Reflection #3

 Ahh...a blog that can be about anything....this will be fun! First I'd like to say that I have a post on here called “Superhero Related Things.” I update it every once in a while with memes and various things I find on pinterest so you might want to check that out!

Okay so back to the actual assignment. For this particular reflection, I would like to talk about the Silver Age. We did a reading in class by Grant Morrison and he explained the in's and out's of superheroes during this age. I think that this section was one of the most interesting that we have read so far. This particular made superheroes seem very real. The topics that were introduced in this era are very raw. Since Dr. Fredric Wertham analyzed every move that superheroes made, it made the comics seem more of a taboo. Sexuality and drugs were now engrained in these stories. I think this adds depth to the characters and creates a more interesting adventure. Now, the fact that parents spoke about this does not surprise me. What does surprise me is that the writers even thought of these ideas. The fifties are very stereotypically clean-cut and innocent. Just think of Leave It to Beaver. That's the typical family back then. Of course the code authority comes in and shuts down all the fun. I like that some writers still produced their comics without the seal. Nothing like sticking it to the man.

As the comics with drugs and sexuality hit the stand during this period, writers were also developing superhero families. It seems as though the writers were trying to balance the good and the bad. During this era people in Superman's life began to have there own comics. Lois Lane and the Pal Jimmy Olsen were establish comic stars at this time. The kicker with Jimmy is that he is a cross-dresser. This, again, creates a little more edge to the story. At this time cross-dressing was probably thought to be a strange action. Writer break down those stereotypes with Jimmy because he cross-dresses in order to perform good. This to me is an awesome way to teach kids that something that maybe “strange” is actually good.

I think that it is ironic that writers were involving drugs in their stories but also introduced families in the same era. The writers tried to make the superheroes easier to relate to by giving them families and a home life. In my opinion, comics really flourished in this time. They had secret identities, and they came across many different types of problems. This made the comics far better than the early ones. A more developed story turns out to be a more interesting one.