Examples of politics and social issues being written well in comic books.

[Electricmastro]

A thread meant to emphasize on positivity, comics that deserve more attention than they get, and maybe even some constructive criticism in regards to politics and social issues and how writers write them in comics, whether old or new.

[PaulBullion]

I think the first 30 or so issues of Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson were almost flawless. Engaging teenage drama rarely seen since Ditko Spider-Man, real life problems of religious and sexual minorities, goofy villains. The social issues (like gentrification, islamophobia, bullying) were always obvious but never cringy.

[Kaitou D. Kid]

Amazing Spider-Man # 105 is an underrated issue from the Stan Lee era. Randy Robertson organizes a protest against Jameson's racism and sensationalism. Jameson being the elitist he is gets offended by being called a racist, so he physically assaults Randy. Before it can be made to look like a fight started (which the police and the media would have blamed Randy for), Spider-Man swings down and hangs Jameson from a flagpole. Jameson gets turned into a joke and the protest doesn't get ruined.

JMS' Spider-Man challenges stereotypes about teachers while addressing systemic issues with the education system. It also addresses the relationship between bullying and socioeconomic issues.

The first Ms. Marvel story arc addresses ageism towards Millennials. A cult leader convinces a group of Millennials to let him turn them into batteries. They're convinced it's the only way they can contribute to society. The book also addresses how ingrained ageism is in our culture. For example, young people are the only group it is acceptable to label "lazy" and "parasites" without it being considered hate speech.

[Kuro no Shinigami]

Green Lantern/Green Arrow by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams did a good job reflecting on social issues

[ed2962]

People forget there's a lot of political satire in Dark Knight Returns. Liberals are the target of much of it, but Miller doesn't spare conservatives.

Electra: Assassin is overlooked in general, it's highly experimental and that might have caught some fans off guard. There's some funny regarding a presidential race between a crazed Nixon-ish republican and a phony Kennedy democrat.

[Steel Inquisitor]

X-men: the thread. They've been a concept mired in race relation politics from the 60's and have only down more political. This has extended into metaphors about the LGBT community. Hickman's X-men examines isolationism, bigotry, corruption, pragmatism, ethno states, trauma and justice.

[ed2962]

Jungle Action #19-24 the Panther vs The Klan arc. Don McGregor left Marvel before he could finish it ( it was eventually wrapped up by other creators a couple years later in Marvel Premiere). Obviously it had to do with racism both in the past and present, but it also touched on things like the recession and white liberalism.

[ed2962]

Ex Machina the whole series. It's about a retired superhero who becomes the mayor of post 9-11 New York. We get flashbacks to his superhero days while the present is him dealing with various issues related to big city politics.

[ed2962]

American Flagg I'm going to recommend issues #1-27 in general but #1-12 of vol 1 more specifically. Set in the near future, Howard Chaykin's stories of an actor turned cop deconstructs the media, race, sex, domestic terrorism, immigration, and other topics with dark humor and a great visual design sense.

[Username taken]

Alan Moore’s Watchmen. That book was years before it’s time.
Marshall Law.
Peter David’s Hulk run (particularly during the Professor Hulk era).
Ms Marvel volume 1 by G.Willow Wilson was brilliant

[Kieran_Frost]

The entire mutant metaphor for homosexuality always worked really well; and offered powerful commentary (Magik's death, the Legacy Virus). Iceman coming out (both times) was handled beautifully, and very respectfully. Warren Ellis' commentary on society in his Thunderbolts run was a scathing critique of the mass populous eating up branding.

[babyblob]

I think that Amazing Spiderman 96-98 was a really good example. It had a great message about the dangers of drugs that was not done in a preachy heavy handed tone. And it resulted in a change to the Comic Code. I know when the D.A.R.E program was still a thing in schools the police officer, Officer Roy talked about that comic. Said if someone as cool as Spiderman was against drugs then that is something to think about.

[CaptCleghorn]

American Flagg I'm going to recommend issues #1-27 in general but #1-12 of vol 1 more specifically. Set in the near future, Howard Chaykin's stories of an actor turned cop deconstructs the media, race, sex, domestic terrorism, immigration, and other topics with dark humor and a great visual design sense.

I'd put Flagg 1-12 up with the very best stuff in American comics of the 1980s. The term "dispers" (short for displaced person) alone means so much in today's climate.

[DrNewGod]

IMO, it's underappreciated because they were having to come at it subrosa, but the Vision/Scarlet Witch romance took on interracial romance 15 years before anyone else dared.

[C_Miller]

I think the first 30 or so issues of Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson were almost flawless. Engaging teenage drama rarely seen since Ditko Spider-Man, real life problems of religious and sexual minorities, goofy villains. The social issues (like gentrification, islamophobia, bullying) were always obvious but never cringy.

G. Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel was truly a special book. I kind of lost track after Civil War II (stopped reading comics in general for a bit), but even the crossover stuff was good, which is so rare. I don't think it receives the accolades from fans that it really deserves.