Viewpoint- What do comics say about our society?

Batman finally kills the Joker in the future-set Dark Knight Returns (1986)

     The public’s appetite for action and violence grew at an immense rate in the 1980s and this was immediately reflected in the pages of Batman.  While action blockbusters like Rambo (1985) and The Terminator (1983) pummeled the competition at the box-office and video games rose to new levels of sophistication and gore, Batman forever changed in 1986 with the release of the aforementioned The Dark Knight Returns.  Set in the near future, The Dark Knight Returns featured a world on the brink of nuclear war, the murder of the Joker at the hands of Batman himself and a final showdown to the death between former friends Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman.  These events fed the cravings of the waiting public as sales skyrocketed for publisher DC Comics. These visions of doom and destruction met the hopes of the 80s video-game enhanced audience who craved the violence and action.  Later in 1988, DC Comics released A Death in the Family. This storyline absolutely captured the will of the audience as DC left the fate of Robin up to the

Robin (Jason Todd) is murdered by the Joker

general public. DC posted 900 line phone numbers that allowed readers to vote whether of not Robin died within the pages of the story. The public gave a majority vote for Robin to die and that death came at the hands of an extremely violent Joker, beating the life out him with a bloody iron crowbar.  This marks the wish of the public to see the death of an iconic character. This interest the audience for a new experience like Robin’s death parallels the experience in video games of the era, always exploding with new imagery and sounds. This violence-filled, distrustful world of Batman endures to this day.

     On the big screen, Batman became a movie icon.  The public’s adoration for this character reflects easily in the hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue generated by the seven movies released since 1989.  The last movie, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, made over 100 billion dollars alone. As dvd sales of the movies continue to this day, the familiar image of the cape and cowl became immediately recognizable as Batman, the icon.

     The changing desires of the audience brought forth this evolved version of Batman and his violent ways. While not the will of all people, the violent display of the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting during the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises shows a testament to the times we live in.  This somewhat crossover of the violence of Batman into the real world shows that the will and madness exists but needs to stay within the pages of the comic books. Batman truly became a dark mirrored reflection of our society.

Origins of Comics- Where does the word "superhero" come from? Part 2

A beaten down Wolverine has taken enough in this famous splash image from the last page of X-men #132.  Artwork by John Byrne.

Changing Roles

Over time, comic books changed the look and feel of superheroes to reflect changing times and attitudes. By the 1970s, Marvel unveiled Wolverine, a character who went against the usual grain of superheroes and yet went on to become one of the most popular characters in comic history. Wolverine displays an incredibly ferocious nature and fought with his very own claws that popped from inside his hands. In the 1980s, DC Comics published Watchmen, a twelve issue mini-series that revealed a much more human side to superheroes. Watchmen featured Rorschach, a vengeful man who sought justice for the weak, and he did so in the most violent and bloody of ways. Rorschach describes New York City as “this awful city screams like an abattoir full of retarded children.” This character embraces the darker side of life. The superheroes still made sacrifices and fought for justice, but they did it in ways that were “down and dirty.” The Punisher made his rise as a gun-toting, death-dealing vigilante in three magazine of his own, making him as visible a

The Dark Knight Returns #4 (1986)

property to Marvel as Spider-Man.  At this point reigns the anti-hero, a dark reflection of the boy scout image of Superman existing for so many years yet still portrayed to have the most noble of intentions.  In 1986, DC Comics released The Dark Knight Returns that featured an older Batman coming out of retirement to do battle against Superman, a fight unheard of in comics in the past. This fight also takes place in the shadow of a nuclear war. The happier care-free settings no longer existed in cutting-edge comics. The flatness and two-dimensional characters of the past disappeared as the public craved much more intensity and depth to characters dealing with the modern age.  Horror and crisis became issues the superheroes dealt with. With all the darkness and terror within comics of the time, nothing could have prepared the public for what come next.    

Real Life Superheroes

     In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, the sacrifices made by ordinary citizens that morning became apparent to the American public and gave way to a new definition of superhero.  New York City police officers and fire department personnel rushed to the aid of civilians in lower Manhattan and many died trying to save them from the destruction.  With no super-strength or magic eye-beams, these brave men and women found themselves quickly hailed by the public as “superheroes,” It did not take special

powers or a shadowy past for the world to title them as such. They simply conjured the will necessary to run into a tower of burning glass and steel without hesitation to save lives.  The public regarded police officers and firemen more prominently from that time forward as the heroes in our midst.  In a twist of irony, Marvel Comics published Heroes (2003), a comic book dedicated to the policemen and firemen who gave so much that horrible day.  The definition and role of superhero evolved to a level that now truly showed that heroes walk among us everyday. Real life superheroes encapsulated and yet evolved what defines a superhero as events happened before the public’s eyes.

     The word superhero still evolves as the decades go by. The points here show that the definition and role of what defines a superhero changes at the whim of public opinion. The years past show that laser eye-beams or super-strength no longer simply define a person or character as such. It only takes the heart and will to do extraordinary things in the face of great adversity.   This defines a superhero truly exists for. To think beyond your own needs and only of others takes the true will found only in superheroes.

Origins of Comics- Where does the word "superhero" come from?

Iron Man (2008)

When mentioning the word superhero in this blockbuster movie era, images of brightly-colored, costumed individuals come to mind. Superhero pertains to an all-encompassing name given any number of heroic characters in comic books, films and other media. Over the decades though the image of a superhero took on different guises and the public’s view of what a superhero truly encapsulates evolved as well.

Definition

     The word superhero itself derives obviously from the root “hero.” First used in 1387, the Greek word hero means literally "protector" or "defender." The word superhero defines as “a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers.” Superheroes also traditionally defend the standard Superman values of truth, justice and the American way. That definition classically describes any number of fictional comic heroes who exist in print today.

Origins of Myths

     The public revered superheroes in spirit and folk tales long before the twentieth century. Heroic fiction existed for as long as man first began communicating and telling stories. Superheroes (or classic hero) came from these older ancient stories and myths and act as predecessors to the comics today.  Beowulf’s battles with Grendel and monsters and Samson’s biblical stories predate but paved the way for modern tales and imaginative battles like Marvel’s Fantastic Four or Spider-Man in comic books. Classic tales of great heroes and villains transcend the time. “Hamlet and Lear are certainly inspiration for Marvel Comics’ Thor and Odin characters,” states author Randy Duncan in The Power of Comics . The new heroes evolved from the older heroes of the older tales.

Captain America Comics #1 (1941)

     The twentieth century unveiled the golden age of modern superheroes fighting for causes of the age.  Superman #1 hit the newsstands in 1938 and unveiled a hero dressed head to toes in a brightly colored costume and the axiom of fighting for truth, justice and the American way! Captain America made his debut as well to support the American war effort during WWII.  The superhero comics supported the war bond effort through stories showing the good that can come from buying them. Though regarded as propaganda, wartime comics showcased many superheroes who endure even to this day. 

     By the 1950s, these superheroes feature what became the standards for costumed superheroes: a fantastical, amazing superhuman power, a shrouded, dark past, a single, great weakness, and an antithesis or arch-enemy to do battle with.  These ingredients give birth to the classic superheroes of comic fame.  Batman watched his parents murdered before his eyes. Iron Man flies around in a futuristic suit of armor. Wonder Woman uses a lasso that makes people tell the truth! These heroes jumped from the pages of comic books to the film screen years ago and even now make up some of the highest grossing films of all time incorporate these superhero themes within them. 

Burt Ward and Adam West as Batman and Robin

     In the idealistic time of the 1950s, the superheroes reflected an idealistic and simplistic outlook in their fight of good vs. evil. This "Adam West Batman" feel of superheroes would last for decades. Campy versions of superheroes appeared on prime time television and serials.  As the decade advanced, this youthful version of superheroes evolved and grew up for the times yet to come.

Origins in comics: DC's Batman Part 3- Fathers and sons

Tim Drake, the third Robin

The Third Robin

     The third Robin came in the form of Tim Drake, destined to live a life mirroring the life of Batman, his mentor and father figure.  Tim Drake was a youngster full of life and exuberance who, unlike his predecessors, had parents alive and well when Batman entered into his life. Within Tim, Batman saw the same childhood and happiness Bruce Wayne had before that fateful night his parents were shot. Tim was a mirror of the boy Bruce was before the vengeance took hold. Eventually the violence of the world found its way to Tim’s life as his parents were murdered in DC Comics miniseries Identity Crisis. At that moment, Batman sees a son in Tim who has endured all of the happiness and tragedy that he himself endured. Robin is a son trying to learn from his father’s mistakes and wisdom without making the same mistakes. There can be no greater statement of how alike these two were.  Eventually, Tim would “graduate” to go on to become a crime fighter on his own in the guise of Red Robin.  The third Robin was another success for Batman but at the terrible cost of Tim’s parents.  

The Modern Robin

     Damien Wayne is the present incarnation of the sidekick Robin and he is the ultimate evolution of the father-son relationship of the partnership. As explained in the Batman story Son of the Demon, Damian Wayne is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul and thus the grandson of Batman’s archenemy Ra's al Ghul. Batman was unaware of his son's existence for years until Talia left Damian in his care. Damian is violent and lacking in discipline and morality, and was trained by the League of Assassins. Learning to kill at a young age, Damian's murderous behavior created a troubled relationship with his father, who vowed never to take a life. Originally conceived to become a host for his maternal grandfather's soul as well as a pawn against the Dark Knight, Batman saved his child from this fate.  Batman keeps this son close, working time to time with Dick Grayson now fully graduated in role of another Batman himself.

Damien Wayne, son of the Batman

  The sadistic violence displayed by Damien Wayne is also reflected in society as well. On July 20, 2012, a masked, armored gunman open fire during an opening-night showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado. Twelve victims died and many more suffered wounds at the hands of this costumed, pink-haired psychopath. This senseless violence is reflected within the pages of the Batman comic as Damien Wayne explodes from time to time into blood-splattering, death-dealing berserker states. According to comic shop veteran employee Jesse Baumann, “the audience expects that kind of [violent] experience now.” Damien is simply a sign of society and the violence of Batman’s world.

     Though this new Robin can be an extremely violent and sadistic killer at times, this finally does represent a true father-son relationship in the dynamic of Batman and Robin.  As violent as he may be, Robin is truly now Batman’s son and history shows that fathers still love even their flawed children. 

     Batman and Robin have changed a great deal over the course of the past seventy years just as society did. One cannot help but see the progression of Robin from an idealistic youngster of the golden age of comics to the cold-blooded killer that now inhabits the role. This is a change that reflects society itself but the foundation in the comic has always been the partnership of Batman and Robin. From gangsters to super-villains, the dynamic duo took on many foes and the storylines have revealed ideals of family bonds and duty that all audiences can identify with. Batman is the story of son who seeks a better world for his sons. Bruce Wayne carries this vow and seeks the success of his sons, the different Robins over the years. The success though measures in the amount injustice that they can prevent and to carry on the vow of justice in name of a pair of loving parents gunned down in a back alley of Gotham City. This is the Batman family.

Origins in comics: DC's Batman Part 2- An origin in family unfolds

Dick Grayson, the original Robin

The First Robin

    Dick Grayson, the first Robin, became Batman’s success story. The character Robin first came on scene in Detective Comics #38 as a way for lighten the comic reading and help younger audiences to identify with the characters. Robin was made to appeal to all children of his age and their inner fantasies. Dick Grayson found violence in his own origin as his parents died in an apparent circus accident while Bruce Wayne watched. Later it was discovered that criminals were to blame for the deaths though Dick never developed quite the angst Bruce Wayne did for his murdered parents. Bruce took the boy as a foster parent and eventually the youngster discovered Bruce’s alter-ego. With his athletic ability and resiliency, Dick Grayson naturally filled the shoes of a fellow crime-fighter with Batman. With his swashbuckling costume and bright colors, Robin was designed to be reflective of Robin Hood and made to hold the same fun attitude. Over time, storylines revealed Batman as a teacher, shaping and guiding the tutelage of young Robin as he grew older, wiser and into manhood.  In the 1970s, DC Comics, under the direction of artist/editor Carmine Infantino, made the move introduce new ideas and storylines including the development from adolescence of the Robin character . The change and success of this Robin reflects in his eventual break from being Batman’s sidekick to join a number of other former sidekicks in the creation of a superhero team, the Teen Titans.  This act is regarded as a “stepping out of the shadow” of the mentor and moving on into adulthood. More than that, Robin “graduates” from his sidekick name and adopts the new costume and name Nightwing. This moment for Dick Grayson is Batman’s success as a role model and surrogate father to Robin. Batman took Dick Grayson from tragic beginnings to successful triumphs.

Jason Todd, the second Robin

The Failure of the Second Robin

As Nightwing went on to his own adventures, the next Robin showed Batman that in any family there will be loss and failure.  Batman discovered the youngster Jason Todd as he was stealing tires off of the Batmobile as it was parked in the infamous Crime Alley. The audacity of this act brought about Batman’s interest and desire to help this boy who came from a completely different world than that of Bruce Wayne. Living on the streets of Gotham City, Jason did not have parents in his life and Batman sought to fill that void and take him under his wing.  Over time, Robin grew in skill but found stubbornness and foolhardiness as well from time to time. Life on the streets molded Jason with survival skills that made him like a son to Batman but with his own unique attitudes and outlook.

     Eventually, in the Batman story A Death in the Family, foolhardiness has tragic consequences as Jason received word that his mother was alive and living abroad which took him away from Batman’s protection. The public’s appetite for action and violence grew at an immense rate in the 1980s and immediately reflected in the story of Jason Todd.  While action blockbusters like Rambo (1985) and The Terminator (1983) pummeled the competition at the box-office and video games rose to new levels of sophistication and gore, Batman forever changed in 1988 as DC Comics captured the will of the audience as they left the fate of Robin up to the general public. DC posted 900-line phone numbers that allowed readers to vote whether of not Robin died within the pages of the story. The public gave a majority vote for Robin to die and that death came at the hands of an extremely violent Joker, beating the life out him with a bloody iron crowbar. Seeking out his family, Jason found he had been set up in a trap by the villain Joker, who beat him violently and then detonated a bomb killing both him and his mother. This marks the wish of the public to see the death of an iconic character. This blood-thirsty interest in the audience for a new experience like Robin’s death was apparent in the sales of the comic topping to record breaking amounts of 190,000 copies.  A Death in the Family referred to Batman’s loss of a “son” to the violent world. Family knows no greater tragedy or failure greater than the death of a child.

Origins in comics: DC's Batman

Detective Comics #27 (1939)

Since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939, Batman became part of popular culture and an icon over the past 70 years.  His popularity and longevity is also due to the early introduction of his sidekick, Robin.  The role of Robin has been held by a number of different characters over the years with Batman as his ever-present ally. More than that, Batman eventually took on a fatherly figure to the young sidekicks and he saw the successes and failures of his “sons” just any other father does. Even if it is a family who lives in a world of complete violence, It is this family structure that gives Batman and Robin a touchstone that the audience can immediately relate to and identify with.  Family is at the heart of story of Batman and Robin and it is a story of how that family deals with this world of violence and a changing audience. 

The Birth of Batman

The Batman was born when a thief gunned down Bruce Wayne’s parents right before his young eyes. Martha and Thomas Wayne took their young son Bruce to see the movie adventure Zorro at the theatre but the night ended with the reality of the tragic shooting in Gotham City’s Crime Alley. In that moment, Bruce became a young orphan with no parents to care for him or to look after him but he did have a wish for vengeance. The seed planted in Bruce’s mind grew into manhood and a strive for vengeance upon evil that brought him to that point while also protecting the innocent from letting tragedy ever strike again. The early Batman based himself around the simple idea of fear. His costume design took on its dark look as a way to strike fear into the hearts of the criminals. Bob Kane, creator of Batman, felt that Batman should be a dark, vengeful figure of the night, striking terror into hoodlums and gangsters. He worked the dark streets at night, seeking vengeance against the killer of his parents. Along the way, Batman faced villains like a multi-personality Two Face or a criminal taking crime to a level of art with the Joker. The fearful monstrous looks of the villains and the mysterious white eye-slits of Batman all fed the fearful vengeful summation of this comic book avenger. They also found a sole, angry, powerful voice speaking for what is right and punishing the evil-doers with an absolute vengeance. Batman accepts this vow of vengeance for his lost parents when Bruce accepted the mantle of being Batman. It is at the heart of why he garbs himself in the costume and seeks out the criminal elements in society. He does it for the sake of his family’s memory.

The death of Bruce Wayne's parents

Origins of Marvel's heroes continued: Thor vs. the Norse World part 2

Thor battling his evil half-brother Loki

Continuing the comparison of Thor comics vs. Norse mythology...

Loki

Marvel’s Loki also inherited similarities and changes from the myths. Loki’s parentage in both stories shows him as a child of the frost giants in Jontunheim, home of the giants. The comics show Loki and Thor as half brothers while the myths clearly show Odin and Loki to be half-brothers. Beyond everything else, Loki’s portrayal in both worlds embodies the largest differences. In the Norse myths, Loki embodies a trickster and god of mischief. He accompanies Thor and the other Norse gods on their adventures, and often plays a helpful role, many times coming across as craftier than the rest, who depend on his tricks to get them out of trouble. Still, in the final battle of Ragnarok, the twilight of the Gods, Loki helms a ship made from the fingernails of the dead to destroy the gods in both versions of the story. Marvel’s version places Loki’s role as main arch-villain while the myths keep him in the role of simply mischievious with only a few lapses. Thor and Loki became mortal enemies in the Marvel comic and that duel forms the basis of the struggle within the pages of the comic book.

The final battle between Thor and the Midgard Serpent

As previously mentioned, Ragnarok, the final battle in Norse mythology, represents a large difference between the two versions. Many specific elements make up the battle including Thor dying in battle with the world-encircling Midgard serpent, the ever-watching Heimdall and Loki killing each other, the giant Fenris Wolf (a spawn of Loki) swallowing up Odin and the fire god Surter setting the world ablaze. Marvel though handles the event of Ranarok much more loosely and used the name Ragnarok for a number of storylines over the years. These events included the fabled fiery attack of Surter upon the world yet also included the siege of the alien threat Mangog.  Marvel’s end-of-the-world Ragnarok storylines pop up every few years to boost sales and keep the character’s popularity high. The end of the world scenario from Norse myths contradicts the needs of a monthly ongoing series that started over 50 years ago!

Many changes made and many attributes stayed over the years to Thor’s world but the popularity of the characters endures and grows everyday. Whether it be the in ancient time under the guise of a deity or in a modern age of comic books and super-heroes, Thor and the adventures in his home Asgard still go on after so many years.  The future looks promising for this franchise as Thor enters into a possibly endless number of movie sequels, further heightening his popularity. The good stories never get old.

Origins of Marvel's heroes continued: Thor vs. the Norse World

Journey in Mystery #83 (1962)

In 1962, Marvel Comics reintroduced the public to Thor, the Norse god of thunder, in Journey in Mystery #83. Marvel took the already crafted world of Norse mythology and brought it into the comic book world. Marvel kept many qualities of the mythology incorporated but also made many changes to make the character a good fit into the Marvel storylines. An examination of some of the major characters and elements reveal both the changes and the surviving elements of the original myths.

Thor

     Marvel employs many of Thor’s Norse traits to make up the comic book character but also chose to incorporate differences as well.  One obvious similarity between the myths and the comic comes from Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjolnir, existing in both worlds. In Norse mythology, Thor needed a magical belt and gauntlets to wield Mjolnir properly. Marvel’s version allows Thor to use the hammer alone. The Thor of Norse myths exhibits bright red hair and red beard while Marvel’s version carries the nickname of “goldilocks” due to his long blonde hair. Both Thors hold love for a special woman, with Marvel's Thor loving the mortal Jane Foster while the Norse Thor married the Asgardian, warrior-woman Sif. Norse Thor even carried on affairs with others like the giantess Jarnsaxa. Thor’s temperance comes across as the largest character difference between the two versions. Marvel’s Thor portrays a strong yet benevolent god of thunder while Norse myths portray him a warrior with a violent temper, who seems to revel in the slaughter of any who would challenge him.  These two Thors vary yet mirror one another.

Donald Blake

     Donald Blake played the ever-needed role of the secret identity of Thor in the comics, which exhibits a strong departure from the legends of the Norse god. Thor would strike hammer to the ground and in a flash reappear as the meek human that became Thor’s connection to the common man. Norse mythology certainly never gave Thor a dual identity. In a switch in the 1980s, Marvel reaffirmed the legend of the thunder god by eliminating the secret identity and claiming Odin gave Thor that time as a human only as another test for him to pass and grow in wisdom and learn humility.  Trials of Thor by Odin reflected the myths. So a divergence from the classic stories by Marvel turned into an affirmation of them in the end.