Dated and Offensive Material
This site references and recommends comic books from over 75 years of American history, but like any other medium, comic books are reflective of the culture of the time. For this reason, they can be shockingly offense, particularly the further you go back in time.
Golden Age comic books typically depict white America. When other races are depicted, it is often in caricature with offensively devolved or imbecilic stereotypes. Even the stalwart champion Superman called for children to "Slap a Jap!" in the angry rhetoric of World War II.
It wasn't until the Silver Age until other groups began to see representation, but often the characters depicted were not as well-thought out and so did not last the test of time. Many were given awkward and inappropriate slang representing the pop culture sensations of the time, like Shaft or Bruce Lee.
The representation of women has also changed over time. While there were a few standout female superheroes in the Golden Age, traditionally women were damsels-in-distress and they did not become a necessary part of the genre until the Silver Age. Even then their powers were much different that their female counterparts. Rarely did women strike their enemies, but instead, they were given powers like invisibility or telekinesis that would not put them so directly in harm's way.
Perhaps the most important issue regarding women's depiction in comic books is the sexualization and objectification. While so-called "good girl" art has always been in vogue, as the art style of the eighties and nineties brought a greater sense of musculature to the form-fitting costumes of the superhero, the men were drawn more with bulging muscle and the women had the tight curves of their body exposed. While some have argued that the unnatural idealization of the physical form is present in both male and female figures, it cannot be argued that sexualization of women is commonly and shamelessly used to sell comics.
We expect our visitors to determine what they find offensive. Although we will make an effort to highlight the more remarkable and controversial examples of offensive material, this site is not here to judge offensive content or the intention of the artist. We believe that history should speak for itself.
Golden Age comic books typically depict white America. When other races are depicted, it is often in caricature with offensively devolved or imbecilic stereotypes. Even the stalwart champion Superman called for children to "Slap a Jap!" in the angry rhetoric of World War II.
It wasn't until the Silver Age until other groups began to see representation, but often the characters depicted were not as well-thought out and so did not last the test of time. Many were given awkward and inappropriate slang representing the pop culture sensations of the time, like Shaft or Bruce Lee.
The representation of women has also changed over time. While there were a few standout female superheroes in the Golden Age, traditionally women were damsels-in-distress and they did not become a necessary part of the genre until the Silver Age. Even then their powers were much different that their female counterparts. Rarely did women strike their enemies, but instead, they were given powers like invisibility or telekinesis that would not put them so directly in harm's way.
Perhaps the most important issue regarding women's depiction in comic books is the sexualization and objectification. While so-called "good girl" art has always been in vogue, as the art style of the eighties and nineties brought a greater sense of musculature to the form-fitting costumes of the superhero, the men were drawn more with bulging muscle and the women had the tight curves of their body exposed. While some have argued that the unnatural idealization of the physical form is present in both male and female figures, it cannot be argued that sexualization of women is commonly and shamelessly used to sell comics.
We expect our visitors to determine what they find offensive. Although we will make an effort to highlight the more remarkable and controversial examples of offensive material, this site is not here to judge offensive content or the intention of the artist. We believe that history should speak for itself.