U9 Lesson 2

Lesson 2

Comic book burning

In the 1940s comic book burnings were happening in the US to eliminate the perceived dangers of the “new” graphic comic books

Many soldiers were returning home from seeing the same activities in Germany.

Although comics were associated primarily with very young readers, 25% of printed materials going to military camps in World War II were comics

Narratives within comics started causing hysteria and moral panic in soccer, due to their realistic, violent and gruesome nature. People fought back!

Comics Code Authority (CCA) 1954

The CCA was voluntary, although a lot of companies and retailers found it reassuring. It was not a government regulator. It was created by comic book publishers to prevent backlash from the comic book community

• Excessive violence wasn’t allowed to be features, neither were zombies, vampires or any other character of that kind
• Divorce wasn’t allowed to feature within comics
• Prohibited the presentation of “Policemen, judges, government officials, and respected institutions in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority”
• Comics could not use the words horror or terror in their titles. The use of the word crime was subject to numerous restrictions
• It discouraged “Instances of law enforcement officers dying as a result of a criminals activities”
• “… in every instance good shall triumph over evil”

History of Comics

What/When was the Golden Era of comics? Why was is known as the Golden Era? - The Golden Era of comics was from 1938 to 1956 in America. This was the time that more modern comic books were published and they quickly grew in terms of popularity. During this time the superhero archetype was created and people were introduced to popular names such as Superman, Batman, Shazam, Captain America and Wonder Woman. These comics were sent to soldiers during World War II to boost moral as superheroes were supposed to be a symbol of justice and they were based around traditional values. They were created using a simple art style with simple colours and used recognisable symbols with superheroes to make them more memorable.

What/When was the Silver Era of comics? Why was is known as the Silver Era? - This era was from 1956 through to the 1970s. People were introduced to more superheroes, as well as villains, who were more diverse in terms of gender as well as race. Superheroes were introduced that we're more realistic and lifelike such as Spiderman who was just and ordinary guy. The art style of these comics gradually became more detailed, and the drawings became higher quality and detailed. As more and more superheroes were getting introduced, companies decided to create groups with these characters which is when the Justice League came about. 

What/When was the Bronze Era of comics? Why was is known as the Bronze Era? - The bronze era of comic books was from the 1970’s through till 1985. During this bronze era, darker themes were allowed to be displayed such as drug use and alcoholism. Artists also started experimenting with artistic design and colours through using more vibrant colours and detailed panels. The bronze era ignited deeper exploration of team elements within the superhero genre, as well as more minority superheroes. However, not all comics were superhero comics anymore as Graphic Novels started to emerge.

Modern Era of comics - This era started from the end of the bronze era all the way up to present day. These kind of comics include more detailed and psychologically complicated characters as this is where the anti-hero/villain comes into play. These make the protagonists morals come into question. There has been a big shift in terms of the popularity of Graphic Novels which features highly detailed panels, negative shading and unconventional art forms along side innovative storytelling. Now, these graphic novels and comic books are getting adapted into big budget films.