5 Comic Books that Made Real History

From the magazine, Mental Floss:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/20794

by Mark Juddery, from the November-December issue

If you think superheroes do amazing things in comic books, you won’t believe what they can do off the page. For starters, Superman brought down the Ku Klux Klan, Donald Duck raised ships from the ocean floor, and Spider-Man transformed the American justice system.

1. Superman Defeats the Ku Klux Klan
In the 1940s, The Adventures of Superman was a radio sensation. Kids across the country huddled around their sets as the Man of Steel leapt off the page and over the airwaves. Although Superman had been fighting crime in print since 1938, the weekly audio episodes fleshed out his storyline even further. It was on the radio that Superman first faced kryptonite, met The Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen, and became associated with “truth, justice, and the American way.” So, it’s no wonder that when a young writer and activist named Stetson Kennedy decided to expose the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, he looked to a certain superhero for inspiration.

In the post-World War II era, the Klan experienced a huge resurgence. Its membership was skyrocketing, and its political influence was increasing, so Kennedy went undercover to infiltrate the group. By regularly attending meetings, he became privy to the organization’s secrets. But when he took the information to local authorities, they had little interest in using it. The Klan had become so powerful and intimidating that police were hesitant to build a case against them. Struggling to make use of his findings, Kennedy approached the writers of the Superman radio serial. It was perfect timing. With the war over and the Nazis no longer a threat, the producers were looking for a new villain for Superman to fight. The KKK was a great fit for the role. In a 16-episode series titled “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” the writers pitted the Man of Steel against the men in white hoods. As the storyline progressed, the shows exposed many of the KKK’s most guarded secrets. By revealing everything from code words to rituals, the program completely stripped the Klan of its mystique. Within two weeks of the broadcast, KKK recruitment was down to zero. And by 1948, people were showing up to Klan rallies just to mock them.

2. Popeye Helps America Survive the Great Depression
Everyone knows Popeye’s secret. Whenever the cartoon sailor is on the verge of losing a fight, he squeezes open a can of spinach, pours the greens down his throat, and uses his supercharged muscles to pummel opponents. But fewer people know that the U.S. government is directly responsible for his dependence on canned vegetables.

In the 1930s, America was mired in the Great Depression, and the government was looking for a way to promote iron-rich spinach as a meat substitute. To help spread the word, they hired one of America’s favorite celebrities, Popeye the Sailor Man. It was a smart plan. In all of the comic strips to that point, Popeye’s superhuman strength had never been explained. But with the government’s campaign in place, Popeye was suddenly more than willing to share the secret to his strength. Sure enough, soon after Popeye took up spinach, American sales of the mighty veggie increased by one-third. Better still, American children rated it their third favorite food, right after turkey and ice cream.

But it wasn’t just spinach the government was endorsing. They were also pushing the merits of canned food. U.S. officials wanted Americans to know that cans were the perfect way to stock up on emergency rations.

While Popeye should be applauded for persuading a nation to eat its greens, he did mislead people a bit. The government’s enthusiasm for spinach was based in part on the calculations of German scientist Dr. E von Wolf, who’d discovered in 1870 that spinach contains iron. When calculating the results, he misplaced a decimal point, thereby making it “official” that spinach had 10 times more iron than it actually did. Not until years later were these figures rechecked. But by then, everyone was downing their spinach, hoping to be as tough as Popeye.

3. Captain Marvel Jr. Saves the Bad-Hair Day
Like most American kids in the 1940s, Elvis Presley fantasized about growing up to be like his favorite comic book superheroes. But it turns out that The King might have been more interested in their fashion statements than their special powers.

During his early teen years, Elvis was obsessed with Captain Marvel Jr., known as “America’s most famous boy hero.” A younger version of Captain Marvel, the character sported an unusual hairstyle that featured a curly tuft of hair falling over the side of his forehead.

Sound familiar? When Elvis set out to conquer America with his rock ‘n’ roll ways, he copied the ’do, thus making it one of the most famous hairstyles of the 20th century. But that wasn’t all. Captain Marvel also gets credit for the short capes Elvis wore on the back of his jumpsuits, as well as The King’s famous TCB logo, which bears a striking resemblance to Marvel’s lightning bolt insignia. Of course, Elvis never tried to hide his love for the Captain. A copy of Captain Marvel Jr. #51 still sits in his preserved childhood bedroom in an apartment in Memphis, and his full comics collection remains intact in the attic at Graceland. Plus, the admiration was mutual. Captain Marvel Jr. paid tribute to The King in one issue, referring to the singer as “the greatest modern-day philosopher.”

4. Donald Duck’s Scientific Breakthrough
In 1966, Danish engineer Karl Krøyer developed a method for raising sunken ships off the ocean floor by injecting them with polystyrene foam balls. However, when Krøyer tried to license his invention with the Dutch patent office, he was denied. Donald Duck had beaten him to the punch by 22 years.

Indeed, Krøyer’s concept could be traced back to a Donald Duck comic conceived by Carl Barks. In addition to being the most celebrated artist of the Donald Duck comics, Barks was known for his scientific prowess. So in a 1944 story, when Donald got a bump on his head that turned him into a genius, the duck managed to mumble, “If I mix CH2 [a methylene compound] with NH4 [ammonium] and boil the atoms in osmotic fog, I should get speckled nitrogen!”

Although it sounded like nonsense, it wasn’t. In 1963, chemists P.P. Gaspar and G.S. Hammond wrote a technical article about methylene that included a reference to the Donald Duck story. The final paragraph read, “Among experiments which have not, to our knowledge, been carried out as yet is one of a most intriguing nature suggested in the literature of no less than 19 years ago.” A footnote revealed that “literature” as the Donald Duck comic. It seems the web-footed children’s hero had deduced the chemical intermediate long before it had been proven to exist.
But why were these top American chemists looking to comics for inspiration? Apparently, Dr. Gaspar had been a lifelong Donald Duck fan, and he’d rediscovered Donald’s early reference to methylene while collecting old copies of the classic adventures. Gaspar never disclosed how much his work owed to Duckburg’s most famous resident, but then again, how many scientists would confess that they used comic books to bolster their research?

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In a 1977 edition of Spider-Man, Peter Parker has the tables turned on him. The villain, Kingpin, tracks down Spidey using an electronic transmitter that he’d fastened to the superhero’s wrist. Although Kingpin loses in the end (he always does), one New Mexico judge saw beauty in his plan. Inspired by the strip, Judge Jack Love turned to computer salesman Michael Goss and asked if he could create a similar device to keep track of crime suspects awaiting trial. In 1983, Goss produced his first batch of electronic monitors. Authorities in Albuquerque then tested the devices on five offenders, using the gadgets as an alternative to incarceration. Today, the transmitters are a common sight in courtrooms across the country, usually in the form of electronic ankle bracelets. Most famously, Martha Stewart donned one while she was under house arrest in 2004. Perhaps she would have felt better knowing that the gadget had once nabbed Spider-Man, too.

Best Speculative Fiction

"Speculative Fiction" is Harlan Ellison's name for Science Fiction/Fantasy books. I have been a fan of this genre since I was in 6th grade and first picked up the Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander (my favorte by him is The Iron Ring, btw)

Below is a very personal list, and there are many I should have put on, but in all probability, I haven't read them. These are books I consider not only good writing, but also packed full of ideas and books that I would want to re-read.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Yes, okay, so this is on EVERYONE'S list now. But from my perspective it became popular-- over a long period of time-- because it was good. It didn't become "good" because it was popular.

Bone by Jeff Smith
This is a graphic novel. A HUGE graphic novel. And it takes in a lot of the complexities of a novel. But it is hilarious and imaginative and sets up some interesting quandries. Once you start, it is almost impossible to stop. This is probably my children's favorite book. (I've certainly read it enough to them)

Dune Quartet (Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune) by Frank Herbert
If you are a fan of this series, you know that there are other books in the series, but I did not find them as compelling as these four. Frank Herbert sets up a totally believable political and religious society, making many points about how the enviornment effects headlines. "God, Emperor of Dune" is the pleasant surprise for me. It is less plot oriented, and focuses instead on the sacrifices it takes to create a utopia. Just brilliant.

The Robot Books (The Complete Robot, The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, the Robots of Dawn, Robots and Empire, Foundation and Earth) by Isaac Asimov
I love these books and have read them more times than I can count. The short stories of "I, Robot" and the other books (containted in "The Complete Robot", which I purchased in India) are each one a gem. R. Daneel is one of the best characters ever-- let alone the best robot. Asimov sets these up as mysteries in a science fiction setting and the mystery is compelling and the detectives are completely logical. But my favorite twist is how he ties together his Foundation Series with his robot series. Just wonderful all the way through.

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
This is my favorite book of all time. It grows out of Card's missionary work in Brazil, and yet ties in beautifully as a continuation to his huge bestseller, "Ender's Game". It discusses cultural differences, family conflict, compassion v. objectivity, and all so much more, placed in a compelling plot. I can't imagine a better combination of ethics, excellent writing and wonderful character development. Just perfect.

The Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Paralanda, That Hideous Strength) by C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis was a smart man, and a brilliant writer. But it is in these novels that his full intellectual imagination came out fully. It is in this set (and also The Great Divorce) that we see C.S. Lewis the theologian, not in the many popular orthodox pieces he produced. Every reader of C.S. Lewis should examine these volumes. My praise is especially for the first two, for while the third book has a wonderful climax, getting there is rough going.

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
This is a collection of short stories around a theme. It has to do with lost innocence and the destruction of purity than about Mars itself. The stories don't actually hold together very well-- there are contradictions. But who cares. The writing and the themes hold all together into a seemeless whole.

The Squire Books (The Squire’s Tale, The Squire, His Knight and His Lady, etc) by Gerald Morris
These are Arthurian re-writes that are published for the middle school set. But they weren't written for them. They are filled with wry humor and theological jokes and romantic farces. My kids love the books, but my wife and I count them as favorites as well. Okay, deep breath: I count these volumes as the best versions of Arthur that I have ever read. Yes, better than Mallory, and better even than T.H. White. Thank you, thank you, thank you Pastor Morris for writing these books!

His Dark Materials (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) by Phillip Pullman
The publishers strike again! It is published for children, but I think some of the themes are too much for children to bear-- the continuing betrayal of parents, the sexuality, the theological confusion. And a number of my Christian friends decry the book. But any careful reader would note that Pullman is not speaking of the God of the Bible at all-- rather the "God" as presented by Milton and Blake, a very harsh Calvinistic sort, he is! But this is not speaking of the books themselves. Honestly, they are written unbelievably well, they offer positive critiques of the church. And while I think his view of sexuality is a bit overy optimistic, the adventure and the thinking is well worth the shallow conclusion.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Okay, yes, they're great. Allegory, character, humor, awe-- its all there. Avoid the movies. Spend time with the books.

The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
Many twists and turns, it opened my mind to a new way of thinking about physics and communication with those completely alien from us.

Startide Rising by David Brin
My wife often speaks of the rush she felt when opening this book and being dropped into a world where nothing made sense, but you had to figure things out. Kinda like being dropped in a foriegn country where you did not understand anything that was going on. If you don't like that idea, then read "Sundiver" first-- then it makes more sense. But whether you do or do not, this book is worth the time and effort. And, although it didn't make my list, "Earth" by the same author gets an honorable mention.

The Newford Books (The Dreaming Place, Memory and Dream, The Onion Girl and many other books) by Charles DeLint
To get started, just pick up one of the short story collections, like Memory and Dream. Or, if you want something light, you can read The Blue Girl. But once you start you will not want to stop. Newford is a compelling mix between the urban and the faery, the gritty and the fantastic. And De Lint is one of the best character writers ever, especially of women. After you are done with one of his novels you really feel you know this person and are sorry for the relationship to end.

The Stand by Stephen King
Mr. King is well known as a horror author, but the Stand is more of a Christian allegory/fantasy. He says that he wanted to write a "Lord of the Rings" in the U.S., and while it's not that, it is close. I'm rereading this book for the fourth time now. It takes its time developing, but you just want to see what will happen next. Every character is precious and is given time to speak. Exciting and wonderful.

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
Odd Thomas is probably the most friendly, nicest guys you'd ever want to spend time with. And he just happens to see dead people. He can't touch them, nor even hear them speak, but he can see them. The plots of the (currently) four books are intense, thrilling even, but the reason to read the books is for the main character. He's a good friend of mind now. And I can't wait to meet with him again.

Honorable Mentions:
Lilith by George McDonald
Always Coming Home by Ursula K. LeGuin
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Earth by David Brin
The Face by Dean Koontz