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Summary
In the mid-20th century , a “ Red Scare ” gripped America , and Marvel Comics reflect this with a shocking amount of anti - communistic propaganda , a moveStan Leewould come to regret . Stan Lee tap into a zeitgeist with foeman such as the Gargoyle and the Crimson Dynamo , simplistic villainswho wanted nothing more than to spread the gospel of Communism . A merchandise of the clip , Stan Lee later expressed sorrowover it .
In an clause fromThe Comics Journal , first look in October 1978 , interviewer Dave Wendelken enquire Lee about the delineation of Communists in the Marvel Comics of the Cold War era . Lee confessed they were “ uncomplicated ” and “ more naive ” time . Lee reflect on the nature of villainy , and how it changed , mark that during World War II , the Nazis were spoiled guys , and afterward , the Soviet Union became our opposition . Likening himself to “ Pavlov ’s Dog,”Lee sound out he jumped on the anti - communistic bandwagon , cranking out one - dimensional villains .
However , Lee assign the civil unrest of the later 1960s to commute his air . Lee say :
I had been condition . During World War II , we were told that we were the secure guys , and the Nazis were the bad guys . I consider it , and I still believe it . And virtually every laughable book we produce … well , I was away at the USA for a while , but before I went and when I number back and while I was run short , the Quran that the other guys did , all featured Nazi scoundrel . You just could n’t make it as a villain unless you were a Nazi . A few age after , when the parole come down from D.C. , that the commies are the bad hombre , I just act as like one of Pavlov ’s dogs . Then amount Vietnam , then add up student protesters , then come a whole alteration in the country . I think you ’ll rule that at that point we got off the kick .
The Cold War Had a Deep Impact on Pop Culture
People Were Afraid of a Nuclear War
The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was one of the twentieth century ’s defining conflicts . Beginning in short after the Second World War , the two superpowers chouse for emplacement in the post - war world , inevitably total into conflict with each other . luckily , the Cold War never plough hot , although it came close on occasion . The pa culture of the time reflected this conflict , sport Communists and/or Russians as bad cat – and Marvel Comics was no elision . Iron Man , the Hulk and others regularly square off with communistic villains or well-wisher .
While Marvel ’s anti - communistic views were more pronounced in their sixties output , in fact the tendencies were demonstrated even in the first place , in the comics published in the fifties . If the narrative did not indirectly tapdance into fear of the Cold War and reciprocally ensure destruction , they draw near the subject head - on , featuring heroes beat up Communists and those who would help them . In fact , Captain America , a loyal icon , spent the other part of the fifties campaign nothing but Communists . afterwards , this was give away to be an fraud , and the subsequent story served as a vituperative critique of Marvel ’s anti – Communist views .
Marvel Changed Course in the Late 1960s
They Began Creating More Sympathetic Communist Characters
Stan Leecredited the student protests and the Vietnam Conflict for transfer his views on Communism and the Soviet Union , and Marvel ’s output from the late 1960s on reflects this . Black Widow , introduced as a Soviet undercover agent , afterwards became a hero . fan would also encounter her husband , the Red Guardian , a Soviet version of Captain America . Villains such as the Crimson Dynamo would take on new dimensions beyond simply being Communists . The Cold War came to an final stage in 1991,but even before then , depictions of Soviet characters were far more sympathetic , contemplate the reality of the macrocosm .
informant : The Comics Journal
