Pow ! The Mythological Enemy of the United States and the Comic Book Super Hero

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Year:
Pages:164
ISBN:978-1-63313-006-7
Price:$159.95 + shipping
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This concept of pulling historical information out of comic books is not new; what is new is the concept of using comic books to interpret and understand the perceived cultural enemies of American societies during various eras. Not only can we learn of the dress, vernacular, technology and perceived threats of the past but also how they dealt with complex problems that we face today such as globalization, racial inequality and the shrinking middle class. This book sheds light on the under-utilization of comic books as historical resources and educational tools.

Reviews

From the Foreword:
Dexter Nelson uses comic books as a lens by which to examine modern United States history. He deftly traces how comics developed as a mirror of contemporary social and cultural anxieties. From mid-century Nazis and Soviets to turn-of-the-century crime lords, dictators, and terrorists, comic book characters and story arcs reflect Americans’ perceived foreign and domestic threats. It is an effective and fascinating way to approach U.S. History.

Table of Contents

I. ORIGINS OF THE COMIC BOOK
The Heroes Go to War
The Atomic Bomb
Dr. Wertham and the Comics Code
II. MARVEL COMICS ENTER THE COLD WAR
The Cold War and marvel Comics
The Golden Age
III. VIETNAM AND INCREASING CRIME
The Vietnam War: A transformative war
Military ramifications of Tet offensive
A devastating War, as seen on T.V.
Rising Crime Rate
IV. COMIC BOOKS IN THE 1990s
The Mad Iraqi
Saddam & Marvel
Rodney King vs The Police
V. THE RADICAL ISLAMIC EFFECT ON AMERICAN COMIC BOOKS 2002- PRESENT
ISIS invades popular culture
2014: The ISIS code of authority
2015: Beheadings on paper & in real life

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