Comics and conflict : patriotism and propaganda from WWII through Operation Iraqi Freedom

The comic book, which emerged in its modern form in the 1930s, was a form of visual entertainment that gave readers, especially children, a form of escape. As World War II began, however, comic books became a part of propaganda as well, providing information and education for both children and adults. This book looks at how specific comic books of the war genre have been used to display patriotism, adventure through war stories, and eventually to tell of the horrors of combat -- from World War II through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan in the first decade of the twenty-first century. This book also examines how war- and patriotically-themed comics evolved from soldier-drawn reflections of society, eventually developing along with the broader comic book medium into a mirror of American society during times of conflict. These comic books generally reflected patriotic fervor, but sometimes they advanced a specific cause. As war comic books evolved along with American society, many also served as a form of protest against United States foreign and military policy. In the post 9/11 era, however, comic books have returned to their propagandistic/patriotic roots. Includes bibliographical references (pages 165-183) and index. xvi, 198 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm