1. My chosen artifact is…
For my artifact, I have chosen the Superman comic books. The comic books are significant in that they have influenced peoples’ perception of the character, and in turn, the style and tone of the films. Additionally, each different era of comic books has its own fanbase, which often pride themselves on the comics of their era.
2. How do you classify your artifact? In what groups can you place your artifact? What connections can you make to other artifacts in the group?
The comic books can be classified as an ongoing chronicling of the character’s history. They can also be classified as societal studies, as many stories and issues reflected at least some part of the culture when they were released. For example, there is an issue that was written and drawn before, but released after JFK’s assassination in which Superman promotes the Presidential Fitness Test on behalf of the fallen president.
3. Identify points of similarity between your artifact and others. Then identify points of difference with other artifacts. How is it similar? How is it different?
The Superman comic books are like the Bible. Many parts of Superman’s story are taken to be absolute truths about the character, while other sections are more or less ignored either because they weren’t memorable, or horribly represented the character. The comic books are taken almost as seriously as a holy text for some people, with certain issues and stories being memorized or re-read on special occasions, almost as a ritualistic act (i.e. The Death of Superman is typically read in November in remembrance of the anniversary of the character’s brief death).
4. What metaphors or analogies suit your artifact? (Explain if needed)
The comic books act as a biography for Superman. Each issue threads together an ongoing narrative that details every aspect of his life from his birth on the planet Krypton to his arrival in Metropolis and beyond.
The comics, to readers, present “facts.” The content between the covers is taken to be factual about the character. However, continuity-altering events can change the facts to streamline the stories, in which case the changes are also taken as fact.
5. How is your artifact characterized? (How do people/media/groups characterize it?)
Most people are surprised that comic books are still in publication. Because the character originated in the comic books, my artifact is considered source material. However, outsiders looking into the world of comic books typically don’t understand the intricacies of the comics, and how some sections of stories are no longer cannon. Reality-altering events are over-looked, and stories from 40 years ago are thought to be cannon. To many outsiders, everything ever published for a character is cannon.
Further still, many people believe comic books to be nothing more than stacks of paper for overweight, balding, middle-aged men. Either that, or for children. There is no middle ground for a lot of people. In reality, a wide array of people read comics.
6. What cultural narratives govern your artifact?
Right vs. wrong. Social perceptions and notions (although Superman has always fought for equality and morality).
7. What assumptions, stereotypes, habits, social practices, and institutions frame your artifact?
People collect comic books. People who read comics collect them. People who think that a particular issue will increase in value collect them. Some people think all comics are inherently valuable, and buy everything, particularly variant covers.
Comics are traded, sold, and bought. There are community clubs at comic stores dedicated to discussing comic books. Longboxes and protective sleeves are essential tools for comic book collecting and preservation.
Even further, there are some comic readers who exhibit a sense of elitism to those new to comics (though many comic fans heavily dislike those elitists).
8. What doctrines or practices affect your artifact? (Or, what doctrines or practices you’re your artifact affect?) Political parties and platforms? Religious? Ideological? Which ones? Are there cultural “rules” and practices? Which?
Comic books don’t particularly affect political parties or platforms, though a lot of publishers tend to publish books focusing on more diversity (sometimes well-done, other times, heavy-handed and forced). Comic books were almost destroyed in 1954 after Dr. Frederic Wertham published a book entitled Seduction of the Innocent in which he claimed that comic books were responsible for the rise in delinquent behavior and health problems. Comics were thrown away or destroyed. This led to the creation of the Comics Code Authority as a means of self-censorship.
Several Superman stories were delayed by the US Government during WWII because, in their science fiction storytelling, the writers had developed tales featuring atomic weapons. DC had to postpone the stories because the Government didn’t want their development of the atomic bomb. The writers had no idea about the development of the atomic bomb when writing their stories.
9. How does your artifact affect culture? How does culture affect your artifact?
Superman comic books affect the way that he is portrayed in the media. When Man of Steel was released, the comic books featured a younger, more brash Superman who was new to the job of saving the world. The film reflected that. The New 52 Superman doubted himself and questioned his place in the world, and the current DC films have reflected that. In the 70s and 80s, Superman was written as a bright, cheerful character and the Christopher Reeve films adopted that style.
Culture affects the comic books in that the notions and ideas held in society are mirrored in the stories. In the 40s, the covers for the Superman comics featured Superman taking down Nazis. In the 80s, there were several stories both cannon and imaginary focusing on the Cold War. After 9/11, stories were written that focused on the repercussions. When comics became ultra-violent in the 90s and early 2000s, Superman writers wrote stories that proved Superman’s way of solving problems was the best way (see Action Comics #775).