The 10 Cent War
Comic Books, Propaganda, and World War II
Published on 12. April 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-1-4968-1848-5 (ISBN)
Description
Contributions by Derek T. Buescher, Travis L. Cox, Trischa Goodnow, Jon Judy, John R. Katsion, James J. Kimble, Christina M. Knopf, Steven E. Martin, Brad Palmer, Elliott Sawyer, Deborah Clark Vance, David E. Wilt, and Zou Yizheng.
One of the most overlooked aspects of the Allied war effort involved a surprising initiative-comic book propaganda. Even before Pearl Harbor, the comic book industry enlisted its formidable army of artists, writers, and editors to dramatize the conflict for readers of every age and interest. Comic book superheroes and everyday characters modeled positive behaviors and encouraged readers to keep scrapping. Ultimately, those characters proved to be persuasive icons in the war's most colorful and indelible propaganda campaign.
The 10 Cent War presents a riveting analysis of how different types of comic books and comic book characters supplied reasons and means to support the war. The contributors demonstrate that, free of government control, these appeals produced this overall imperative. The book discusses the role of such major characters as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Uncle Sam along with a host of such minor characters as kid gangs and superhero sidekicks. It even considers novelty and small presses, providing a well-rounded look at the many ways that comic books served as popular propaganda.
One of the most overlooked aspects of the Allied war effort involved a surprising initiative-comic book propaganda. Even before Pearl Harbor, the comic book industry enlisted its formidable army of artists, writers, and editors to dramatize the conflict for readers of every age and interest. Comic book superheroes and everyday characters modeled positive behaviors and encouraged readers to keep scrapping. Ultimately, those characters proved to be persuasive icons in the war's most colorful and indelible propaganda campaign.
The 10 Cent War presents a riveting analysis of how different types of comic books and comic book characters supplied reasons and means to support the war. The contributors demonstrate that, free of government control, these appeals produced this overall imperative. The book discusses the role of such major characters as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Uncle Sam along with a host of such minor characters as kid gangs and superhero sidekicks. It even considers novelty and small presses, providing a well-rounded look at the many ways that comic books served as popular propaganda.
Reviews / Votes
The 10 Cent War revisits the iconic conventions of the World War II comic book-the pin-up girl heroine, the demonized Japanese antagonist, and the titular male superhero and his boyish-but-stalwart sidekick-and demonstrates that everything we think we already know about Golden Age comics needs reassessment. The contributing scholars provide fascinating close-readings of both famous and obscure works, placing them in historical context and showing that these 'funnybooks' still have much to teach us about war, propaganda, and race and gender relations that remains relevant to our own time."" - Marc DiPaolo, author of War, Politics, and Superheroes: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and FilmMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jackson
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
440 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4968-1848-5 (9781496818485)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
01/2017
Penguin Random House South Africa
€29.49
Available for download
Persons
Trischa Goodnow, Monroe, Oregon, is professor of speech communication in the School of Arts and Communication at Oregon State University and has published books on parliamentary debate and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
James J. Kimble, East Hanover, New Jersey, associate professor of communication and the arts at Seton Hall University, is author of Mobilizing the Home Front: War Bonds and Domestic Propaganda and Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II, as well as writer and co-producer of the feature documentary Scrappers: How the Heartland Won World War II.
James J. Kimble, East Hanover, New Jersey, associate professor of communication and the arts at Seton Hall University, is author of Mobilizing the Home Front: War Bonds and Domestic Propaganda and Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II, as well as writer and co-producer of the feature documentary Scrappers: How the Heartland Won World War II.