English Dissertation

[Noon]

I've just started a new school year and one of the courses I'm taking is Advanced Higher English. A big part of this is a 4500 word Dissertation we have to write, and I'm mulling over what subject to do it on.

Obviously one of my main interests is comic books and heroes, so I think I could write something good and not too thin. I'm just a little stumped on how to approach this as a dissertation subject.

Any thoughts?

 

[E. Bison]

Write about how comic books over the decades have reflected cultural characterizations, norms, issues, and image. Write about how back then how the bodies of superheroes were drawn proportionate to the average human body which was popular at the time. Then how in the 70's with the rage of body building comic books reflected these changes over the years. Also include political and social issues which are reflected in X-Men and where ever else. Write about how the social and ethical views on crime and the justice system have changed over the years from reflecting the views and behavior of Superman down to DESIRING the views of the Punisher.

There is so much you can do. About mainstream desired physique appearances, social, ethical, and political views. There is also stuff about how comic books reflected the technology of science of the time and has changed now. Back then most superheroes were affected by different forms of radiation and they were either gifted or cursed by it. That's because of what happened with the atomic bomb, nuclear weapons testing, little education about radiation, and the Cold War. Today with all that over the main issues today with science and technology is genetics. A lot of characters today go through genetic changes rather than radioactive changes.

 

[Noon]

Great ideas. Yeah, I thought this would be a good subject to choose because 1. I know it, and they say 'write what you know' and 2. There is so much variety and depth in comic books, which many people dismiss as childish, but they are so refletive of the changes in society.

 

[E. Bison]

Well it's a good subject since that would take around 4,500 words to cover since there are so many subjects to cover. Make sure to include lots of detail. My personal favorite in my mind would be covering the views on criminology and the justice system and how they are viewed today compared to how they were viewed back then. Today, people question the justice system more than ever and find it incompetant and easily corruptable. That's why the most popular book about the views on the modern justice system today is that of the Punisher. Back then the social views of the justice system were reflected through Superman and Batman. Superman and Batman refuse to kill and use guns. In the 80's and 90's it became extreme violent, corrupted, and disturbed vigilante characters like the Punisher, Spawn, Savage Dragon, Daredevil, Venom, and Wolverine. Decades ago the actions of these characters would not have been allowed in comics but now they are more desired than ever.