Comic books are commonplace in today’s pop culture society. With the rise of movie adaptations, many have started to look toward the original source material as a pastime. The history of comics comes from humble beginnings, and the purpose has changed over the years.
Comic Books: The Beginning
The first use of the word “comic book” was in 1897 with the publication of The Yellow Kid in McFadden’s Flat. This was the first one to use the term on the back of the cover. This was not the type of comic book we see today. It was a collection of many strips that were seen in the newspaper and magazines. Early cartoons and comics were used to make a political point or be propaganda. Propaganda was the reason heroes like Captain America were born.
World War II Comic Book Consumption
During World War II, the United States government had an agreement with the Writers’ War Board to create comic books that helped the war effort. The Army used heroes like Captain America to get young men interested in enlisting and fighting in the war. While this may seem silly, it worked. By 1944, around 44% of men in the Army said they were avid comic book readers.
In the post-war world, comic books struggled to find their voice. The need for army recruitment was no longer there, and controversy started over what their purpose should be. Romance, westerns, and horror took over which led to people getting more experimental with their characters.
Pushing Social Issues
In the 1960s, comic books became fertile ground for people fighting in the civil rights movement. Heroes like Black Panther and Storm appeared who recognized that racism and inequality existed and fought to break down those barriers. It brought the characters into the real world. Up until this point, heroes like Captain America and Superman were squeaky clean. They won the day and were the model of what a person should be.
This was not the case with heroes during this era. Characters had real human problems like drug addictions. They had to live in a world that wasn’t always fair to them. Art Spiegelman released a comic book entitled Maus, which gave a look at the Holocaust through the lens of comic books. The medium faded into the background. It was there but was reserved for “nerds” and “geeks” instead of being mainstream.
Comic Books Become Mainstream
The industry struggled for a long time. There were a couple of catalysts for the explosion of popularity. Iron Man and the Marvel Cinematic Universe put comic books back on the map. Characters became “cool,” and people flocked to find out what other storylines they were missing out on. The rise of graphic novels also propelled the medium forward.
Authors started to use the comic book style to tell other stories besides those with heroes, villains, and over-the-top plots to take over the world. Visual art became popular for authors to experiment with, and it has led to some incredibly successful graphic novels.
Final Thoughts
There has been a lot of discussion about the fatigue of the comic book genre on the silver screen. However, the written medium is becoming more popular than ever. It isn’t just in what they are reading. Avid fans have engrained their love of comic books into their homes, their clothes, and just about everything. It is a style that people love to read, and it should only increase in popularity as people find creative ways to tell their stories.
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