Baby Boomers Comic Books
Comic books are as much a part of the American social fabric as apple pie. It is a medium that has been intertwined with the lives of Americans for as long as most can remember. This is especially true if one considers the definitive social influence they have had on young readers. This fact is certainly the case with baby boomers. A comparative analysis of the evolution of comic books and the social development of baby boomers shows remarkable similarities. Historians can debate and be the ultimate judge of which influenced the other, but the similarities are worth exploring.
Comic books gained momentum as an American staple in the late thirties and early forties. The primary reason for this was World War II and the affordable prices. With the depression in full swing, comics offered a very inexpensive form of entertainment that many enjoyed. As for the war, this influenced the tone and direction of comics. The superhero character became the predominant feature. These characters, standing for justice, truth and the American way; carried messages of patriotism and sacrifice.
These so-called golden years of comics, with the introduction of such iconic figures as Superman, focused on the expectation of better days through the perseverance of the American spirit. The books were wholesome and upbeat. At the close of the war, however, as the parents of baby boomers returned home from military service, the country faced the challenge and desire to bask in victory and return to the pursuit of the American dream. This was the mindset that ushered in the fifties.
Baby boomers, for their part, were the joyful results of this attitude. Having gainful employment and raising a family are both prime goals within the American dream. So is the instilling of traditional family values, as understood by this generation that had just come through a depression and a war. So while such classics as Howdy Doody and Gunsmoke were acceptable entertainment, comic books presented a problem for the conservative mindset that the parents of baby boomers reflected.
Whereas comics in the forties were a signal of better days and future expectations, these themes did not translate well in the fifties. The previous readers of those comics now viewed these themes as a threat to the well being of their children. There were charges that horror comics promoted brutal behavior and that superheroes were suggestive of homosexual tendencies. Traditional values were being compromised and comics were seen as a direct threat to the moral fabric of nascent baby boomers. As a result, out went the Captain America’s and other spandex clad characters, and in their stead came teenage characters (like Archie and company, with its own set of generational messages), comical animals, and westerns.
Looking back through history, one can rationalize that the reaction to the comics of the time was somewhat out of proportion with the facts. Superman is not homosexual and monsters don’t really exist. But these turn of events would be a signal of what was to come, both for comics and baby boomers. Comics were being unduly forced to make changes that cut across the grain of what creators wanted to publish. Baby boomers would soon begin to chafe against a perceived notion of forced compliance to societal norms. In both cases, reaction to the established convention would be significant.
This Psychological Article on How Comics and Baby Boomers Influenced the World: A Comparative Study (Pt:1) is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of fun articles to alleviate elderly problems and keep our hearts and brains young. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.
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