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How Does Superman Affect Society

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Superman; the all-American hero who has lasted for over three quarters of a century (Impact of Superman). It’s nearly impossible for a comic book character to exist that long and not change, and Superman is no exception. In fact, from sporting a mullet to fighting Nazis, he changes a lot. These changes may seem random at times, but they make sense when put under this lens; Superman is just mirroring America. Superman comics have changed to reflect society most notably during Great Depression, WWII, and The Vietnam War.
The Great Depression was a trying time for America. Just four years after the stock market crash, 15 million Americans were without jobs (“Great Depression”). Investment, consumption of goods, and overall quality of life went down significantly (“Great Depression”). Comics like Tarzan and Flash Gordon were the most popular, as they provided a means of escape, if only temporarily (“Impact of Superman”). To put it simply, the American economy was struggling, and Americans had plenty of people to blame (“Great Depression”). Not surprisingly, this cry for justice pitted the …show more content…

The general mood was that of a cheerful determination. It was a time where everyone pulled together, making sacrifices for the good of the country (The US Homefront). Through the social and political disorder of this time, Superman comics impressed the simplistic view of America’s goodness against the dastardly forces of evil like the Germans, Japanese, and other cookie cutter villains (Impact of Superman). Even Superman’s core morals changed to reflect how society was feeling (Impact of Superman). Now, instead of fighting just for “truth and justice,” as he had been doing since his creation, Superman fought for “truth, justice, and the American Way” (Impact of Superman). This wasn’t really a noticeable change, considering the large amounts of patriotism that America felt (Impact of

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