The Golden Age of Comics was perhaps the greatest era in comic book history. Many people loved the comics during this time period because they were all stories about good triumphing over evil. Many of these stories reflected over historical events over the time period. “Pro-American characters were popular due to the time period occuring mostly during World War II.” (PBS)
“The precise era of the Golden Age is disputed, though most agree that it was born with the launch of Superman in 1938.” (PBS) The tremendous success that Superman had created many spinoff superheroes such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Flash, who had superpowers and secret identities. One of these spinoffs was Captain America. Part of Timely Comics and created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, Captain America ended up being arguably the most popular superhero during the Golden Age.
Captain America is not like the average superhero. Captain America, or his alter ego Steve Rogers, was a frail young man who was chosen by scientist Abraham Erskine to be tested with his experimental serum. That experimental serum made Rogers from a weak, bony young man to being to the peak of human perfection. Right after that, a Nazi spy appeared and shot Erskine, killing him. “In order to keep Nazi spies from obtaining the serum, Erskine hadn't written down the serum's ingredients, along with much of the procedure, having instead committed it to memory.” (Comic Vine) Rogers was the only super soldier manifested. Given a patriotic costume and a shield that not only is nearly indestructable but is used as a weapon, Captain America was born.
During the time of Captain America's inception World War II was going on. “He was a superhero whose entire creation was based on aiding the...
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...erica” Comic Vine. Comic Vine, 2014, Web. Retrieved on Februaru 11, 2014 from http://www.comicvine.com/captain-america/4005-1442/
“Captain America” Marvel. Marvel, 2014, Web. Retrieved on February 11, 2014 from http://marvel.com/universe/Captain_America_(Steve_Rogers)
“Captain America Profile” Superhero Stuff. Superhero Stuff, 2014. Web. Retrieved on February 11, 2014 from http://www.superherostuff.com/biographies/captainamericabiography.html
“Red Skull” Comic Vine. Comic Vine, 2014, Web. Retrieved on February 11, 2014 from http://www.comicvine.com/red-skull/4005-2250/
“The Captain” America in WWII. America in WWII, Web, 2013. Retrieved on February 11, 2014 from http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/the-captain/
“The Golden Age of Comics” PBS. PBS, 2011 Web. Retrieved on February 11 2014 from http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/the-golden-age-of-comics/
...and tells him how he would love to meet Captain America. That same night, when Bucky visits Steve’s tent, he discovers that Steve is Captain America. Knowing Steve’s secret, Steve makes Bucky his partner.
In addition to, revolutionizing characters, Stan Lee made many of his comic books intricate and interesting compared to simple boring comic books in the past. His intricate comics had to do with his...
Chabon asserts that comic books used to be extremely popular among people of all ages, but children were the main audience. Through the years, authors aimed to get a larger adult audience interested in comics. They started changing
In 1941, a young man by the name Steve Rogers attempted to join the army on five separate occasions, but was rejected each time due to his scrawny physique. His ambition along with “his courage, intelligence and willingness to risk death for his country” caught the attention of U.S. Army General Chester Philips, who inducted him into a top secret government experiment known as Operation Rebirth. Abraham Erskine, the brain behind the experiment, developed a “Super Serum” that allowed its subjects to reach maximum physical potential. When Steve Rogers was injected with the serum, he gained superhuman strength, speed, and agility, and thus Captain America was born. This comic book super hero was made in 1941 by Jewish writers Jack Kirby and Joe
Allen Moore’s sordid depiction of twentieth century life presents a complex world, where the distinction between a virtuous hero and a villainous wrongdoer is often blurred. In stark contrast to the traditionally popularized portrayal of superheroes, whose unquestionably altruistic motives ultimately produce unrealistically idealized results; the realistically flawed characters of Watchmen exist in a multi faceted world characterized by moral ambiguity. America’s imperialistic ambitions have long been justified as an expression of American idealism. Much like the portrayal of superheroes in popular culture, America’s intervention in foreign affairs was portrayed as the result of a clearly defined problem, where American intervention was necessary and consensual. The Watchmen exist in an American reality that does not depend on them as the archetypal hero as demonstrated by the fact that their presence is not necessary to the survival of the world. Collectively the characters of Watchmen parallel the tumultuous relationship that as a superpower the United States of America has with the rest of the world.
The all-time greatest superhero is Batman. Since the beginning of comics, Batman has been one of the best detective, crime fighting superhero’s known. His combination of smarts, athletics, and money give him the power to be whatever he wants. “One thing you will never hear Batman say ‘Save me Superman” (Movie Batman vs. Superman). He is saying that, although everyone else needs Superman to save him or her, Batman does not because he is better than the skilled Superman. In the movie, Batman defeats one of the greatest superhero’s, Superman, and proves that he is the best. Since his debut in 1939, Batman has always been the best superhero and always will be.
Although Obadiah’s story was filled with pictures and short blurbs like today’s comics books, the world needed to wait over 100 years to meet the first superhero. He wore a bright red cape and used his incredible strength for the power of good. Can you think of who it is? Here’s another hint – his alter ego is Clark Kent. It was Superman!
09 May 2014 "Superman in the Comics." Superman Homepage http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics.php# -. N.p., n.d. Web. 09
Every child in the United States has heard or read the Marvel and DC comics books. If you have not then you have probably have heard of their characters like the famous star spangled hero, Captain America, or the Dark Knight himself, Batman. Both Marvel and DC has influenced the children and adults of American in its darkest times. The great wars affected many by its poisonous grasps, and its victims sought comfort with the antidote provided by the marvelous illustrators and writers of comic books. Now their cinematic counterparts are here to inspire the 21st century. The Marvel and DC cinematic universes have similar content, they both have unique characteristics that set them apart.
Through his ethos, Captain America represents a true American hero in various ways. He is willing to sacrifice his own life for his friends, as shown when he jumps on a grenade thrown into the middle of a group of men, whereas every other person ran away. He also shows various qualities that every American strives for in their own daily lives, such as being good looking, strong, confident, loyal, courageous, and more righteous qualities that make him the perfect icon for America. More credibility can be given to the Captain through his choice of weapon, the shield. This may seem insignificant, but when put in context, it makes perfect sense, because America, throughout
Throughout history, the graphic form has been used as a means of conveying information of many forms such as story, words of warning, or even propaganda (Van Meter). In its more recent shape, the modern comic, the graphic work was often treated as a lowly form of art suitable primarily for adolescents and children seeking entertainment (Cengage). This mindset about comics continued until the mid 1980’s, at which point it was shattered by the arrival of “Maus”; a graphic novel that documented the experiences of a Holocaust survivor (Spiegelman). After winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1992, Spiegelman’s work opened the door to a whole world of possibilities for the graphic form in scholarly pursuits. Though this event brought about the birth of countless graphic narratives, each responsible for shedding light on modern historical travesties, it is my conviction that prior to the onset of “graphic reportage” comics held a more important socio-political relevance. While less explicit with their messages, early comics such as “The Hulk” gave valuable insight into society by giving a direct look into pop-culture of the time, utilizing symbolism to convey public opinion, and spreading propaganda.
The classic comic book is a polar opposite of the complex nature of poetry. The comic book is designed for the younger reader and possesses a simplistic nature that allows the creator to use visual media combined with short written dialog to tell a story. The pictures in a comic book are an integral part of the makeup of a comic book. The pictures allow the creator to portray the protagonist and antagonist in a way that is common to all readers. This however inhibits the use of imagination by the reader. The pictures are all an artist's interpretations of the actions and settings that make up each scene. When a person reads descriptive text with no pictures, it allows the reader to build a mental picture of each scene that is unique to his/her own personality. The comic book does not allow for this expressiveness in its prefabricated structure.
When one thinks about it, though it may be hard to believe, superheroes stem from God. This began as early back as Greek gods, then leading to Jesus. Jesus was a seemingly normal man who helped everyone, and led people. He was the ultimate superhero of his time. Once he was gone and became no more than a story passed down from father to son, people began to crave what was new, what was ‘in the now.’ That is when tales of knight...
Among the highest-grossing movies of all time are numerous landmark films, such as Titanic, Avatar, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Taking their place alongside these cultural touchstones are mammoth blockbusters of a new breed: action-packed superhero epics. Each year, the number of superhero movies due for release seems to grow exponentially. One glance at a list of upcoming movies for this year reveals that the box office is absolutely saturated with superhero films. Some highly-anticipated installments feature heroes already well-acquainted with the big screen, such as Captain America and the X-Men, while others are introducing relatively unfamiliar characters to contemporary movie-going audiences, as in the cases of Doctor Strange and