New Study Echoes Fredric Wertham
A new study from UMass Boston says that “newer” Super Heroes aren’t as wholesome or as good a role model as their older counterparts. (http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-study-superheroes-might-not-be-such-super-role-models.html , http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-08/apa-tss080510.php )
Their example seems to be Tony Stark AKA Iron Man. Sharon Lamb, a co-author of the reasearch was quoted as saying : “Today’s superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he’s aggressive, sarcastic, and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. When not in superhero costume, these men, like Iron Man, exploit women, flaunt bling, and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.” Iron Man was introduced in 1963, so for her role models I’m assuming Dr. Lamb and her cohorts are extolling the virtues of Golden Age heroes from the late 30s to the beginning of the 60s.
I guess that the rampant racism that ran during WWII was better than violence and guns. In the Golden Age of comics we had arguably the two most popular and enduring icons of comics, Superman and Batman encouraging the children to “Slap a Jap” by buying war bonds. Green Lantern had a great sidekick named Pieface, who of course was an Inuit mechanic. Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston was a powerhouse of a woman, until she was bound by a man in her own lasso. Superman enjoyed telling the head strong Lois Lane to shut up, because as a woman she didn’t know what she was talking about.
Sharon Lamb also lamented “but these were heroes boys could look up to and learn from because outside of their costumes, they were real people with real problems and many vulnerabilities.” To me this argument is counter intuitive. At no time in comics have our heroes had more realistic problems outside of their costumes. Marvel Comics started a turn to a more realistic turn in their heroes problems in the 60s, and now it is even more prevalent in the post 911 climate.In the Iron Man movie, which is the character mentioned in the article, Tony stark is the victim of a terrorist kidnapping. This is a real world issue that we have seen played out on our news since we invaded Afaganistan. It’s a real problem. He is injured in the attack that leads to his capture. How much more vulnerable can you be? Stemming out of this Tony stark shuts down his weapons manufacturing plant, and wants to do better for the planet, and save us from annihilating ourselves.
Batman is the most successful comic adaptation to the silver screen. Batman is born from a violent crime that could happen in any of our major urban cities. Spider-man, arguably the second most successful iteration of a character on the big screen is born out of a car jacking. Wolverine is the victim of a government shadow ops group and conspiracy that mirrors the real life horrors of the victims of the too true MK Ultra program. Each of these characters uses their tragic origins to fuel their fight against crime. Sadly the least realistic part about these characters is their heroic actions.
The study really has no right to single out comic movies. Our culture has moved from being a less PC nation to a culture that is more tolerant of violence. The action hero has moved to a darker more violent place, because that is what the marketplace demands. Our culture dismisses violence as something that doesn’t affect us, but issues of racism, sex, and social injustice we as Americans are still uptight about. We want our heroes flawed, because each of us as a person is imperfect, thus making society as a whole maladjusted.
Every generation changes the bounds of what they feel is appropriate. Violence is a prevalent problem in our society. Each day you can find a news report about some horrific act that will shock and disgust you. Society now programs young women to hate their bodies and search for what is wrong with them. Men objectify women,and in certain situations women allow themselves to be objectified for financial gain. The old American dream has changed from wanting to be able to make enough money to support your family and lead a comfortable life, to a new American Dream of mass consumption and consumerism. Our neighborhoods and communities have broken down. Where once you trusted your neighbors, we look at those in closest proximity as a danger to us.
Since the Greek Myths heroes have mirrored the sensibilities of the societies they have been born into. The difference was that heroes had moments that transcended what a normal man thought he could possibly do in the fight against evil. Comic movies still have these moments, but just like our society, they have turned darker.
New Ultimates #1
I will be the first to say that I did not enjoy Ultimates 3 or the subsequent Utimatum, but this comic really works for me. Jeph Loeb proves me wrong in that I have always felt that his best work is on titles with a singular character, and in this book he handles a rather robust cast with finesse and real heart. Captain America is the hard ass soldier that has been established in the Ultimate Universe, Carol Danvers is the tough, competent, almost female Nick Fury we have grown to love and hate equally, but Loeb’s greatest characterization in this book is Tony.
A lot of the book is narrated by Tony Stark, and it lends this book a nice personal tone. I like this because Iron Man has almost been about two things in the Ultimate Universe: his cancer, and his alcoholism. Jeph takes us deeper into his character by allowing us a peek into the mindset of the financier and team Leader of the Ultimates. His interactions with Hawkeye at the beginning of the book are great, and again don’t seem forced. Hawkeye is an angry man, and has every right to be. Jeph Loeb lets this character seethe and rage, but it’s controlled, and not the out of control Hawkeye that I really did not enjoy.
Between the nice pieces with Tony, the writer sets into motion some pretty awesome plot points. Thor is in Hel, and the only way he is getting out is to provide Hela with an heir. Loki is back, and has Thor’s hammer, which the Defenders, the losers from previous installments of the Ultimates, have retrieved for him.
This book deals with cancer, which is a personal issue for Loeb, having lost his son to that disease. Some people feel that Jeph Loeb has been preaching too much on the subject in his comics. To these people I say this: The man has endured the worst loss that a parent can endure, the loss of his child. Jeph Loeb writes. Writing is an art. Some of the best art comes from the personal pain of the artist. I hate that axiom but it is true. If this man did not talk about the subject in his writing, how else is he going to get an outlet? All artists vent in their work, and Mr. Loeb is no different.
Most people are talking about Tony representing Jeph’s son, but has anyone really talked about how Hawkeye may represent Jeph? The lines for both of those characters have to come from a very personal place.
Not talking about the issue in his work would bring up more questions, so the man is in a no win situation. Let the man write. Let him heal. Let him entertain us, because that is his ultimate goal.
4 out of 5
Entertainment deficit disorder 