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Comparison Of Comic Books And World War II

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Comic Books and World War II During World War II, every major country participated, typically by supplying troops, supplies, and weaponry to one side. However, throughout the duration of the conflict, one country in particular fought against their foes with a different weapon. The country was the United States of America. The weapon: comic books, yes, comic books. Now popular for their big screen adaptations, comic books have been circulated since the Great Depression and they played an influential role in World War II. Through the course of the war, comics were used as propaganda, both to slander the enemy and bolster morale back home. In those days, comics had been in existence for less than a decade and the war was what catapulted them…show more content…
In the context of World War II, comic companies had no difficulty supplying their characters with enemies to duel. The only difficulty they had was using the same villains and stories as everyone else. Unfortunately, due to the setting and the role of the comics, Axis soldiers and leaders were portrayed in less than stellar ways. Often, the superheroes would be drawn on comic book covers as gigantic figures towering over their minuscule foes. Racial stereotypes penetrated the pages of the books as Japanese soldiers were sketched with yellow skin and massive buck teeth. Occasionally, they would be referred to as Japanazis. German soldiers were given stereotypical accents whenever they spoke. Every Axis soldier and leader was given comical body proportions as opposed to the physically perfect heroes. No German, “Jap”, or Italian was safe from the stinging pen of comic book artists. Sometimes, writers would invent their own villains with exaggerated characteristics of the enemy. Examples included: Captain Nazi, Red Skull (who managed to survive), Baron Gestapo, Captain Swastika, and the Claw (an oriental with huge fangs). Despite their racist appearances, these ne’er-do-wells galvanized the American people into a feeling of anger and superiority towards the Axis powers which was exactly what they…show more content…
They provided an escape from the fear included among the other emotions which often occurred during the war. Their effect was so great that Hitler went so far as to ban comic books from being circulated in Germany, except for his personal favorite, Mickey Mouse. From this short period in history spawned several characters that have endured long enough to see, in some cases multiple, cinematic interpretations alongside small-screen adaptations. Undoubtedly, the effect that comic books had on the American psyche will never quite be
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