With the plethora of comic book based movies nowadays it
is easy to forget that movies based on comic books (and comic strips) have been
around almost as long as the comics themselves.
Today’s audience marvel at the daring-do, incredible
action, spectacular special effects and powerful storylines seen in such movies
that feature Spider-Man, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Avengers, Justice League,
Deadpool, Wolverine, Superman and the like.
It’s easy to forget that comic book movies (especially superhero
movies) have thrilled audiences for decades.
Author Blair Davis and publisher Rutgers University Press,
examine the comic book movie phenomenon in Quick
Takes Movies & Popular Culture: Comic Book Movies.
The book not only examines the movies in of themselves but
the times they were released, their cultural influences and why they are so popular
with movie goers.
As products of their times comic book movies reflect the
political, ethical and social norms of their day. So the next time you sit down
to watch a Batman movie, take a moment to examine its content as to how it
reflects the social norms of its era.
Just as fascinating read is Blair Davis’ Movie Comics Page To Screen, Screen To Page
that delves into the long association comic books and film have had together
dating back to the silent movie era.
Popular comic strips and comic books of all genres made
the transition to movies and popular movies made the transition from screen to
the printed page.
Films and comic books have been intricately linked for
decades and this book examines that association in detail.
The author analyzes and chronicles the making of said
films, how the films then morphed into comic books and vice versa.
Any comic book or comic strip fan will appreciate the
intensive research and study that went into this fascinating book.
With the release of the Wonder Woman film a whole new
generation of movie goers have grown to appreciate and enjoy the Amazon
princess’s incredible adventures.
Long before Wonder Woman made the transition to TV and
film she represented a bold new step forward for feminism.
Ironically she also appealed to a male audience and incorporated
subtle bondage in her feminism message.
Wonder
Woman Bondage and Feminism In The Marston/Peter Comic, 1941-1948 by author
Noah Berlatsky examines that strange and bizarre period of Wonder Woman’s past.
Few people know that Wonder Woman was created by a man:
William Marston-the inventor of the lie detector and who lived an
unconventional lifestyle.
Marston was married and yet lived with another woman (whom
his wife permitted). The ‘other’ woman
wore arm bracelets and looked very much like Marston’s vision of Wonder Woman.
While Marston’s lifestyle was unusual as to its regard to
woman he was nonetheless a staunch feminist.
Matson’s Wonder Woman with ripe with sexual innuendos and
was unafraid to tackle serious subjects despite its rather ‘unique’ format.
Written and drawn by men Wonder Woman espoused feminism
while peppering its contents with obvious (if not blatant) sexual overtones.
The book takes readers on a wild ride through the Marston
Wonder Woman years and brings to light his many quirks and fetishes.
In the mid-1980s author Alan Moore took the comic book world
by storm when he and artist Dave Gibbons released the 12-part Watchmen
maxi-series from DC Comics.
Never before had superheroes been portrayed-not as
infallible good guys, but as ordinary people, with ordinary problems, who just
happened to have super powers.
In it Moore examines how absolute power corrupts
absolutely and even with super powers life’s problems and crises still bombard
individuals every day.
Both good and bad choices are made, accompanied by their
consequences.
Considering
Watchmen by Andrew Hoberek successfully dissects the series and
piece-by-piece examines how its gritty realism and unrelenting and uncompromising
contents attacked readers’ sensibilities.
Ripe with political, social, capitalism, ideological
barbs and pokes the book sheds some light on just how influential Watchmen was.
Like the Wonder Woman book the Considering Watchmen text
is accompanied by full-color illustrations taken right from the series.
Today’s TV audiences witness a new take on the Archie
Comic Book Universe. Riverdale has
successfully brought Archie and his friends and cast of characters into the 21st
Century with all of its political correctness, excesses and inclusion.
Archie Comics have always reflected the times. From simple slapstick humor to teenage angst
to tackling social norms, Archie Comics have evolved over the decades. Author
Bart Beaty’s Twelve Cent Archie
delves into the core of what makes Archie Comics so poplar and enduring.
Each character and motif is examined, as its story-telling
format. One hundred chapters look at different
aspects of Archie Comics.
The books travels down Memory Lane to the genesis of Archie
Comics and follows the redhead teenager as he and his cast of characters
evolved, changed and adapted to their times.
Readers discover how Archie Comics not only represented
their times, but helped shape them.