frederic Wertham’s new book, Seduction of the Innocent (1953). According to David Hajdu’s
analysis of the book, Wertham’s “main objections to superheroes, and indeed to
all comic books, was the cynicism towards authority elemental to the comic’s
nature as an outlet of expression for artists and writers who saw themselves as
cultural outcasts and viewed their medium as undervalued or misunderstood. This
sensibility lay at the heart of the comics’ appeal to young people struggling
to establish their generational identity, and Wertham abhorred it.” In
Wertham’s mind the criticism was just because, “The contempt for law and police
and the brutality of punishment in comic books is subconsciously translate by
children into conflict with authority, and they develop a special indifference
to it” (Wertham, 1953). Wertham’s critics pointed to inconclusive evidence and
lack of statistical data necessary to make such claims.
In
Closing
Comic-books have held a very important place in
American history and culture. Their evolution as a medium (and voice) of their
own begun when first color newspaper presses began operating; they reflected
upon and drew inspiration from societal changes following wars, technological
advances, and other forms of American culture present in print, film and
radio. As reflected in research of many
academics, comic-books have in recent years risen in stature as a literacy
tool, aiding readers in academic and recreational fields. As observed in West
Windsor Library’s Comic Workshops, comic-book creators ages 7-11 have actively
engaged in twelve-session programs during which they reinforced their
story-telling abilities, practiced grammar, penmanship and artistic abilities. Although
I haven’t considered their literary value until conducting research for
graduate school, I believe that they helped shape me into a ferocious reader. Comic-books
have truly captured the hearts and minds of the American populace by developing
as a native cultural format akin to
baseball and jazz. It is my hope that this informative guide serves as an aid
to better understanding the history of American comics and their place in oft
tumultuous American history.
References
Hajdu, D. (2008). The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed
America. Farar,
Straus and Giroux, New York.
Wertham, F. (1953). Seduction of the Innocents.
_____. (1967). “An Interview with Al
Feldstein”. Squa Tront. Issue #9
Further
Reading
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newsletters/newsletterbucketextrahelping/886042-443/comics_are_key_to_promoting.html.csp
CCL. (2010). “More than just funny books:
Comics and prose literacy for boys.” Canadian
Council On Learning. Retrieved December 18, 2012 from
- Dragana D.
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