Superhero In American Popular Culture

The emergence of superheroes around the 1930s in American popular culture provided a reflection of our societal and political landscape. With that, this reflection is still evident in present day comics. Our culture is able to be reflected throughout time, because superheroes evolve as the societal and political landscape changes. Since its emergence, comics continue to challenge our ways of thinking and challenge us to face the realities of our current lives through the display of moral issues or propaganda. Along with this, comics, and the superheros they depict, further evolved with the technological advances of the twenty first century with television shows and movies. To show this, Wonder Woman provides a perfect example of how comics reflected the social and
He was initially introduced in Action Comics #1 in 1938. Superman comics heavily reflected the political landscape during World War II with the government’s use of censorship on these comics. For example, the US government censored Superman from mentioning anything about nuclear weapons since the Manhattan Project was underway. Along with that, another comic was censored after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings when this comic wanted to include Superman performing atomic bomb tests for the army. Censorship was used, because the US government wanted to essentially protect itself. Besides censorship, propaganda for World War II was used in Superman. For example in a comic, Superman goes to join the war effort and takes down Japanese ships. This encouraged and inspired many Americans to take an active participation in World War II as it was the “American way” as said by Superman. Then, in the 1950s, Superman’s adventures grew smaller in effect of Dr. Fredric Wertham’s attack on comic books. He made bold claims that comic books cause juvenile delinquency and Superman represents