The Reality of Comics
The Escapist's anti-Nazi statements and actions concerned Sam and Joe's employers and publishers. What are the challenges of balancing social advocacy and private enterprise? Can you think of any issues today which would provide a similar challenge? What issues should comic books or graphic novels be exploring?
With social advocacy becoming a prime interest for the cousins, Joe especially, there is a constant push and pull between which aspect of comics should take priority--social advocacy, or private enterprise and interest. The passion Joe (as well as Sam, but he does not have as strong a connection to the anti-Nazi cause) puts into The Escapist causes him to feel a connection to the character himself, thus the actions of Tom Mayflower are those that Joe wishes he could commit. By incorporating anti-Nazi sentiments in his writing, Joe pushes his employers/publishers to favor social advocacy when considering their business endeavors. From a rather "lower class" standpoint, it is important for Joe (and the working force as a whole) to incorporate his ideas into his art--the main point of art itself. From a business standpoint, his employers need to appeal to a mass of people who each have their own ideas about World War II and which "side" he or she is on. While artists and the "working force" in general focus on social intervention and impact, employers and business minded forces of the company focus on income and enterprise. There is a challenge determining where the line must be drawn in terms of just how much social advocacy and truth can be inhibited by the executive force of a company to continue to make money, while still supporting those who make them the money.
Challenges with balancing a corporation and its income with their impact on the environment provide a parallel difficulty. Though companies, such as those that produce/offer oil/gas/etc., provide a needed service to the population, the impact they have on the environment can be detrimental and gives way to much debate as to whether or not the goods justify the means. Though perhaps not a directly similar instance, artists, specifically in animated movie production, who are underpaid are mistreated by executives. Though the move runs on the content created by the artists who may bring the social advocacy aspect to a film, those who control the private enterprise control the money that is brought in. The balance between creators and profiters is difficult to find.
Comic books and graphic novels are primarily a source of entertainment for those that read them. In my own opinion, these books should focus on more fantastical, adventurous, mythical, and other rather unrealistic concepts. Inserting some commentary on the world as we know it would be interesting and would not take away from the story, but I feel that directly talking about issues in the world takes away from the entertainment aspect of comic books, and instead puts the reader back into reality rather than removing him or her from it--which I feel is the main goal of a comic book in the first place.
With social advocacy becoming a prime interest for the cousins, Joe especially, there is a constant push and pull between which aspect of comics should take priority--social advocacy, or private enterprise and interest. The passion Joe (as well as Sam, but he does not have as strong a connection to the anti-Nazi cause) puts into The Escapist causes him to feel a connection to the character himself, thus the actions of Tom Mayflower are those that Joe wishes he could commit. By incorporating anti-Nazi sentiments in his writing, Joe pushes his employers/publishers to favor social advocacy when considering their business endeavors. From a rather "lower class" standpoint, it is important for Joe (and the working force as a whole) to incorporate his ideas into his art--the main point of art itself. From a business standpoint, his employers need to appeal to a mass of people who each have their own ideas about World War II and which "side" he or she is on. While artists and the "working force" in general focus on social intervention and impact, employers and business minded forces of the company focus on income and enterprise. There is a challenge determining where the line must be drawn in terms of just how much social advocacy and truth can be inhibited by the executive force of a company to continue to make money, while still supporting those who make them the money.
Challenges with balancing a corporation and its income with their impact on the environment provide a parallel difficulty. Though companies, such as those that produce/offer oil/gas/etc., provide a needed service to the population, the impact they have on the environment can be detrimental and gives way to much debate as to whether or not the goods justify the means. Though perhaps not a directly similar instance, artists, specifically in animated movie production, who are underpaid are mistreated by executives. Though the move runs on the content created by the artists who may bring the social advocacy aspect to a film, those who control the private enterprise control the money that is brought in. The balance between creators and profiters is difficult to find.
Comic books and graphic novels are primarily a source of entertainment for those that read them. In my own opinion, these books should focus on more fantastical, adventurous, mythical, and other rather unrealistic concepts. Inserting some commentary on the world as we know it would be interesting and would not take away from the story, but I feel that directly talking about issues in the world takes away from the entertainment aspect of comic books, and instead puts the reader back into reality rather than removing him or her from it--which I feel is the main goal of a comic book in the first place.
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