Considering the liberal history of comic book characters and todays writers, it would be shocking if the democrats lost. In comic book nation, bradford wright explains the impact of marvel characters at this time, heroes like spiderman helped keep code approved comic books relevant and profitable in the age of television and rocknroll, a prospect that had seemed quite unlikely only a few years earlier4. Wright offers an engaging, illuminating, and often provocative. Sep 22, 2008 considering the liberal history of comic book characters and todays writers, it would be shocking if the democrats lost. Using comic books as a primary source, wright offers substantial evidence to help illustrate how. Bradford w wright books biography and list of works. In many ways, the comic book was better suited to meet the needs of the american people. It was the first american war comic to cover the vietnam war. The transformation of youth culture in america systematically analyzes the history of comic books as it pertains to american culture. Comic book nation johns hopkins university press books. From batmans depressionera battles against corrupt local politicians and captain americas oneman war against nazi germany to iron mans cold war exploits. Wrights comic book nation 2001 addresses this need by providing a sociocultural history of the comics from their origins until today.
Since the earliest days of the medium, comic books have provided an engaging platform from which to study the shifts in american culture. Nov 04, 2019 selling in the millions each year for the past six decades, comic books have figured prominently in the childhoods of most americans alive today. Wright s book tell the history of the medium itself from superman onward, but it shows how comics react to the political and social landscape. Apr 26, 2001 comic book nation is at once a serious study of popular culture and an entertaining look at an enduring american art form. It should be noted from the beginning that wright focuses almost solely on the mainstream american comics but given the longevity and overall cultural influence of the genre, such a focus is only. The transformation of youth culture in america new ed by wright, bradford w.
Wright is a compelling history of american comic books since its roots in the 1930s. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Jeugd, strips, comic books, strips, comic books and children, populaire cultuur, comic, jugendkultur, history, popular culture, history and. The author offers a history of the comic book industry within the context of twentiethcentury american society. Jeugd, strips, comic books, strips, comic books and. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Comic book nation the transformation of youth culture in america by wright, bradford w. Wright suggests that comic books had strong messages of many serious issues of the time and they affected. Comic book nation by bradford c wright the guardian. Though the cover of the first issue read the jungles of africa and asia have become flaming battlegrounds, only vietnam was covered. Wright, 2001, johns hopkins university press edition, in english. For anyone who has ever read comics or wanted to leap a building in a single bound, comic book nation is worth a look.
The transformation of youth culture in america by bradford w. A danger of using story lines like this was that readers often couldnt distinguish between what the comic book heroes could do versus the reality of death on the battlefield. The superheroes fought the war, too, but they had to find excuses. Wright deserves credit for tackling the breadth of comics history, and he succeeds commendably in creating a testament to the genres power.
At a guess, id say it started around the early 1990s, but i didnt really notice it until a few years ago. The transformation of youth culture in america bradford w. Comic book nation is at once a serious study of popular culture and an entertaining look at an enduring american art form. Jeugd, strips, comic books, strips, comic books and children, populaire.
Wright, 2001, johns hopkins university press edition, in. In a time before mass recorded media, the comic book was the one form of entertainment that you could enjoy at any time and as many times as you wanted. From dc and marvel to the latest wave of serious graphic novels, the comic book has come of age. Before i get to discussing bradford wright s comic book nation, id like to say a few words about footnotes. Comic book nation the transformation of youth culture in. Jungle war stories was a dell comics american comic book first published in 1962. The transformation of youth culture in america tells the history of the comic book from the perspective of a fan and a historian. Find comic book nation by wright, bradford w at biblio. Reviewing comics a clear understanding of the history and development of comics is crucial for any comprehensive study of the medium. The transformation of youth culture in america comic books are created, distributed, and sold on their own merits to a paying and overwhelmingly young audience wright, 2001, p. On page 246 the below page is reproduced in black and white. The transformation of youth culture in america, bradford w. John hopkins university press, 2001 bradford wrights comic book nation.
Tracing the industrys rise, wright gives comics the scholarly attention they deserve, diligently filling in the back story of a medium. Wright offers an engaging, illuminating, and often provocative history of the comic book industry within the context of twentiethcentury american society. A ten cent comic book could easily be traded among friends, thereby increasing its actual value. Wrights distinctive contributions to the scholarly literature on comic book history. Comic book nation examines the reciprocal impact of comic books on american popular culture, and youth culture particularly, from world war ii through the 1990s. For more information on the history of comic books i recommend reading bradford wrights comic book nation and listening to this.
Wright argues, have been an important part of youth culture, especially boy culture, since the late 1930s. A mainstay of popular culture for over 70 years, comic books have at times been as controversial as theyve been common. Comic book nation the transformation of youth culture in america. This fear even had comic book creators try to limit the use of superman, as referenced by bradford wright in comic book nation p. At a time of transition, with underground comics proliferating on the web while major companies like marvel try to pull themselves out of bankruptcy, comic book nation offers a muchneeded historical perspective. Untitled michael niederhausen on comic book nation. Comic book nation published by the johns hopkins university press in 2001 my copy is the paperback edition published in 2003. From batmans depressionera battles against corrupt local politicians and captain americas oneman war against nazi germany to iron mans cold war. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. In the preface to comic book nation, bradford wright states that his book. To edit or update the above biography on bradford w. Selling in the millions each year for the past six decades, comic books have figured prominently in the childhoods of most americans alive today. Until the rise of television and rock and roll in the 1950s, the chief commercial rivals for the attention and spare change of american preteen consumers were saturday matinee movies and pulp magazines. The transformation of youth culture in america contains no dominant hero, no good vs.
Comic books and america 19451954,university of oklahoma press, norman and london, 1990. Bradford w wright is the author of books such as comic book nation. Wright offers an engaging, illuminating, and often provocative history of the comic book industry within the context of. Cord scott has a doctorate in american history from loyola university, chicago. Wright asserts that while, the juxtaposition of words and images is as old as language itself the modern comic book as it is known today is the progeny of two different literary mediums. Before i get to discussing bradford wrights comic book nation, id like to say a few words about footnotes. The history of the graphic novel is not necessarily an easy one to tell.
795 722 252 935 1040 1532 879 654 1453 212 1487 463 580 1681 846 1592 1654 492 1145 69 377 442 1224 1389 60 709 779 873 1251 927 1072