Originally Posted by
Prof. Warren
Anyone who says that Marvel used to be pure escapism that rarely touched the on the real world and that, when they did, it was unobtrusive, is speaking from an uninformed position.
Marvel has always been rife with politics. If anything, it used to be much more blatant in that regard.
You cannot go too far into '60s and '70s Marvel without being hit in the face with the issues of the day, oftentimes using language that would be shocking in today's PC times.
I just re-read the early issues of Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man and the two issue story in #9 and #10 co-starring the White Tiger revolves around student protests at ESU and the university's president refers to the angry, largely minority, protesters as "loudmouthed slum kids." And later calls the White Tiger a "Puerto Rican hoodlum" in league with "young thugs who defy my authority."
The two issues are full of heated racist rhetoric from President Dwyer and writer Bill Mantlo is very clear about where his sympathies lie in this tale.
Marvel has always been political and has always had a foot firmly in the real world. It's nothing new and, if anything, today's comics are much more mild in that regard.
Reply With Quote
