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Introduction: Connecting Your Learning
The image of the superhero is one of the most enduring in comic art history and presents an excellent lead-in to your study of comics and graphic novels because the archetype is so widely known. The notion of the superhero also offers an apt case study of some of the issues you’ll encounter throughout the course, in particular how comics serve as a microcosm of the time in which they’re published, and how contemporary representations of heroic characters have become more complex.
As you read the selections for this lesson, think about your assumptions regarding the superhero genre. How do early texts like the Action Comics from the 1930s relate to your own vision of the superhero? How can the image of the superhero be reconciled with multicultural awareness? How might you frame the relationship between humor comics and superhero comics? Such questions can help to guide your reading and prepare you for the discussion at the end of the lesson.
Readings, Resources, and Assignments
Required Readings 1. Read pages 1-17 of Paul Lopes, “Chapter 1: The Early Industrial Age- Pulp Logic and the Rise of the American Comic Book,” from Demanding Respect: The Evolution of the American Comic Book.
2. Action Comics #1. The Superman story at the start of the comic is all that is required, though you are encouraged to browse the remainder of the issue.
3. Choose one of the following to review:
• Captain Battle Comics
• Atoman
Multimedia Resources 1. Guided Reading videos:
• pulptradition.avi
• closereadAction1.avi
2. Lesson 2: Guest Lecture
Required Assignments Note: In addition to the graded activities, there is a non-graded, but required, practice activity in this lesson.
1. Reading check.
2. Discussion: Superhero Comics
3. Independent Reading Project Topic
See the Assessing Your Learning section for more information on each assignment.
Check Prior Knowledge
Since this lesson discusses the superhero genre, play this trivia game to see how much you already know about caped crusaders and masked avengers: A Superhero Quiz for Everyone!
Focusing Your Learning
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Describe and explain the history and origin of the superhero genre.
2. Read and analyze the Superman story in Action Comics #1.
3. Compare and contrast Action Comics #1 with lesser-known superhero works.
This lesson maps to the following course competencies:
• Interpret selected texts using a variety of methods.
• Describe and use the following critical approaches: historical, new historical, cultural.
• Describe the cultural context of the topic for this course.
• Explain the effect of the cultural context on the literature and author by referring to selected texts.
• Explain the relationship between historical events and the literature by referring to selected texts.
• Identify the major works and authors that are associated with the topic that is the focus of this course.
Instruction
Please note: There is an independent reading project due in lesson 4. As you read through this lesson, think about topics that seem interesting to you. You will be asked to share what you want to work on as one of the assignments at the end of this lesson.
The History of the Superhero Genre
The superhero genre has a tawdry history. It was born from a combination of children’s comics and adult pulps. The genre evolved from a production cycle that placed quantity over quality, where artists, many displaced due to the Great Depression, worked in conditions that would be deemed unacceptable by today’s standards. Knowing where the superhero came from is integral to understanding where the genre ended up. You’ll begin by reading about the history of this genre.
Guided Reading and Check
Read pages 1-17 of Chapter 1: “The Early Industrial Age- Pulp Logic and the Rise of the American Comic Book,” from Demanding Respect: The Evolution of the American Comic Book by Paul Lopes. You will use this reading in shaping your assignments for this unit.
When you are done, complete this reading check. You can try this up to two times to be sure you understand the materials.
The style of production and profit motives of these early comic companies helped to characterize superhero comics as “lowbrow” literature. Despite the mechanisms under which they were constructed, some classic texts emerged. The best writers paid attention to the popularity of the medium, crafting stories that related to the times when the texts were written. Comic art historian Roger Sabin uses Superman as an example of how popular politics and current events made their way into the themes of the comic.
In his earliest outings, he had been a super-social worker, in the comic’s words, a “Champion of the Oppressed,” reflecting the liberal idealism of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Drunks, wife-batters and gamblers received his attention. Then, when the Cold War came to America, the character evolved into a fantasy guardian of the world order: an all-powerful conservative fighting for “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” (Sabin 61).
While Superman stands out as a pinnacle character, not only as the first superhero but as one that adapted with the times, other characters were less lucky. The presence of “fly-by-night” publication houses, combined with the quantity over quality mentality of greedy publishers, led to a rash of superheroes who did not endure. You will read a bit of both, but first, let’s dig a bit deeper and look into how these production models might have influenced the development of negative characteristics in comics. The following guest lecture by Dr. Patrick Hamilton and Dr. Allan Austin of Misericordia University will share some insights from their research into representations of superheroes that cross racial and ethnic lines.
Click this link if the embedded voicethread does not play
Midweek discussion post and response #1.
At this point, pause and begin your contributions to the Lesson 2: Superhero Discussion. You will have to navigate to the threaded discussions area to post your response. This discussion will ask you to reflect on the lesson, the texts you read, and the guest lecture. Excellent contributions will make specific references to the texts to support ideas and reactions. All students are asked to post twice across the week and respond to two others in the class (students or your instructor). Your contributions should be around 150-200 words. Responses to others can be shorter (about 50 words), but should be substantive.
You can find the grading criteria under Assessing your Learning.
Digging In: Reading Action Comics #1
The influence of Action Comics #1 on the comics world cannot be underestimated. While the comic is best known for Superman, many readers are surprised to see that the Superman story was just one of many tales told within its pages. The genres of these stories spanned from westerns to sports and included print stories as well as celebrity gossip shorts. The following video provides a tour of Action Comics #1 relating it to the pulp tradition.
It is interesting to see how the notion of comics has changed. While there are some variety strips still in print (Drawn & Quarterly’s collections and Kramers Ergot stand out as two examples), most contemporary readers select a work based on their familiarity with a given author or character. Also note how many of the character types from Action Comics #1 have faded into obscurity (Zatara the Magician and Chuck Dawson).
Superman’s popularity and persistence stemmed from multiple factors. The Superman story was unique. While the Lopes reading described how the superhero was a collection of a few pulp archetypes, the notion of “the man of steel” was an innovation. The dual identity of Superman also helped to gain an audience. Those meek-mannered readers who identified with Clark Kent could envision escapism through his super alter-ego. Further, the text itself sets up some key contrasts, moving from adult images to kid friendly humor with ease, thus opening comics to a host of new readers.
Dig Deeper
If you’d like more information on the history and development of the superhero genre, and Superman in particular, view the following short clips.
• Once Upon a Time: The Superheroes: (2 of 10)
• Once Upon a Time: The Superheroes: (3 of 10)
At this point, pause and read Action Comics #1. The Superman story on pages 1-13 is all that is required but you are encouraged to browse the remainder of the issue. The following video that points out key elements of the Superman reading.
Now that you have read Action Comics’ Superman tale, reflect on the experience. If you are more familiar with Superman from the movies or later comic works, this initial text might seem overly simplistic. If you are new to Superman, consider how the pacing affected you—was it an adequate introduction?
Extending the Scope: Examples of the Production Model
Once again, it is important to remember that Superman was one of many stories in that Action Comics collection. Similarly, the well-known superheroes of today (including later heroes like Spiderman, Batman, and the Fantastic 4) were few in a sea of many. As you near the end the lesson, take a look at some of the lesser-known heroes as a point of comparison and contrast.
Choose one of the following to review:
• Captain Battle Comics
• Atoman
Each of these comics comes from the Golden Age, and both examples predate the Comics Code that placed content restrictions on popular comics. Much like Action Comics, these works also included themed selections, focusing on characters unrelated to the hero on the cover.
As a reader, consider why these texts have faded into the public domain, while works like Superman, Batman, and others continue to persist and gain popularity. The media play a role—the more adaptations, tie-ins, and merchandising related to a character, the more likely it will persist. Similarly, quality plays a role. Within the fast-paced production schedules of the early comics industry, art, story continuity, and other aesthetic factors were often of little concern. Consider the text you scanned and focus on how it compares and contrasts with Action Comics #1 in regards to content, art, and the overall reading experience. These reflections will fuel the discussion for this lesson.
End of week discussion post and response #2.
At this point, complete your contributions to the Lesson 2: Superhero Discussion. You will have to navigate to the threaded discussions area to post your response. This discussion will ask you to reflect on the lesson, the texts you read, and the guest lecture. Excellent contributions will make specific references to the texts to support ideas and reactions. All students are asked to post twice across the week and respond to two others in the class (students or your instructor). Your contributions should be around 150-200 words. Responses to others can be shorter (about 50 words), but should be substantive.
You can find the grading criteria under Assessing your Learning.
Assessing Your Learning
Graded Assignments
Review the lesson several times before proceeding to the assessments below.
1. Reading Check (10 points): Complete the reading check. You can take this twice to be sure you understand the materials.
Lesson 2 Reading Check
2. Lesson 2 Superhero Comics Discussion (40 points): Complete the superhero discussion. You will have to navigate to the threaded discussions area to post your response.
The student should post twice across the week and respond to two others in the class (students or your instructor). Your contributions should be around 150-200 words. Responses to others can be shorter (about 50 words), but should be substantive.
Excellent contributions will make specific references to the texts to support ideas and reactions.
Your work will be assessed on the following criteria:
Criteria Max Score
Completeness: The student posted twice across the week and responded to two others in the class. 20
Organization: Content is organized and specific examples are used. 15
Grammar and Mechanics: If any errors are present, they are minimal (fewer than three) and do not affect comprehension. 5
Total 40
3. Independent reading project topic choice (10 points): It’s time to start thinking about the independent reading project due in Lesson 4. For this assignment, review Lesson 4’s criteria for the project and answer the following questions:
• What comic are you thinking of reading?
• Do you have any familiarity with the topic, the author/artist, or the series?
• Do you have any questions about the assignment?
Fully answering these questions will earn 10 points.
Lesson 2 Independent Reading Project Topic Choice
Summarizing Your Learning
Looking ahead, the writers of the 1970s and 1980s (who you will encounter in the next unit) tried to expand the readership of superhero comics by taking the “men in tights” archetype and placing the characters in nontraditional contexts. Some literary theorists compare the change in the superhero to the larger social changes caused by the movement to postmodernism. You’ll study both the historical and philosophical changes to the genre as you prepare for your reading of Batman: Year One.
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