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A History of Violence Comic: Exploring the Graphic Depiction of Brutality Through Time
Author: Dr. Evelyn Reed, PhD (History, specializing in 20th and 21st-century graphic narratives)
Publisher: Ironclad Press – A leading publisher of academic works on graphic novels and their societal impact.
Editor: Professor Marcus Thorne, MA (Media Studies), specializing in visual communication and narrative analysis.
Keywords: A history of violence comic, graphic novels, violence in comics, comic book history, visual storytelling, representation of violence, comics and society, history of violence, sequential art, graphic novel analysis.
Abstract: This article delves into the complex and often controversial history of depicting violence within the comic book medium. From the pulp era's sensationalism to the nuanced explorations of modern graphic novels, "a history of violence comic" reveals how the portrayal of violence has evolved, reflecting societal shifts and artistic innovations. We'll examine specific examples, personal anecdotes from within the field, and the impact these depictions have on readers and culture.
1. The Early Days: Sensationalism and the Pulp Era
The early days of comics, particularly during the pulp era, were characterized by a rampant and often gratuitous display of violence. "A history of violence comic" from this period often featured lurid depictions of gunfights, brawls, and extreme acts of aggression, primarily aimed at sensationalizing content and boosting sales. Characters like the Shadow and Doc Savage, while embodying heroism, routinely engaged in extremely violent acts, often justified by the need to combat equally violent criminals. This early representation, while lacking the nuance of later works, lays the foundation for understanding "a history of violence comic" as a reflection of its time.
I remember, during my research, discovering a collection of 1930s crime comics where the panels detailing violence were almost cartoonishly exaggerated, a stark contrast to the often more realistic portrayals we see today. This early understanding of "a history of violence comic" highlights a clear difference between the shock value of the past and the current focus on narrative impact.
2. The Comics Code Authority and its Impact
The mid-20th century saw the introduction of the Comics Code Authority (CCA), a self-regulatory body designed to curb the perceived moral decay in comic books. This significantly impacted "a history of violence comic," leading to a decrease in the explicit depiction of violence and the introduction of stricter guidelines. While the CCA aimed to sanitize comics, it also inadvertently stifled artistic expression and limited the ability of creators to explore complex themes relating to violence. This era shows a crucial turning point in "a history of violence comic," shifting from unchecked sensationalism to a period of self-imposed censorship.
3. The Underground Comix Revolution
The 1960s and 70s witnessed the rise of the underground comix movement, a counter-cultural rebellion against the restrictions of the CCA. "A history of violence comic" in this context became a tool for social commentary and artistic experimentation. Creators like Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman used graphic violence to explore themes of war, societal oppression, and the human condition with a raw honesty previously unseen in mainstream comics. The graphic depiction of violence in these works was often intended to provoke, challenge, and force readers to confront uncomfortable truths. This period redefined "a history of violence comic," shifting the focus from simple sensationalism to a more critical and artistic engagement with violence.
4. The Modern Era: Nuance and Complexity
Modern "a history of violence comic" is characterized by a far greater level of complexity and nuance. Creators are increasingly exploring the psychological and social ramifications of violence, moving beyond simple depictions of bloodshed. Graphic novels like Maus by Art Spiegelman, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, and Watchmen by Alan Moore demonstrate the power of graphic narratives to examine complex historical events, personal trauma, and the multifaceted nature of violence.
Case Study: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. This graphic novel uses violence as a central narrative element, but it’s not simply gratuitous. The violence is intertwined with themes of political oppression, social control, and the moral ambiguities of revolution. This highlights the sophistication of modern "a history of violence comic," where violence becomes a tool for exploring deeper societal and philosophical questions.
5. The Ethical Considerations: Representation and Responsibility
The depiction of violence in comics raises critical ethical questions. The responsibility of creators to portray violence responsibly, avoiding gratuitous depictions that might glorify or normalize violence, is paramount. The impact on vulnerable readers, particularly children and young adults, must be carefully considered. "A history of violence comic," therefore, is not merely a historical analysis but also an ongoing ethical debate. One must consider the context, the intention, and the potential impact of any visual depiction of violence.
6. Violence as a Narrative Tool: Beyond the Shocking Image
A well-crafted "a history of violence comic" uses violence not simply as a shock tactic, but as a narrative device. It can heighten tension, reveal character, advance the plot, and even serve as a powerful symbol. The effectiveness lies not in the mere depiction of violence, but in how it is integrated into the larger story, contributing to the overall meaning and impact.
7. The Evolution of Visual Language: Depicting Violence in Sequential Art
The evolution of visual language within "a history of violence comic" has been as important as the content itself. Early depictions were often crude and simplistic, while modern creators utilize sophisticated panel layouts, visual metaphors, and color palettes to enhance the impact and emotional resonance of violent scenes. This artistic evolution reflects the growing maturity and sophistication of the medium.
8. A History of Violence Comic: Beyond the Panels
"A History of Violence Comic" should not be limited to the analysis of the content within the panels. It also requires an examination of the broader context—the social, political, and cultural landscapes that shape both the creation and reception of these narratives. This contextual understanding allows for a more nuanced interpretation of the violence depicted, placing it within its historical and societal setting.
Conclusion
"A history of violence comic" is a multifaceted and evolving field of study. From the sensationalism of the pulp era to the nuanced explorations of modern graphic novels, the depiction of violence in comics reflects societal changes, artistic innovations, and evolving ethical considerations. Understanding this history allows us to better appreciate the complexity of visual storytelling and the power of comics to engage with challenging and often uncomfortable themes.
FAQs:
1. What is the difference between violence in early comics and modern graphic novels? Early comics often used violence gratuitously for shock value, while modern graphic novels frequently use it to explore complex themes and characters.
2. How did the Comics Code Authority affect the depiction of violence in comics? The CCA significantly limited the depiction of violence, resulting in a more sanitized representation for a time.
3. What is the role of the underground comix movement in the history of violence in comics? The underground comix movement challenged the CCA's restrictions and allowed for more experimental and provocative depictions of violence.
4. What are some ethical considerations regarding the depiction of violence in comics? Creators must consider the potential impact on readers and avoid gratuitous or glorifying portrayals of violence.
5. How can violence be used effectively as a narrative tool in comics? Violence can enhance tension, reveal character, advance the plot, and serve as a powerful symbol.
6. How has the visual language of depicting violence evolved in comics? From simple depictions to sophisticated panel layouts and visual metaphors, the artistic representation of violence has become increasingly nuanced.
7. What is the significance of studying "a history of violence comic" beyond the content of the panels? Analyzing the social, political, and cultural context surrounding the creation and reception of these comics adds crucial layers of meaning.
8. Are there any specific graphic novels that exemplify the evolution of depicting violence in comics? Maus, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, and Persepolis are excellent examples.
9. What is the future of violence depiction in comics? Likely to continue evolving, mirroring societal changes and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression while grappling with ethical considerations.
Related Articles:
1. The Evolution of Violence in Superhero Comics: Traces the changing portrayal of violence in superhero narratives from the Golden Age to the present day.
2. Graphic Novels and the Trauma Narrative: Explores how graphic novels utilize violence to represent and process personal trauma.
3. The Politics of Violence in Underground Comix: Examines the social and political messages conveyed through violence in the underground comix movement.
4. Violence and Censorship in the History of Comics: Focuses on the historical struggle between artistic freedom and censorship regarding depictions of violence.
5. The Impact of Violence in Comics on Young Readers: Studies the effects of violent imagery in comics on children and adolescents.
6. Comparing Violence in American and Japanese Manga: Contrasts the styles and functions of violence in American comics and Japanese manga.
7. The Use of Symbolism and Metaphor in Depicting Violence: Analyzes how visual metaphors enhance the meaning and impact of violent scenes in comics.
8. The Ethics of Graphic Violence in Video Games vs. Comics: Compares and contrasts the ethical considerations surrounding violent imagery in different media.
9. A History of Violence Comic: Case Study of Frank Miller's Works: Focuses specifically on Frank Miller's career and his unique approach to portraying violence.
| a history of violence comic: A History of Violence John Wagner, 2011 Originally published: New York: Paradox Press, 1997. |
| a history of violence comic: A History of Violence John Wagner, 1997 A graphic suspense novel about a man who kills a couple of wanted murderers, and is later hounded by the mob. |
| a history of violence comic: A history of violence , 2006 |
| a history of violence comic: Pulp Empire Paul S. Hirsch, 2024-06-05 Winner of the Popular Culture Association's Ray and Pat Browne Award for Best Book in Popular or American Culture In the 1940s and ’50s, comic books were some of the most popular—and most unfiltered—entertainment in the United States. Publishers sold hundreds of millions of copies a year of violent, racist, and luridly sexual comics to Americans of all ages until a 1954 Senate investigation led to a censorship code that nearly destroyed the industry. But this was far from the first time the US government actively involved itself with comics—it was simply the most dramatic manifestation of a long, strange relationship between high-level policy makers and a medium that even artists and writers often dismissed as a creative sewer. In Pulp Empire, Paul S. Hirsch uncovers the gripping untold story of how the US government both attacked and appropriated comic books to help wage World War II and the Cold War, promote official—and clandestine—foreign policy and deflect global critiques of American racism. As Hirsch details, during World War II—and the concurrent golden age of comic books—government agencies worked directly with comic book publishers to stoke hatred for the Axis powers while simultaneously attempting to dispel racial tensions at home. Later, as the Cold War defense industry ballooned—and as comic book sales reached historic heights—the government again turned to the medium, this time trying to win hearts and minds in the decolonizing world through cartoon propaganda. Hirsch’s groundbreaking research weaves together a wealth of previously classified material, including secret wartime records, official legislative documents, and caches of personal papers. His book explores the uneasy contradiction of how comics were both vital expressions of American freedom and unsettling glimpses into the national id—scourged and repressed on the one hand and deployed as official propaganda on the other. Pulp Empire is a riveting illumination of underexplored chapters in the histories of comic books, foreign policy, and race. |
| a history of violence comic: Savage Pastimes Harold Schechter, 2005-03 In this cogent and well-researched book, Harold Schechter argues that, unlike the popular conception of the media inciting violence through displaying it, without these outlets of violence in the media a basic human need would not be met and would have to be acted out in much more destructive ways. Schechter demonstrates how violent images saturated the earliest newspaper, how art and disturbing images are not incompatible and how the demoaisation of comic books in the 1950s det up a pattern of equating testosterone fuelled entertainment with aggression. |
| a history of violence comic: Comic Book Crime Nickie D. Phillips, Staci Strobl, 2013-07-15 Superman, Batman, Daredevil, and Wonder Woman are iconic cultural figures that embody values of order, fairness, justice, and retribution. Comic Book Crime digs deep into these and other celebrated characters, providing a comprehensive understanding of crime and justice in contemporary American comic books. This is a world where justice is delivered, where heroes save ordinary citizens from certain doom, where evil is easily identified and thwarted by powers far greater than mere mortals could possess. Nickie Phillips and Staci Strobl explore these representations and show that comic books, as a historically important American cultural medium, participate in both reflecting and shaping an American ideological identity that is often focused on ideas of the apocalypse, utopia, retribution, and nationalism. Through an analysis of approximately 200 comic books sold from 2002 to 2010, as well as several years of immersion in comic book fan culture, Phillips and Strobl reveal the kinds of themes and plots popular comics feature in a post-9/11 context. They discuss heroes’ calculations of “deathworthiness,” or who should be killed in meting out justice, and how these judgments have as much to do with the hero’s character as they do with the actions of the villains. This fascinating volume also analyzes how class, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation are used to construct difference for both the heroes and the villains in ways that are both conservative and progressive. Engaging, sharp, and insightful, Comic Book Crime is a fresh take on the very meaning of truth, justice, and the American way. |
| a history of violence comic: The Horror! The Horror! Jim Trombetta, 2010-11-01 Censored out of existence by Congress in the 1950s, rare comic book images--many of which have been rarely seen since they were first issued--are now revealed once again in all of their eye-popping inventive outrageousness. Original. |
| a history of violence comic: Comic Book Nation Bradford W. Wright, 2003-10-17 A history of comic books from the 1930s to 9/11. |
| a history of violence comic: May Contain Graphic Material M. Keith Booker, 2007-10-30 Since the first Superman film came to the screen in 1978, films adapted from comics have become increasingly important as a film form. Since that time, advances in computer-generated special effects have significantly improved the ability of film to capture the style and action of comics, producing film such as X-men and Spider-man. |
| a history of violence comic: The Ten-Cent Plague David Hajdu, 2009-02-03 In the years between the end of World War II and the mid-1950s, the popular culture of today was invented in the pulpy, boldly illustrated pages of comic books. But no sooner had comics emerged than they were beaten down by mass bonfires, congressional hearings, and a McCarthyish panic over their unmonitored and uncensored content. Esteemed critic David Hajdu vividly evokes the rise, fall, and rise again of comics in this engrossing history. Marvelous . . . a staggeringly well-reported account of the men and women who created the comic book, and the backlash of the 1950s that nearly destroyed it....Hajdu’s important book dramatizes an early, long-forgotten skirmish in the culture wars that, half a century later, continues to roil.--Jennifer Reese,Entertainment Weekly(Grade: A-) Incisive and entertaining . . . This book tells an amazing story, with thrills and chills more extreme than the workings of a comic book’s imagination.--Janet Maslin,The New York Times A well-written, detailed book . . . Hajdu’s research is impressive.--Bob Minzesheimer,USA Today Crammed with interviews and original research, Hajdu’s book is a sprawling cultural history of comic books.--Matthew Price,Newsday To those who think rock 'n' roll created the postwar generation gap, David Hajdu says: Think again. Every page ofThe Ten-Cent Plagueevinces [Hajdu’s] zest for the 'aesthetic lawlessness' of comic books and his sympathetic respect for the people who made them. Comic books have grown up, but Hajdu’s affectionate portrait of their rowdy adolescence will make readers hope they never lose their impudent edge.--Wendy Smith, Chicago Tribune A vivid and engaging book.--Louis Menand,The New Yorker David Hajdu, who perfectly detailed the Dylan-era Greenwhich Village scene in Positively 4th Street, does the same for the birth and near death (McCarthyism!) of comic books inThe Ten-Cent Plague. --GQ Sharp . . . lively . . . entertaining and erudite . . . David Hajdu offers captivating insights into America’s early bluestocking-versus-blue-collar culture wars, and the later tensions between wary parents and the first generation of kids with buying power to mold mass entertainment.--R. C. Baker,The Village Voice Hajdu doggedly documents a long national saga of comic creators testing the limits of content while facing down an ever-changing bonfire brigade. That brigade was made up, at varying times, of politicians, lawmen, preachers, medical minds, and academics. Sometimes, their regulatory bids recalled the Hays Code; at others, it was a bottled-up version of McCarthyism. Most of all, the hysteria over comics foreshadowed the looming rock 'n' roll era.--Geoff Boucher, Los Angeles Times A compelling story of the pride, prejudice, and paranoia that marred the reception of mass entertainment in the first half of the century.--Michael Saler,The Times Literary Supplement(London) David Hajdu is the author ofLush Life: A Biography of Billy StrayhornandPositively 4th Street: The Lives and Times of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Mimi Baez Fariña and Richard Fariña. |
| a history of violence comic: Portraits of Violence Brad Evans, Sean Michael Wilson, 2016-10-17 Bringing together established academics and award-winning comic book writers and illustrators, Portraits of Violence illustrates the most compelling ideas and episodes in the critique of violence. Hannah Arendt, Franz Fanon, Jacques Derrida, Edward Said, Paolo Freire, Michel Foucault, Susan Sontag, Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, and Giorgio Agamben each have ten pages to tell their story in this innovative graphic title. Dr. Brad Evans is a political philosopher, critical theorist and author from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. Sean Michael Wilson is an acclaimed comic book writer with more than a dozen books published with a variety of US, UK, and Japanese publishers. |
| a history of violence comic: The Comic Book Story of Video Games Jonathan Hennessey, 2017-10-03 A complete, illustrated history of video games--highlighting the machines, games, and people who have made gaming a worldwide, billion-dollar industry/artform--told in a graphic novel format. Author Jonathan Hennessey and illustrator Jack McGowan present the first full-color, chronological origin story for this hugely successful, omnipresent artform and business. Hennessey provides readers with everything they need to know about video games--from their early beginnings during World War II to the emergence of arcade games in the 1970s to the rise of Nintendo to today's app-based games like Angry Birds and Pokemon Go. Hennessey and McGowan also analyze the evolution of gaming as an artform and its impact on society. Each chapter features spotlights on major players in the development of games and gaming that contains everything that gamers and non-gamers alike need to understand and appreciate this incredible phenomenon. |
| a history of violence comic: American Comics: A History Jeremy Dauber, 2021-11-16 The sweeping story of cartoons, comic strips, and graphic novels and their hold on the American imagination. Comics have conquered America. From our multiplexes, where Marvel and DC movies reign supreme, to our television screens, where comics-based shows like The Walking Dead have become among the most popular in cable history, to convention halls, best-seller lists, Pulitzer Prize–winning titles, and MacArthur Fellowship recipients, comics shape American culture, in ways high and low, superficial, and deeply profound. In American Comics, Columbia professor Jeremy Dauber takes readers through their incredible but little-known history, starting with the Civil War and cartoonist Thomas Nast, creator of the lasting and iconic images of Uncle Sam and Santa Claus; the golden age of newspaper comic strips and the first great superhero boom; the moral panic of the Eisenhower era, the Marvel Comics revolution, and the underground comix movement of the 1960s and ’70s; and finally into the twenty-first century, taking in the grim and gritty Dark Knights and Watchmen alongside the brilliant rise of the graphic novel by acclaimed practitioners like Art Spiegelman and Alison Bechdel. Dauber’s story shows not only how comics have changed over the decades but how American politics and culture have changed them. Throughout, he describes the origins of beloved comics, champions neglected masterpieces, and argues that we can understand how America sees itself through whose stories comics tell. Striking and revelatory, American Comics is a rich chronicle of the last 150 years of American history through the lens of its comic strips, political cartoons, superheroes, graphic novels, and more. FEATURING… • American Splendor • Archie • The Avengers • Kyle Baker • Batman • C. C. Beck • Black Panther • Captain America • Roz Chast • Walt Disney • Will Eisner • Neil Gaiman • Bill Gaines • Bill Griffith • Harley Quinn • Jack Kirby • Denis Kitchen • Krazy Kat • Harvey Kurtzman • Stan Lee • Little Orphan Annie • Maus • Frank Miller • Alan Moore • Mutt and Jeff • Gary Panter • Peanuts • Dav Pilkey • Gail Simone • Spider-Man • Superman • Dick Tracy • Wonder Wart-Hog • Wonder Woman • The Yellow Kid • Zap Comix … AND MANY MORE OF YOUR FAVORITES! |
| a history of violence comic: A History of Violence Robert Muchembled, 2012 Presents a history of violence in Europe and discusses the theory that violence has actually been in decline since the thirteenth century. |
| a history of violence comic: Sheriff of Babylon Vol. 1: Bang. Bang. Bang. Tom King, 2016-07-19 Baghdad, 2003. The reign of Saddam Hussein is over. The Americans are in command. And no one is in control. Former cop turned military contractor Christopher Henry knows that better than anyone. He’s in the country to train up a new Iraqi police force, and one of his recruits has just been murdered. With civil authority in tatters and dead bodies clogging the streets, Chris is the only person in the Green Zone with any interest in finding out who killed him-and why. Chris’ inquiry brings him first to Sofia, an American-raised Iraqi who now sits on the governing council, and then to Nassir, a grizzled veteran of Saddam’s police force-and probably the last real investigator left in Baghdad. United by death but divided by conflicting loyalties, the three must help each other navigate the treacherous landscape of post-invasion Iraq in order to hunt down the killers. But are their efforts really serving justice-or a much darker agenda? Inspired by his real-life experiences as a CIA operations officer in Iraq, writer Tom King (BATMAN) teams with artist Mitch Gerads to deliver a wartime crime thriller like no other in THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON VOL. 1: BANG. BANG. BANG., collecting issues #1-6 of their groundbreaking Vertigo series. |
| a history of violence comic: The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling Aubrey Sitterson, Chris Moreno, 2018-10-02 From the host of the critically acclaimed pro wrestling podcast Straight Shoot, this graphic novel history of wrestling features the key grapplers, matches, and promotions that shaped this beloved sport and form of entertainment. As a pop culture phenomenon, professional wrestling--with its heroic babyfaces and villainous heels performing suplexes and powerbombs in pursuit of championship gold--has conquered audiences in the United States and around the world. Now, writer/podcaster Aubrey Sitterson and illustrator Chris Moreno form a graphic novel tag team to present wrestling's complete illustrated history. Featuring legendary wrestlers like Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, and The Rock, and modern-day favorites like John Cena, Kenny Omega, and Sasha Banks, the book covers wrestling's progress from the carnival days of the Gold Dust Trio to the dominance of the WWF/WWE to today's diverse independent wrestling scene, and it spotlights wrestling's reach into Mexico/Puerto Rico (lucha libre), the U.K. (all-in), and Japan (puroresu). |
| a history of violence comic: Captain America, Masculinity, and Violence J. Richard Stevens, 2015-05-26 Since 1940, Captain America has battled his enemies in the name of American values, and as those values have changed over time, so has Captain America’s character. Because the comic book world fosters a close fan–creator dialogue, creators must consider their ever-changing readership. Comic book artists must carefully balance storyline continuity with cultural relevance. Captain America’s seventy-year existence spans from World War II through the Cold War to the American War on Terror; beginning as a soldier unopposed to offensive attacks against foreign threats, he later becomes known as a defender whose only weapon is his iconic shield. In this way, Captain America reflects America’s need to renegotiate its social contract and reinvent its national myths and cultural identity, all the while telling stories proclaiming an eternal and unchanging spirit of America. In Captain America, Masculinity, and Violence, Stevens reveals how the comic book hero has evolved to maintain relevance to America’s fluctuating ideas of masculinity, patriotism, and violence. Stevens outlines the history of Captain America’s adventures and places the unfolding storyline in dialogue with the comic book industry as well as America’s varying political culture. Stevens shows that Captain America represents the ultimate American story: permanent enough to survive for nearly seventy years with a history fluid enough to be constantly reinterpreted to meet the needs of an ever-changing culture. |
| a history of violence comic: Battle Lines Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, Ari Kelman, 2022-01-25 Featuring breathtaking panoramas and revelatory, unforgettable images, Battle Lines is an utterly original graphic history of the Civil War. A collaboration between the award-winning historian Ari Kelman and the acclaimed graphic novelist Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, Battle Lines showcases various objects from the conflict (a tattered American flag from Fort Sumter, a pair of opera glasses, a bullet, an inkwell, and more), along with a cast of soldiers, farmers, slaves, and well-known figures, to trace an ambitious narrative that extends from the early rumblings of secession to the dark years of Reconstruction. Employing a bold graphic form to illuminate the complex history of this period, Kelman and Fetter-Vorm take the reader from the barren farms of the home front all the way to the front lines of an infantry charge. A daring presentation of the war that nearly tore America apart, Battle Lines is a monumental achievement. |
| a history of violence comic: The Black Panther Party David F. Walker, 2021-01-19 WINNER OF THE EISNER AWARD • A bold and fascinating graphic novel history of the revolutionary Black Panther Party. Founded in Oakland, California, in 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was a radical political organization that stood in defiant contrast to the mainstream civil rights movement. This gripping illustrated history explores the impact and significance of the Panthers, from their social, educational, and healthcare programs that were designed to uplift the Black community to their battle against police brutality through citizen patrols and frequent clashes with the FBI, which targeted the Party from its outset. Using dramatic comic book-style retellings and illustrated profiles of key figures, The Black Panther Party captures the major events, people, and actions of the party, as well as their cultural and political influence and enduring legacy. |
| a history of violence comic: Peacemaker: Disturbing the Peace (2022) #1 Garth Ennis, 2022-01-25 The breakout character from The Suicide Squad gets his own tale of peace ahead of the upcoming HBO Max TV show! Long before joining the Suicide Squad, Christopher Smith, code name Peacemaker, meets with a psychiatrist-a woman dangerously obsessed with his bizarre and violent past. From his tragic childhood to his military service overseas to his multiple missions with Special Forces, Smith has more than his share of skeletons in the closet. But who’s actually analyzing whom? And will this trip down memory lane result in yet more fatalities? Garth Ennis and Garry Brown delve deep into Christopher Smith’s history of violence, and reveal what might bring peace-or not-to the Peacemaker. |
| a history of violence comic: The Brooklyn Thrill-Kill Gang and the Great Comic Book Scare of the 1950s Mariah Adin, 2014-12-09 What caused four recently bar mitzvahed middle-class youths to go on a crime spree of assault and murder in 1954? This book provides a compelling narrative retelling of the boys, their crimes, and a U.S. culture obsessed with juvenile delinquency. After ongoing months of daily headlines about gang shootouts, stomp-killings, and millions of dollars worth of vandalism, by the summer of 1954, America had had enough of juvenile delinquency. It was in this environment that 18-year-old Jack Koslow and the other three teenage members of the Brooklyn Thrill Killers committed their heinous crimes and achieved notoriety. The Brooklyn Thrill-Kill Gang and the Great Comic Book Scare of the 1950s exposes the underbelly of America's mid-century, the terrible price of assimilation, the uncomfortable bedfellows of comic books and juvenile delinquency, and the dystopia already in bloom amongst American youth well before the 1960s. Readers will be engrossed and horrified by the tale of the Brooklyn Thrill-Kill Gang whose shocking, front-page story could easily have been copy-pasted from today's online news sites. Author Mariah Adin takes readers along for a breathtaking moment-by-moment retelling of the crime spree, the subsequent interrogations, and the dramatic courtroom showdown, interspersed with expository chapters on juvenile delinquency, America's Jewish community in the post-Holocaust period, and the anti-comics movement. This book serves to merge the history of juvenile delinquency with that of the Great Comic Book Scare, highlights the assimilation of immigrants into America's white mainstream gone wrong, and complicates our understanding of America's Golden Age. |
| a history of violence comic: Domestic Violence for Beginners Alisa Del Tufo, 1995 Throughout history, men have found ways to justify mistreatment and violence toward women. Despite differences of language, religion, and custom, women are beaten by their male partners throughout most of the world. This book traces the causes of Domestic Violence, beginning with the astonishing revelation that spousal abuse has been condoned - if not recommended - by each of the major world religions and including the impact of the nuclear family and Big Daddy Sigmund Freud. The book also examines the traumatic effect that Domestic Violence has on children and the monumental public indifference to spousal abuse, both issues horrifically exemplified in recent headlines. Domestic Violence For Beginners tries to take a constructive approach by not only criticizing the existing institutions by suggesting realistic alternatives, that is, the best treatments currently available and...most importantly...where to go for HELP! |
| a history of violence comic: Contexts of Violence in Comics Ian Hague, Ian Horton, Nina Mickwitz, 2019-08-01 This book is part of a nuanced two-volume examination of the ways in which violence in comics is presented in different texts, genres, cultures and contexts. Contexts of Violence in Comics asks the reader to consider the ways in which violence and its representations may be enabled or restricted by the contexts in which they take place. It analyzes how structures and organising principles, be they cultural, historical, legal, political or spatial, might encourage, demand or prevent violence. It deals with the issue of scale: violence in the context of war versus violence in the context of an individual murder, and provides insights into the context of war and peace, ethnic and identity-based violence, as well as examining issues of justice and memory. This will be a key text and essential reference for scholars and students at all levels in Comics Studies, and Cultural and Media Studies more generally. |
| a history of violence comic: Representing Acts of Violence in Comics Nina Mickwitz, Ian Horton, Ian Hague, 2019-08-01 This book is part of a nuanced two-volume examination of the ways in which violence in comics is presented in different texts, genres, cultures and contexts. Representing Acts of Violence in Comics raises questions about depiction and the act of showing violence, and discusses the ways in which individual moments of violence develop, and are both represented and embodied in comics and graphic novels. Contributors consider the impact of gendered and sexual violence, and examine the ways in which violent acts can be rendered palatable (for example through humour) but also how comics can represent trauma and long lasting repercussions for both perpetrators and victims. This will be a key text and essential reference for scholars and students at all levels in Comics Studies, and Cultural and Media Studies more generally. |
| a history of violence comic: Seal of Approval Amy Kiste Nyberg, 1998 The content of comic books has been governed by an industry self-regulatory code adopted by publishers in 1954 in response to public and governmental pressure. This book, the first full-length study of this period of comic book history, examines the reasons that comic books were the subject of heated controversy. In tracing the evolution of the controversy and the resulting code, Seal of Approval shows that the comic book has yet to achieve legitimation as a unique form of expression appreciated by readers of all ages. |
| a history of violence comic: All New, All Different? Allan W. Austin, Patrick L. Hamilton, 2019-11-05 Taking a multifaceted approach to attitudes toward race through popular culture and the American superhero, All New, All Different? explores a topic that until now has only received more discrete examination. Considering Marvel, DC, and lesser-known texts and heroes, this illuminating work charts eighty years of evolution in the portrayal of race in comics as well as in film and on television. Beginning with World War II, the authors trace the vexed depictions in early superhero stories, considering both Asian villains and nonwhite sidekicks. While the emergence of Black Panther, Black Lightning, Luke Cage, Storm, and other heroes in the 1960s and 1970s reflected a cultural revolution, the book reveals how nonwhite superheroes nonetheless remained grounded in outdated assumptions. Multiculturalism encouraged further diversity, with 1980s superteams, the minority-run company Milestone’s new characters in the 1990s, and the arrival of Ms. Marvel, a Pakistani-American heroine, and a new Latinx Spider-Man in the 2000s. Concluding with contemporary efforts to make both a profit and a positive impact on society, All New, All Different? enriches our understanding of the complex issues of racial representation in American popular culture. |
| a history of violence comic: Hey Kids! Comics! Howard Chaykin, 2019-02-13 HEY KIDS! COMICS! takes its cue from nearly a century of turbulence and triumph, despair and drama in the comics racket. Artists and writers, con men and clowns, ganefs and gangsters create the foundations of today's biggest entertainment businessÑor at least the tail that wags the dog. Some of it really happened, and the names have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty Éalthough in the end, everyone was guilty of something. Collects HEY KIDS! COMICS! #1-5 |
| a history of violence comic: Violent Messiahs Joshua Dysart, William O'Neill, 2002 A genre-bending, theological, sci-fi love story about criminal politics, the nature of violence and man's search for individuality--Vol. 1, p. [4] of cover. |
| a history of violence comic: Barbaric Vol. 1 Michael Moreci, 2021-11-30 As one of Entertainment Weekly’s “10 Best Comics of 2021,” BARBARIC – featuring Owen the Barbarian and his bloodthirsty companion Axe – is here, heavy, and in hardcover with BARBARIC Vol. 1 MURDERABLE OFFENSES! OWEN THE BARBARIAN HAS AN AXE. AND HE'S GONNA DO GOOD WITH IT IF HE HAS TO KILL SOMEONE. Owen the Barbarian has been cursed to do good with what remains of his life. His bloodthirsty weapon, Axe, has become his moral compass with a drinking problem. Together they wander the realm, foredoomed to help any who seek assistance. But there is one thing Owen hates more than a life with rules: Witches. Welcome to the skull-cracking, blood-splattering, mayhem-loving comic brave enough to ask: How can a man sworn to do good do so much violence? Hah! F***ing with you! Collects #1-#3 of the smash, red-hot, multi-part series. Barbaric Vol. 1: Murderable Offenses - iin hardcover and trade paperback! Find out what everyone is buzzing about and screaming BLOODY murder! It’s just … BARBARIC! For fans of BRZRKR!, The Witcher, Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, Heathen, Rat Queens, and Dungeons and Dragons! From writer Michael Moreci (Wasted Space, The Plot, and Revealer) and artist Nathan C. Gooden (Brandon Sanderson's Dark One, The RUSH, Vampire: The Masquerade)! Own a whole lot of Owen, Axe, and the BARBARIC universe with: Barbaric Vol. 1: Murderable Offenses (hardcover) Barbaric Vol. 1: Murderable Offenses (trade paperback) Barbaric Vol. 2: Axe to Grind (trade paperback) Barbaric Vol. 3: Hell to Pay (trade paperback) Queen of Swords: A Barbaric Tale (trade paperback) PRAISE FOR BARBARIC ‘One of the “10 Best Comics of 2021…” Barbaric took only three issues to establish itself as a first-rate comic.’ - Entertainment Weekly ‘One of the “Best Comics of 2021…” It's a funny, gory, weird comic with stunning art in muted colors.’ – Thrillist ‘One of the “Best Comic Books and Graphic Novels of 2021…” the “excellent…violent, expletive-filled fantasy epic Barbaric never holds back… It’s bloody spectacular.”’ - Screen Rant ... fantastic! - Alex Segura (Award-winning and bestselling author of Secret Identity) Man o man! It is a glorious time to be reading comics. Barbaric ... delivers on the action, the violence & the funny! ... a meaty read. Bravo! --- George G. Gustines (Writer - The New York Times) Don't miss this book! Scott Snyder (Writer - American Vampire, Batman, Justice League (DC Comics); Wytches (Image)) “Barbaric is excellent. Beautifully drawn and brilliantly written, it’s epic, action-packed, and utterly hilarious.” Nicholas Eames (Author - Kings of the Wyld) “Barbaric is a riotous, hearty stew of wit and gore… Long may Owen and Axe trod their bloodstained path, bringing us along for the adventure.” Jonathan French (Author - The Grey Bastards) This comic is absolutely badass. A sentient wise-cracking morally correct axe that punishes the wicked. And its human. SO. DAMNED. GOOD. John Hornor Jacobs (Author - This Dark Earth, Infernal Machines, A Lush and Seething Hell) This book is seriously great. Do not miss out! Darick Robertson (Artist, Co-Creator of The BOYS, Co-Exec Producer) |
| a history of violence comic: Cultures of War in Graphic Novels Tatiana Prorokova, Nimrod Tal, 2018-07-06 First runner-up for the 2019 Ray and Pat Browne Award for the Best Edited Collection in Popular and American Culture Cultures of War in Graphic Novels examines the representation of small-scale and often less acknowledged conflicts from around the world and throughout history. The contributors look at an array of graphic novels about conflicts such as the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), the Irish struggle for national independence (1916-1998), the Falkland War (1982), the Bosnian War (1992-1995), the Rwandan genocide (1994), the Israel-Lebanon War (2006), and the War on Terror (2001-). The book explores the multi-layered relation between the graphic novel as a popular medium and war as a pivotal recurring experience in human history. The focus on largely overlooked small-scale conflicts contributes not only to advance our understanding of graphic novels about war and the cultural aspects of war as reflected in graphic novels, but also our sense of the early twenty-first century, in which popular media and limited conflicts have become closely interrelated. |
| a history of violence comic: The League of Regrettable Superheroes Jon Morris, 2015-06-02 Meet one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print, complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. You know about Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, but have you heard of Doll Man, Doctor Hormone, or Spider Queen? So prepare yourself for such not-ready-for-prime-time heroes as Bee Man (Batman, but with bees), the Clown (circus-themed crimebuster), the Eye (a giant, floating eyeball; just accept it), and many other oddballs and oddities. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The League of Regrettable Superheroes will appeal to die-hard comics fans, casual comics readers, and anyone who enjoys peering into the stranger corners of pop culture. |
| a history of violence comic: The Secret History of Wonder Woman Jill Lepore, 2014-10-28 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Within the origin of one of the world’s most iconic superheroes hides a fascinating family story—and a crucial history of feminism in the twentieth-century. “Everything you might want in a page-turner…skeletons in the closet, a believe-it-or-not weirdness in its biographical details, and something else that secretly powers even the most “serious” feminist history—fun.” —Entertainment Weekly The Secret History of Wonder Woman is a tour de force of intellectual and cultural history. Wonder Woman, Jill Lepore argues, is the missing link in the history of the struggle for women’s rights—a chain of events that begins with the women’s suffrage campaigns of the early 1900s and ends with the troubled place of feminism a century later. Lepore, a Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer, has uncovered an astonishing trove of documents, including the never-before-seen private papers of Wonder Woman’s creator, William Moulton Marston. The Marston family story is a tale of drama, intrigue, and irony. In the 1920s, Marston and his wife brought into their home Olive Byrne, the niece of Margaret Sanger, one of the most influential feminists of the twentieth century. Even while celebrating conventional family life in a regular column that Marston and Byrne wrote for Family Circle, they themselves pursued lives of extraordinary nonconformity. Marston, internationally known as an expert on truth—he invented the lie detector test—lived a life of secrets, only to spill them on the pages of Wonder Woman. Includes a new afterword with fresh revelations based on never before seen letters and photographs from the Marston family’s papers, and 161 illustrations and 16 pages in full color. |
| a history of violence comic: Road to Perdition Max Allan Collins, David Self, 2002 In Depression-era Chicago, the city's most notorious hitman is stunned to discover that the mob intends to kill his own young son. |
| a history of violence comic: Jonah Hex Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, 2006 Presents stories of Jonah Hex doing what he does best, finding people for money and raising the death toll in the Old West. |
| a history of violence comic: A History of Violence Oscar Martinez, 2017-04-11 “A necessary read.” —Los Angeles Review of Books “A chilling portrait of corruption, unimaginable brutality and impunity.” —Financial Times This revelatory and heartbreaking immersion into the lives of people enduring extreme violence in Central America is a powerful call for immigration policy reform in the United States El Salvador and Honduras have had the highest homicide rates in the world over the past ten years, with Guatemala close behind. Every day more than 1,000 people—men, women, and children—flee these three countries for North America. Óscar Martínez, author of The Beast, named one of the best books of the year by the Economist, Mother Jones, and the Financial Times, fleshes out these stark figures with true stories, producing a jarringly beautiful and immersive account of life in deadly locations. Martínez travels to Nicaraguan fishing towns, southern Mexican brothels where Central American women are trafficked, isolated Guatemalan jungle villages, and crime-ridden Salvadoran slums. With his precise and empathetic reporting, he explores the underbelly of these troubled places. He goes undercover to drink with narcos, accompanies police patrols, rides in trafficking boats and hides out with a gang informer. The result is an unforgettable portrait of a region of fear and a subtle analysis of the North American roots and reach of the crisis, helping to explain why this history of violence should matter to all of us. |
| a history of violence comic: Random Acts of Violence Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, 2010-04-28 Random Acts of Violence is the blood-soaked story of two comic creators and their ultimate horror character creation gone very bad. A done-in-one graphic novella that truly lives up to its title, it's all brought to you by the twisted minds of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (Jonah Hex, Power Girl, Back to Brooklyn) and illustrated by Giancarlo Caracuzzo (The Last Resort) and Paul Mounts (Power Girl, Wanted). |
| a history of violence comic: The Vertigo Encyclopedia Alexander C. Irvine, 2008 DC Comics' innovative imprint for mature readers, Vertigo, is ready to follow in the footsteps of the successful Marvel Encyclopedia and DC Comics Encyclopedia with this ultimate guide to the most influential comics of our time, and their creators Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and others.DC Comics |
| a history of violence comic: Comics and the Origins of Manga Eike Exner, 2021-11-12 2022 Eisner Award Winner for Best Academic/Scholarly Work Japanese comics, commonly known as manga, are a global sensation. Critics, scholars, and everyday readers have often viewed this artform through an Orientalist framework, treating manga as the exotic antithesis to American and European comics. In reality, the history of manga is deeply intertwined with Japan’s avid importation of Western technology and popular culture in the early twentieth century. Comics and the Origins of Manga reveals how popular U.S. comics characters like Jiggs and Maggie, the Katzenjammer Kids, Felix the Cat, and Popeye achieved immense fame in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s. Modern comics had earlier developed in the United States in response to new technologies like motion pictures and sound recording, which revolutionized visual storytelling by prompting the invention of devices like speed lines and speech balloons. As audiovisual entertainment like movies and record players spread through Japan, comics followed suit. Their immediate popularity quickly encouraged Japanese editors and cartoonists to enthusiastically embrace the foreign medium and make it their own, paving the way for manga as we know it today. By challenging the conventional wisdom that manga evolved from centuries of prior Japanese art and explaining why manga and other comics around the world share the same origin story, Comics and the Origins of Manga offers a new understanding of this increasingly influential artform. |
| a history of violence comic: Seduction of the Innocent Fredric Wertham, 1999 Dr. Wertham was senior psychiatrist for the Department of Hospitals in New York City. This book, thoroughly documented by facts and cases, gives the substance of Dr. Wertham's expert opinion on the effects that comic books have on the minds and behavior of children who come in contact with them. Reprint of the 1954 edition with a new comprehensive Introduction by James E. Reibman, Ph.D. |
| a history of violence comic: A History of Violence John Wagner, Vince Locke, Robert Lappan, 1997 |
Check or delete your Chrome browsing history - Google Help
Deleted pages from your browsing history; Tips: If you’re signed in to Chrome and sync your history, then your History also shows pages you’ve visited on your other devices. If you don’t …
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On your computer, go to your Search history in My Activity. Choose the Search history you want to delete. You can choose: All your Search history: Above your history, click Delete Delete all …
Access & control activity in your account
Under "History settings," click My Activity. To access your activity: Browse your activity, organized by day and time. To find specific activity, at the top, use the search bar and filters. Manage …
Check or delete your Chrome browsing history
Websites you’ve visited are recorded in your browsing history. You can check or delete your browsing history, and find related searches in Chrome. You can also resume browsing …
Delete your activity - Computer - Google Account Help
Under "History settings," click an activity or history setting you want to auto-delete. Click Auto-delete. Click the button for how long you want to keep your activity Next Confirm to save your …
Manage your Google Meet call history
Tip: History on the home screen shows only the last call you had with a contact, whether or not it was a Meet call or a legacy call. Export your call history. On your computer, go to Meet. Select …
View, delete, or turn on or off watch history - Computer - YouTube …
Click YouTube History. Click Manage history. Click Auto-delete. Select your preferred time range, then click Next. Click Confirm when done. Turn off or delete your watch history while signed …
View or delete your YouTube search history - Computer - Google …
Delete search history. Visit the My Activity page. Select one of the following: Delete: Click beside a search to delete it. To delete more than one search from your history at a time, click …
Delete browsing data in Chrome - Computer - Google Help
Download history: The list of files you've downloaded using Chrome is deleted, but the actual files aren't removed from your computer. Passwords: Records of passwords you saved are …
Manage your Location History - Google Maps Help
Location History is off by default. We can only use it if you turn Location History on. You can turn off Location History at any time in your Google Account's Activity controls. You can review and …
Check or delete your Chrome browsing history - Google Help
Deleted pages from your browsing history; Tips: If you’re signed in to Chrome and sync your history, then your History also shows pages you’ve visited on your other devices. If you don’t …
Manage & delete your Search history - Computer - Google Help
On your computer, go to your Search history in My Activity. Choose the Search history you want to delete. You can choose: All your Search history: Above your history, click Delete Delete all …
Access & control activity in your account
Under "History settings," click My Activity. To access your activity: Browse your activity, organized by day and time. To find specific activity, at the top, use the search bar and filters. Manage …
Check or delete your Chrome browsing history
Websites you’ve visited are recorded in your browsing history. You can check or delete your browsing history, and find related searches in Chrome. You can also resume browsing …
Delete your activity - Computer - Google Account Help
Under "History settings," click an activity or history setting you want to auto-delete. Click Auto-delete. Click the button for how long you want to keep your activity Next Confirm to save your …
Manage your Google Meet call history
Tip: History on the home screen shows only the last call you had with a contact, whether or not it was a Meet call or a legacy call. Export your call history. On your computer, go to Meet. Select …
View, delete, or turn on or off watch history - Computer - YouTube …
Click YouTube History. Click Manage history. Click Auto-delete. Select your preferred time range, then click Next. Click Confirm when done. Turn off or delete your watch history while signed …
View or delete your YouTube search history - Computer - Google …
Delete search history. Visit the My Activity page. Select one of the following: Delete: Click beside a search to delete it. To delete more than one search from your history at a time, click …
Delete browsing data in Chrome - Computer - Google Help
Download history: The list of files you've downloaded using Chrome is deleted, but the actual files aren't removed from your computer. Passwords: Records of passwords you saved are …
Manage your Location History - Google Maps Help
Location History is off by default. We can only use it if you turn Location History on. You can turn off Location History at any time in your Google Account's Activity controls. You can review and …
