Napoleon said, “To understand a man you must know what was happening in the world when he was 20”. And he might have said something similar about Spiderman. Visual storytelling has been a universal artform ever since the Epic of Gilgamesh was carved into an Iraqi rockfacesome 4000 years ago. But it wasn’t until relatively recently that so many people had the time and resources to put their imaginations to paper in the form of the heroes and villains that we well know so well today. These characters don’t just tell their own stories, but also those of the real world that created them. This is the subject of “Timeless Characters”, a comprehensive timeline of the characters that debuted over the past two centuries, and the ideas, events, and movements that inspired them, illustrated by Danesh Mohiuddin and available to buy from HERE
As the Enlightenment gave the world a new perspective on existence, scientific discovery, and human morality, gothic fiction and horror gripped the popular imagination, starting with Frankenstein’s Monster in 1818.
At the time colonial-era assumptions about racial superiority and the obligation to “civilize” “exotic” parts of the world were the backdrop to Tarzan.
Superman was created during the time of Hitler’s rise to power and consequently a massive Jewish immigration to the USA. And so the story of a world being destroyed and its inhabitat moving to a new world very much fits into the Superman narrative.
At the time colonial-era assumptions about racial superiority and the obligation to “civilize” “exotic” parts of the world were the backdrop to Tarzan.
Superman was created during the time of Hitler’s rise to power and consequently a massive Jewish immigration to the USA. And so the story of a world being destroyed and its inhabitat moving to a new world very much fits into the Superman narrative.
Sherlock Holmes, Zorro, Lone Ranger and the Phantom were all precursors to the rebellious, masked detective Batman Figure.
The Second World war sparked the Golden Age of Comics where Patriotic Soldier characters became popular and also helped in propaganda for war recruitment.
Hiroshima signified the end of the Second World War and also the popularity of the soldier characters. The characters got a lot softer and cuter all of a sudden.
The Second World war sparked the Golden Age of Comics where Patriotic Soldier characters became popular and also helped in propaganda for war recruitment.
Hiroshima signified the end of the Second World War and also the popularity of the soldier characters. The characters got a lot softer and cuter all of a sudden.
Interestingly, Astroboy, a new robot human creation arrived at the same time as the structure of DNA was discovered by Watson and Crick. The idea of discovering the building blocks of human beings, and imagining them reformed into a new one.
As the cold war started, Spy characters such as James Bond and Spy vs Spy got popular.
Godzilla was a direct representation of the bombing of Japan to end the Second World War. A creature that arrives from the sea and destroys the city.
As the cold war started, Spy characters such as James Bond and Spy vs Spy got popular.
Godzilla was a direct representation of the bombing of Japan to end the Second World War. A creature that arrives from the sea and destroys the city.
Fantastic Four is a great representation of the times. A Family that went to Space and got their DNA altered by Radiation (radiation was a popular theme as people were wary of the effects of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima, a fear was developing).
The nuclear arms race and themes of radiation sparked the Silver age of comics. Many characters at this time were created as a result of radiation (Spiderman, Hulk, Daredevil) manipulating their DNA. Also with the Cold War escalating, soldier type characters got popular again.
The first Iron man character originated in a cave in North Korea, and has been adapted today to a cave in Afghanistan.
The X Men are a representation of the civil rights movement. (and also the ideas of DNA and mutation) A marginalised group in society just trying to survive and gain rights. They have a more peaceful leader in Martin Luther King (Charles Xavier) and a less peaceful one in Malcolm X (Magneto). Black Panther also came out soon after.
The Vietman war brought about the origin of some of the most popular anti-heroes today. Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider. There were deep seeded moral issues with American’s involvement in that war and caused for some self reflection and questioning. Hagar the Horrible as a soldier pillaging villages, and also swamp thing representing the Vietnamese terrain. Even Thanos was quite a dark character representing death.
The nuclear arms race and themes of radiation sparked the Silver age of comics. Many characters at this time were created as a result of radiation (Spiderman, Hulk, Daredevil) manipulating their DNA. Also with the Cold War escalating, soldier type characters got popular again.
The first Iron man character originated in a cave in North Korea, and has been adapted today to a cave in Afghanistan.
The X Men are a representation of the civil rights movement. (and also the ideas of DNA and mutation) A marginalised group in society just trying to survive and gain rights. They have a more peaceful leader in Martin Luther King (Charles Xavier) and a less peaceful one in Malcolm X (Magneto). Black Panther also came out soon after.
The Vietman war brought about the origin of some of the most popular anti-heroes today. Wolverine, Punisher and Ghost Rider. There were deep seeded moral issues with American’s involvement in that war and caused for some self reflection and questioning. Hagar the Horrible as a soldier pillaging villages, and also swamp thing representing the Vietnamese terrain. Even Thanos was quite a dark character representing death.
Star Wars might have also been influenced by George Lucas’s opposition to the Vietnam war. “A large technological empire going after a small group of freedom fighters.”
She Hulk came out around the time that AIDs was discovered. That’s interesting because she was created as a result of a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner, the Hulk.
The eighties were highly influenced by Technology and Japanese media. Funky Hairstyles, Swords and Robots. With the first PC and video games entering the scene, this was a fresh new experience for everyone. Time Travel and Aliens were also popular themes.
She Hulk came out around the time that AIDs was discovered. That’s interesting because she was created as a result of a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner, the Hulk.
The eighties were highly influenced by Technology and Japanese media. Funky Hairstyles, Swords and Robots. With the first PC and video games entering the scene, this was a fresh new experience for everyone. Time Travel and Aliens were also popular themes.
With the Gulf War being live broadcast on television, it seemed to be a really dark time. A lot of characters associated with death and the after life were created. Deadpool, Spawn, Hellboy, Dooms day etc..
Wth the arrival of the internet, fiction exploded into many directions and niches. There seemed to be a lot more adult cartoons as well.
The ideas of technology ruling our lives are brought about in Matrix, as a result of the
internet, and trying to understand its impact on our culture
The ideas of technology ruling our lives are brought about in Matrix, as a result of the
internet, and trying to understand its impact on our culture
Right Now is definitely a time of opposing forces. The movement towards women’s rights and equality in society and the work force vs the the parties that wish to ‘make america great again’ And so you see a lot of strong female protaganist characters. There has been some criticism to this as a lot of new female characters are just old male characters revamped. Why not create new original female characters instead of powerful male hand me downs?
Here's a video preview of this poster, that is available to purchase HERE
Here's a video preview of this poster, that is available to purchase HERE
