The Infinite Crisis: How the American Comic Book Has Been Shaped by War

Abstract

This thesis project argues that war has been the greatest catalyst for the American comic book medium to become a socio-political change agent within western society. Comic books have become one of the most pervasive influences to global popular culture, with superheroes dominating nearly every popular art form. Yet, the academic world has often ignored the comic book medium as a niche market instead of integrated into the broader discussions on cultural production and conflict studies. This paper intends to bridge the gap between what has been classified as comic book studies and the greater academic world to demonstrate the reciprocal relationship between was representation in comics, society, and war. This thesis outlines how the relationship between war and comics have been baked into the dawn of the modern American comic book during the interwar period and how that relationship has evolved over time to today.