The Golden Age Of Comic Books

Throughout the twentieth century, the comic book had been an increasingly vital part in american culture. Comic books have been a reflection of american society, they document the struggles and dreams of those who read them. Comics and graphic novels address a range of issues within society and allow people to showcase what is happening in the world today. The Golden Age of comic books, from the 1930’s to the 1950’s, was when the superhero archetype increased in popularity. Comic books had been a means for the readers to live their fantasies while America was in total war. Superheroes have had a great impact on American culture over the many decades since their creation, billions of dollars have been spent on the superhero industry of comic

However, during the Golden Age, comic books had a large base of many ages. Comic books began as children’s entertainment but largely expanded to people of all ages. Comic books are a fitting subject for the study of American culture because comics are a uniquely American cultural creation. The comic book format of telling a story through multiple colored panels was not popularized until the early 1930s. The “Golden Age of Comic Books” lasted from the 1930s until the 1950s, during which the popularity of comic books reached its peak, both in terms of commercial success and cultural significance. The fact that the Golden Age of comic books occurred alongside the Great Depression and World War Two was no coincidence. The comic book creations of the thirties and forties filled a cultural need that was ultimately based on the desire for a cheap form of entertainment. Comic books during this time were not mere novelty, but rather existed as part of the culture as a whole. Comics reflected the cultural visions of comic book creators, men who often used comics to advance specific visions. Unlike any other time in history, the comic books of the Golden Age informed the greater American culture while at the same time modifying it, because comics were used as propaganda. The creation of the comic book reflected the

In contrast to the World War 2 ear of comics they examined the more dehumanizing aspects of war. Given the context of the Cold War and the prominent anti-communism of the early fifties, the Korean War would seem to provide an interesting new direction for the war comics that would influence the generation to read them. The constant threat of infiltration and subversion made the communists an even more dangerous and insidious enemy than the Nazis. The ‘loss’ of China to the Communist Revolution in 1949 and the Soviet 's successful test of an atomic bomb preceded the North Korean invasion of the South in June 1950. These events confirmed for many the existence of an international communist conspiracy. The suddenness of the new war took the comic book industry and the rest of the country by surprise, but by January 1951 the Korean War became the focus for a number of comic producers. The readership for these comics included all ages, but the comics had a special appeal for a young adult, mostly male, audience of those looking forward to deployment for service in Korea. By using comics like Combat Kelly and Two-Fisted Tales. Both comics specifically address the war in Korea and both were influenced by the changes in the comic book industry and new demands placed on the publishers. Yet the two comics reflect very different editing styles and philosophies in how the war should