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Tradition and Innovation in Superhero Co PDF
Tradition and Innovation in Superhero Co PDF
the Holocaust, which was the first graphic novel to win the
outside the usual comics fan base, but also to academics and
American Born Chinese (2006), and much more. These works are
prior prejudices that comics are immature, and have even found
1
Baker, Claudia Goldstein, and Douglas Wolk, quoted above,
(McCloud 2).
good versus evil in which the good (almost) always wins, and
2
in academy, fannishness,” of superhero comics, where fans are
have, since their birth in the twentieth century, not only become
ongoing series that began its run decades ago may be examined
3
contemporary culture and society. Comics, which continues to
into the reading process. Thus words are not the sole factor
also their art, which includes line art, colors, and placement.
4
superheroes focuses on this cultural studies approach,
Marvel heroes during the Cold War era, comparing the characters
the Civil Rights Movement, new Marvel comics such as The X-Men,
Marvel and Captain Marvel are both series that started this
characters.
5
What should be noted, however, is that studies of superheroes
and ending during the late forties or early fifties, marks the
and Captain America by Marvel Comics. The Golden Age was followed
Green Lantern, along with Spider-Man and the X-Men. These first
6
primarily during these decades that superhero comics developed
before the advent of the Comics Code. For example, Batman loses
his campiness, which had reached its peak during the sixties,
in the hands again of Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams, marking the
beginning of the darker Age. Yet the most famous moment of the
readers and Peter Parker today established the fact that darker
7
times for heroes were not only imminent but also inevitable,
and the study of it within academia. The end of the Bronze Age
8
and Green Arrow, superhero comics themselves created their own
taking, in that it must study the texts not just through cultural
its seriality.
9
modern age. Both series commented explicitly on their current
society, which was unstable due to the Cold War and the lingering
national trauma over the Vietnam War, but that was not the main
from the superhero archive into their works, picking out pieces
that they felt were outdated, and revising them into something
more fitting for mature readers, who had been young readers
heroes also became darker as they embraced many traits not allowed
Come (1996) by Mark Waid, both drawn by Alex Ross, appear. These
10
were brighter and encompassed happiness and hope. In this way,
these new nostalgic comics that pull superhero fans away from
the darkness that had engulfed the genre, and plunges them deep
and future.
begun to examine not just society, but their own superhero comics
11
comics, which will continue to chapter two, where I will analyze
have aspects both of the new and the old and increasingly must
12
Chapter I
Readers who were children during the Golden and Silver Ages
The X-Men series, and DC’s Camelot 3000 are some examples of
Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore’s
Watchmen.
with the help of a new Robin, he dons the costume once more,
13
This series starts as a whodunit mystery in which a former
millions of lives all over the world. These two works, though
outdated.
14
factor that allows him to survive almost any damage inflicted
obstacles “is the simplest and perhaps the oldest and widest
those after it. Readers, as a rule, know the hero will come
his study on the hero figure in pop culture and the escapism
by the Good” (Rollin 85). Because the readers’ culture and their
15
comics share basic values, such as celebrating freedom, peace,
of the stories.
haunts the pages of the two works. Watchmen opens its series
from the first hero team, the Minutemen, as well as the succeeding
team, the Watchmen, who still wears his costume and uses his
16
heroes, contrary to the genre’s longstanding convention of
Bill, got his cloak tangled during a bank raid, and thus he
job, but his death was caused by simple clumsiness. The ignoble
heroes had been lucky enough to avoid mortality, but also blind
to the fact that they could get killed like any other non-super
17
Minutemen, for example, has been “committed to a mental
the Comedian shoots from rage, or when Janey, his former wife,
hero left after the Keene Act of 1977 that prohibits “costumed
18
shadows painted black on somber colors darken the atmosphere
of the comics.
the fact that he sees himself as sane, wondering why there “are
than the villains seen in most superhero comics, much less heroes,
but ironically he is the only one among the Watchmen who truly
in his pursuit of it, as Silk Spectre, Nite Owl II, and Dr.
victim is
blurred once
more, as
Rorschach
the hero
becomes the
villain for
punish all evil by sacrificing peace, but also the victim who
19
realistic in their human nature, the image of superheroes was
changed forever, pushing not only readers but writers and artists
to turn away from the ignorant bliss of the Golden and Silver
Ages when heroes were the ultimate good, made into human form.
(1986)
and away from Adam West, the star of the campy Batman TV series
20
up again at the point where he left off, he would have
dark helmet exposing only his mouth like the Batman's cowl (fig.
1-4),
is
driving
what
looks
to turn all on its own” (Miller 10). Bruce shows no panic, but
21
instead pushes further, finally crashing the car. With fire
such as this would be good for Bruce Wayne, but “not good enough”
#33, which first illustrated the birth of the Batman (fig. 1-6),
Bruce sets
his
repressed
desires to
become the
Batman
roam. The bat in The Dark Knight is nothing like the one in
22
suggests that the new Batman, will take on these traits as well.
costumes have been seen as sexual by many critics and fans over
the years, because the costumes are drawn extremely skin tight,
like them. Wonder Woman, in her early comics for example, with
23
well as their sexual connotations.
Laurie, but once they become their superhero alter egos, Nite
24
but also to prevent others from going through such traumatic
25
Chapter II
the trend as their stories took more gruesome twists and turns,
especially with the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin (Batman
26
symbolized simpler values. In a time when traditional
(Klock 78).
27
names them the “Marvels,” and takes pictures to show the world
(Busiek and Ross, Marvels #3). This cry grieves over the Marvels,
who gained popularity as saviors of the city, but are now treated
after the appearance of the Marvels in New York City, the heroes
the Golden and Silver Ages were simplistic and idealistic, but
just as more New York City citizens started to treat the Marvels
28
a “plea not to treat heroes as monsters” (Klock 79), as more
and more creators and fans are wont to do. Busiek and Ross try
remind their readers of what the genre was about in the first
Walking through the city, Sheldon and Gwen notice the city is
29
reclaim an Atlantean citizen taken prisoner” (Busiek and Ross,
foreshadows of
invasions and
arrivals of dark
replace those of
the idealistic
30
through Gwen, is devastated, and can no longer bring himself
on.
superheroes, but also pushed away some of the fans who had been
Whereas Busiek and Ross’s Marvels went back into the past
Kingdom Come, written by Mark Waid and also drawn by Alex Ross,
takes its readers into the bleak future, where the Justice League
and Society have broken up, with each member now taking on
The aging Golden and Silver Age heroes are more likely to be
31
of heroes who are violent, brutal, and unforgiving. Looking
is fighting for the good, for none seem to care for the running
Figure 2-4
These heroes are not traditional selfless heroes in any sense;
they fight not for justice, but instead they “simply fight to
fight,” with one other as foes for their own pleasure, a trait
32
superheroes. All that remains are those who
but Magog, “one of the new breed of heroes” (Waid and Ross 37),
33
34). According to hints in the text, Magog’s violent recklessness
presumed villain (Waid and Ross 37). Magog and his team’s attacks
38).
accident, Waid and Ross imply that the dark superheroes no longer
34
childhood home of Smallville, Kansas, is, in Darius’s analysis,
parents taught him that he must use his powers for the greater
The revisionism that arrived with the 1980s was not as sudden
Bronze Age. Yet the reactions to the dark turn of Miller and
35
out traditional values completely, and the influences of
retirement in order to
go against the
immediately becomes
as the narrative of
in each hand, as if to
Figure 2-6
36
show he is more powerful than anyone there, and that he will
his face will remain there for the rest of the series, for the
boy from Kansas is gone. Even the iconic crest on his chest
has changed its color from yellow and red to black and red.
37
a nuclear explosion and the deaths of hundreds. Superman’s
again.
hand, there were those who still desired the trendy dark heroes
38
As I discussed in the previous chapter, Watchmen and The
are not usually familiar with superhero comics. Such works are
and fans already began to mourn the loss of tradition, and the
fact that most of the superheroes had gone in the same direction,
understanding is simplistic.
39
a new style in comics art with sketchier lines, colored by
line style and bold, simple colors (fig. 2-8), and proved that
characters can be
40
Both Marvels and Kingdom Come, while they focus on nostalgic
For example, in the ending of Kingdom Come, the Golden Age heroes
American way,” and dreams about a hopeful future (Waid and Ross
212).
over a newspaper boy who was passing by, and asks him, “a nice,
41
normal ordinary boy” (Busiek and Ross Marvels #4) to join the
picture with him and his wife. Sheldon does not realize that
this boy who introduces himself as Danny Ketch will in the future
blue skies, and Sheldon, his wife, and Danny smile into the
(at times critically) the new directions Moore and Miller were
42
Figure 2-9
panels of both series expresses their hope for the unknown future
43
recognition to a new approach to superhero comics, in which
Nostalgic comics creators are not the only ones who must
be aware of both the past and future of the genre. For instance,
with his own generation in his bones[,] but with a feeling [of]
44
the spirit of the great works of the past with the newness of
45
Chapter III
46
Seven Soldiers is like no series that came before, in that
On the first page of the issue, Thomas Ludlow Dalt, or The Spider,
man rowing the boat that conveys Thomas toward the cottage,
Swamp as the place where Cyrus Gold was killed, then brought
then, is where the dead return and the solid turn soft again,
47
from old to new. The Seven Unknown Men await Thomas in the cottage.
Men condemn him for being “another schmuck with bows and arrows”
of his costume and weapons, wiping him clean. The Unknown Men
claim that it was they who hired Thomas for the assassination
the Unknown Men urge the now naked Thomas into a shower stall
that appears out of nowhere. Under the spray of water, his colors
are drained away, with his dark hair turning light gray and
healthy skin
turning pale, as if
past and
personality, in
himself” (fig.
Unknown Men
48
they will “get [him] cool new clothes” (1.13).
that they can guide the superheroes to save the Earth from
Part One, that one of the Men wears a DC Comics logo on his
superhero into a “cool” one fit for their mission to save the
readers.
49
contemporary creators and readers. One such famous stereotype
media attention for it, the fact remains that the most famous
who are people of color and/or female, most non-fans today mainly
50
demonstrate the difficulties in addressing the problematic
reality that the white male remains the dominant hero in a genre
people of color, for these fans “want exactly what they fell
in love with over and over again” (Rucka qtd. in Rogers). Because
one (Reynolds).
and neither has her own adaptation, because of the belief that
51
Steinem already argued back in 1972, that “the comic book
were created for male audiences. While the Invisible Woman does
her other team members had more active powers such as turning
into flame (the Human Torch), stretching his body into various
defending the Invisible Girl cannot but admit that the Invisible
always provided the eye candy for male readers,” (Madrid 279)
52
the world of male fantasy, attractive = sexy” (Madrid 290).
remain male.
does start with Thomas Dalt, but the main role as the protagonist
hero known as the Whip. Of the Seven, both the Guardian and
off from the outside world. As the years have gone by, the
53
Furthermore, later in the
hero, who believes in defeating the evil forces until the last.
54
white male heroic figures that have held center stage in superhero
Batman that “allow him to fight crime alongside his more powerful
55
preserve their privacy, and others may want to keep their alter
likely, keep them safely out of the hands of evil. The superhero’s
all the major superheroes, including the Big Three of both Marvel
and DC.
56
for, not only wiping the villain’s memories, but also altering
brought to life in such way. Klarion only sets out from Limbo
57
Thus, Sir Justin is the only member who completes the
but his status as a Knight and his sense of justice and skill
man. Finally, out of all the Seven, Sir Justin is the most
been bound firmly into the genre for decades is literally out
58
future. In an interview, Morrison explained that he “developed
are given to them with each new issue of a comic series, but
59
back and forth between the miniseries to fill in the blanks
comics narrative.
60
bold, flat coloring, appropriate for the fantastic atmosphere
of the character and his origins, but the series also tends
for some scenes are set in the dirty streets of New York (fig.
and he uses the visuals to argue his point. The penciller, Yanick
Paquette draws Alix in sensual poses that appear much too forced
overemphasized
(figure 3.4).
However,
is even more
exceptional in that
Figure 3-4
unlike Shining
61
penciller, Ryan Sook, to radically explore and exceed the spaces
Zatanna and Zor, whom she battles, crash and fall through panels,
rip and crumple them (fig. 3-5), and even reach out of her page
and panels, towards readers and the Seven Unknown Men who are
outside of her
two-dimensional
universe. In Seven
Soldiers of
miniseries
grand narrative,
62
Figure 3-6
63
Experimenting with the New Metafiction
Zatanna.
Here, Morrison inserts himself into the comics pages, and through
one of the Unknown Men but now gone rogue and has become a villain,
she feels her surroundings go “soft and [flip],” and hears “voices
coming from nowhere” (3). She starts crawling towards the reader,
64
to break the barrier, and presses her hand against the page,
wall, thus
challenging the
usual boundaries of
into a dimension
resides.
Zatanna is now
a different world,
recalling the
mysterious cottage
in Slaughter Swamp,
of those in-between
The Unknown Men explain to her that they “patch and . . . sew”
65
to “make sure the fabric of [the DC] universe is kept in good
fictional creation, who had not only reached out to her readers,
now able to examine not only present societies, but also their
66
Seven Soldiers of Victory both looks into and disregards
styles, and structures into the genre. The prologue sets out
models, but that they too can be updated. This, with the addition
times, keeping the genre fresh and still, after all these years,
67
Chapter IV
and watched every Superman movie [he] could lay [his] hands
on, from the Golden Age to the present day” (Morrison qtd. in
and starting them again from issue one, naming Morrison the
68
writer for Superman’s Action Comics. Describing his run on the
concepts built in the past and developed over time, and adapts
them into the present without turning his works into “a dinosaur
Watchmen.
69
words, defeat the “Miracle Mesa monster” (1.31) which is later
last minute, the hero team has only six members instead of the
heroes are destined to doom, but their deaths are hinted through
Seven Soldiers.
of the world he was thrown into, and a white t-shirt and a pair
his death.
70
by the Seven Unknown Men in Slaughter Swamp, are the antithesis
this series. While some characters such as Boy Blue and I, Spyder
Seven Soldiers. These new superheroes have no past and are flat
about Gimmix other than the fact that she has gotten a face
superhero.
71
tropes existing within the genre, but as a result, there is
disregarded.
the art depicting her character, The Whip. With her character,
on the violence and sex and perceived realism” and worried about
72
how “themes of brutal urban vigilantism were playing out in
230).
make her look like a dominatrix. The spread page features her
are drawn to the pale skin of her thighs that stand out in
for a landing,
presented with
crashing down on
are spread wide, and her breasts are positioned right at the
center of the panel; once again, her revealing body draws readers’
attention rather than her heroic actions (fig. 4-1). The first
73
panel on the next page shows a silhouette of her weapon of choice,
as a superhero, for she asks, “how do you know when you’ve become
to being Shelly Gaynor. In these pages, red and black are the
primary colors. The only light source in the room comes from
but more subtly, through close-ups of her full, red lips), recall
as Sin City, which even has an installment titled Sex and Violence
74
(fig. 4-2, 4-3).
Similarly, violence,
is destined to fail,
unoriginal
superheroes, whose
main
characteristics are
75
both the extreme revisionism that destroys tradition and respect
for past works. The Sheeda are not alien species existing outside
Earth, but instead, they are human races from the future, about
their progeny. Klarion and the people of Limbo Town are an example
though like the Seven Soldiers, he has added his own spice into
the character, and updated him to fit the needs of present comics.
76
Here, in his Seven Soldiers, Morrison revives the Nebula
Golden and Silver Age values and superheroes. The Nebula Man
is part of the future human race, which has no regard for the
the Golden Age. Thus, the actions of the Nebula Man and the
seen in works like Watchmen and The Dark Knight. They devour
77
resides in a dimension above the comics pages, and has control
over what happens within them. One of these Men, whom I will
universe needs people like the Unknown Men, who “patch and . . .
Zachary Zor is the eighth of the Seven, the one who has
(see Barbelith), for not only do their names rhyme, but Zor,
symbolic item for magicians. By taking the hat back, the Unknown
Men with their respect for the past will take over the stage
78
of superhero comics now, instead of Moore, whose existence and
threatened by
the extinction
of history and
engulfing it
with utter
darkness. Now
back in his
hands,
Morrison
at the last moment that the characters “all live happily ever
to have died while playing his part to save the universe, bursts
79
out of his grave as if to signify the revival of superhero comics.
80
Conclusion
and where victory was always with the good. Furthermore, Watchmen
and Mark Waid announced their Marvels and Kingdom Come, both
81
days where superheroes brought happiness to their fans instead
even today.
of works and comics trends are not mistaken, they are, however,
82
and Miller, but also nostalgic works that may seem to reject
them, and as Eliot says, the past and present must come together.
appearance young Danny Ketch, who will later become the Ghost
Rider.
83
keep up with their readers, but always keeping some engagement
the medium but also the genre: they study the superhero genre
to critically analyze the works of the past, and turn them into
84
events, as well as the comics universes of other publishers,
series.
85
Notes
a skirt, and learn that she will be known in the future as Queen
Ystina the Good, in the last few pages of Seven Soldiers #1,
86
Volume Three.
87
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Darius, Julian. “On Kingdom Come, by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.”
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Duncan, Randy and Matthew J. Smith. The Power of Comics: History,
14-22. Print.
2004. Print.
2009. Print.
Worcester. xi-xv.
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Hogue, Adam. “Why Do Americans Love Superheroes So Much?” Arts.
Klock, Geoff. How to Read Superhero Comics and Why. New York:
2009. Print.
Meltzer, Brad (w), Morales, Rags (p), Bair, Michael (i). Identity
Miller, Frank (w, p), Janson, Klaus (i), and Varley, Lynn (c).
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Moore, Alan (w), Dave Gibbons (a), and John Higgins (c). Watchmen.
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Victory: Volume One. New York: DC Comics, 2006. Print.
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