The Legacy of Vietnam in Comics

The world of comic books has been a mirror to the world since their inception. Comics represent a stylized image of the world that accentuate many features of real life. They offer a case study and glance into the psyche of the American people during the tumultuous years of the Vietnam War. Scott Cord calls comics a way to spread ideologies and explore ideas. While he says that they are inefficient they have quickly become a form of philosophy and explore aspects of the human condition.[1] Comic books have become a form of material culture and for the social historian they represent a clear unfiltered look at the past. The discerning historian can use them as a source if they use them in proper ways. While they provide important context and can help explain situations, they also are troublesome in certain ways. They are heavily moderated as well as highly subjective sources. As with many forms of art, comics can be interpreted in many ways. What one reader takes from a certain panel is not universal across the readership. As with any source the Historian must be wary and use proper discretion when looking into the sources.

Comic of the Vietnam Era have been powerful tool in the description of the war and its legacy in the national memory. Comic and other media helped shaped the popular opinion of the war and to this day effect some of the myths and misconceptions about the war.  However, they also reveal some lost ideas about war such as the idea of heroism from previous wars and ideas about the good death and dying with honor. The comics about the Vietnam war discuss many ideas of why America fought, how the soldiers felt and how they dealt with the war after returning to America. These comics represent a very important time in American history when the popular culture was crucial for understanding the events of the time.

[1] Scott, “Comics and Conflict: War and Patriotically Themed Comics in America