OK, here's a wild one.
A couple of years ago, probably as a result of the November anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy, a fan asked if there was any discernable impact on the stories or content of popular comics books.
It seems at first like a bizarre inquiry, but one that I began to puzzle over myself.
While flipping through the Grand Comic Book Database, I was looking at the first several Spider-man issues, when the publication dates caught my attention. Spider-Man #7 was listed as a November/December 1963 publication date. #8 "The Living Brain" was dated January 1964.
Now, knowing that comics were produced three months in advance, I was curious what would have been produced in late November, early December or being written in the days after JFK's death. (November 22, 1963 Remember, the country went into shock for the weekend, especially when Oswald was shot on live TV on Sunday... There had to be some recognition to those who lived in NYC and on the east coast.)
The theory is that the comics might have either a darker tone to them, OR a brighter, more encouraging tone as writers might have tried to choose brighter themes or stories. I know it seems bizarre, but consider parents, discouraged by the national tragedy, just before Christmas, possibly buying MORE comics or toys for their kids in order to brighten the holidays for them. Is it possible?
Before you dismiss this as implausible, remember this. The British Invasion, or more appropriately, the first visit by the Beatles to the U.S.A. occurred just after JFK's death. Several musical historians say the immense numbers, the hundreds of inches of copy that were devoted to the Beatles was a conscious attempt by news editors to turn to something brighter, more positive in the news. And if it had not been for the death of JFK, the visit to America would not have been covered anywhere near as extensively...and Beatlemania might not have happened in the USA to the extent that it did.
Think about it. Was there any impact on or in the comics world?
What examples can you cite?
Here's a list of Marvel issues with November 1963 date (more or less) from the GCDB...
Spider-Man #7 "The Return of The Vulture"
Fantastic Four #21 "The Hate Monger"
Avengers #2 "The Space Phantom"
Sgt. Fury & Howling Commandos #4 "Lord Ha-Ha's Last Laugh"
Tales of Suspense: Iron Man "Mr. Doll"/Mr. Pain
Tales to Astonish # 49 "The Living Eraser"
Strange Tales #114 "Captain America vs. The Torch"
Replies
Superman teamed up with JFK right around the time of the assassination.
Herbie went from hanging out with JFK and being swooned over by Jackie Kennedy to hanging out with LBJ and being swooned over by Lady Bird Johnson.
Hoy
Was this before or after the assassination?
Dave Blanchard said:
There was a recent article along these lines in a recent issue of The Jack Kirby Collector. An earlier issue had quoted Jack Kirby as saying the assassination had had a profound effect on his work, leading even so renowned a Kirby scholar as Mark Evanier scratching his head wondering which story or stories Jack might have been referring to. This led a reader to submit an article suggesting possible plots and themes in post-1963 Kirby work which might have been influenced by the event. The examples cited were nothing overt, just more of an underlying tone.
Ah, thank you, Jeff.
That must have been where I got the notion from, as I subscribe to that august publication.
I doubt they made the conneciton to the Beatles arrivial, but I do recall Mark Evanier scratching his figurative head over the suggestion. I would have thought the impact would show up in the writing, more than the artwork. And I would look at the issues produced in the, say, six months following November 1963 for any possibility of an impact.
Side note: Recall the song "Life in a Northern Town" that came out in the 1980s... The lyric runs something like:
"In Deceber of '63,
in the wake John F. Kennedy,
I thought the whole world would freeze,
completely."
But contrast this to "Oh What a Night (December 1963)" in which the singer/author is celebrating the loss of his virginity in late (holidays?) December of '63.
Just a few other pop culture references to throw into the mix.
I'll see if I can't dig up a few more covers from the timeperiod.
Again, there may be nothing to this. I'm just talking it up here.
Jeff of Earth-J said:
I've been distracted today so I didn't have a chance to chime in, but the most apparent impact I know of is the "Superman's Mission for JFK" story, which was delayed when it was going to appear just as JFK was killed. LBJ later asked DC to run it.
Here's the explanation at the fabulous but defunct Dial B for Blog site, which explains it in more depth than I could:
http://dialbforblog.com/archives/166/
-- MSA
There was also Captain Storm in 1964 about a P.T. Boat captain that had to be inspired in part by JFK's wartime service as detailed in P.T. Boat 109.
Besides the Superman stories, I doubt that National or Marvel would purposely remind young readers of the tragedy. They would focus on keeping their minds off it with entertaining and thrilling comics.
Here's a thought that just hit me. Was Captain America's return in Avengers #4 sped up to boost patriotic pride to a demoralized audience? If Strange Tales #114 came out the same time as Avengers #2, then Cap's revival was either pre-planned already or they decided not to wait and give the kids some much-needed red, white and blue spirit!
BTW, how long did it take LBJ to appear?
Yes, that was my thought too, Phillip. I wondered if Cap was some patriotic response, but I also think Cap was planned right from the start, just as Hulk was added just to create dissention and trouble. So, no, I don't think Cap was hustled up.
And yes, I'm pretty sure that the Cap imposter was a try-out or preview for what was to come or in-the-works.
The one that really jumped out at me was the Hatemonger that shows up in FF #21... which is a really strange story for the FF, if you think about it. And only a few months later, you'll also see the Rable Rouser show up in the Torch's solo adventures, and he's just about the same character as well.
I recall LBJ appearing in the Incredible Hulk most commonly, but someplace, there was an image of Kennedy's rocker and a nanny lecturing a young Caroline in silouett in the background...but I don't recall where.
The next image of a president that I recall is Nixon, and that's in the final Kirby FF with Subby/Magneto and company about FF#103. I felt it was unnecessary in all places except for the Hulk, since Rick Jones was pleading with the president for a pardon for Bruce Banner as the Hulk.
Excellent work, Mr. S.A. And I agree with the author of the other blog that DC should have pulled out all the stops with the splash page as cover. Given that cover, it would have sold at least as many as Marvel's "Life and Times of Pope John Paul II"!!!!
Mr. Silver Age said:
Yes, I feel that Strange Tales #114 wasn't to gauge reader reaction to Cap but to re-establish him in their minds for Avengers #4 but maybe they were trying to do both. The policeman weeping over Cap's return may have been meant to represent the nation's need for a symbol of freedom and American drive and preseverence.
Fantastic Four #21 was odd in that it brought Nick Fury to the "present" taking a lot of suspense away from Sgt. Fury as Nick now had a concrete future! Also by using an actual historical figure as the villain may have been controversial to some of the fathers of Marvel's readers!
Much like Nixon's "cameo" in Captain America #175!!
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