Comic Books and the Cold War, 1946-1962 - by Chris York & Rafiel York (Paperback)

About the Book

Conventional wisdom holds that comic books of the post-World War II era are poorly drawn and poorly written publications, notable only for the furor they raised. Contributors to this thoughtful collection, however, demonstrate that these comics constitute complex cultural documents that create a dialogue between mainstream values and alternative beliefs that question or complicate the grand narratives of the era. Close analysis of individual titles, including EC comics, Superman, romance comics, and other, more obscure works, reveals the ways Cold War culture--from atomic anxieties and the nuclear family to communist hysteria and social inequalities--manifests itself in the comic books of the era. By illuminating the complexities of mid-century graphic novels, this study demonstrates that postwar popular culture was far from monolithic in its representation of American values and beliefs.

Book Synopsis

Conventional wisdom holds that comic books of the post-World War II era are poorly drawn and poorly written publications, notable only for the furor they raised. Contributors to this thoughtful collection, however, demonstrate that these comics constitute complex cultural documents that create a dialogue between mainstream values and alternative beliefs that question or complicate the grand narratives of the era. Close analysis of individual titles, including EC comics, Superman, romance comics, and other, more obscure works, reveals the ways Cold War culture--from atomic anxieties and the nuclear family to communist hysteria and social inequalities--manifests itself in the comic books of the era. By illuminating the complexities of mid-century graphic novels, this study demonstrates that postwar popular culture was far from monolithic in its representation of American values and beliefs.

Review Quotes

"a great and entertaining collection of essays for comic collectors and anybody interested in the social aspects of life in 1950's America"-popcultureshelf.com

"examines the history of the comic book in relation to global US-Soviet relations and explores the ways in which the medium was influential in structuring narratives surrounding political and social difference in the mid-twentieth century. Chapters include numerous reproductions of relevant comic panels"-Reference & Research Book News

"insightful, well-researched...outstanding...recommended"-Choice

"Great detail...More than a book just about comic books. It offers an in-depth analysis of society at that time and how it affected everyone and everything around it."-Boyce McClain's Consumers' and Collectors' Corner

About the Author

Chris York has taught English at Pine Technical College in Pine City, Minnesota. He has been an active participant in the Comics and Comic Art Area at the National Popular Culture Association Conference for nearly a decade, and his comics scholarship has appeared in the International Journal of Comic Art. Rafiel York is a teacher in Jackson, Minnesota.