How Comics Reflect Social Perception of war?

The cases of The Adventures of Tintin and Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths

Kong Kin Sang Ernest #11005521Yung Hiu Yan Emily #10010092

28th November, 2012

Agenda• Background of Work• Reflection of Thoughts• Drawing Style• Image of Characters• Language Discourse

The Adventures of Tintin

• Created by Georges Prosper Remi (Hergé)– Worked at a conservative newspaper Le Xxe Sicèle

• One of the most popular comics in Europe in 20th century.

• Purpose: Education & Propaganda

The Land of the Soviets

• The Land of the Soviets– Tintin travel to Soviet Union – Report back on the policies by the Stalin Government

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths• Created by Shigeru Mizuki (水木茂 )– Cartoonist of yokai (traditional ghosts) and

military manga– Once a member of Imperial Japanese Army – Victim of WWII

• Purpose: – Portrayed his own experience

Reflection of thoughts

• Historical Background– Communism raise in Soviet Union

• Anti-Communism– Act as propaganda– Reflect the fear to the communism– Exposing the iniquities of communism

• The war changed Tin Tin– Moved the focus of Tintin's adventures away from

current affairs– Turned to stories with an escapist flavor

• For Herge– Avoid controversy

• For the society– Feel desperate about the situation– Escape from the Reality

• Other stories– Tintin in the Congo • Depicting colonialism

– Tintin in America• Describe capitalism

• Historical Background–Post-WWII Japan occupied by Allied Power–Mixed feeling towards war–1960s and 70s as golden age of Japanese

comics

• Japanese perception on war after WWII–Neo-nationalists view–Revisionist view–Anti-war vision

• “90% fact”

• "It was a pure loss,"

• "Even as a young man, I wondered how could people who have been sent so far from home feel like they are protecting our country. Japan was attacking other countries, and if protecting ourselves was the mission, all we had to do was stay at home."

• “When I think of those who, now without voice, died pitifully in war, I overcome with anger”

Drawing Style

• Simpleillustration

• Black and white color

• Simple lines for human and Complicated illustration for natural environment

Image of Characters

• Heroic Image of Tintin

• Collective identity of Japanese soldiers

• 30 characters• BUT– No main character

Language Discourse

• Describe how people think about Soviet• Wording: Parker

• Title contrary to content

• Onwards towards our “NOBLE” deaths

• In-related to Government propaganda of “honorable war death”

• In fact, may soldiers died without entering battlefield

Conclusion

• Comics can be regarded useful tool to understand social thoughts

• Both Westerners and Asians exert certain degree of anti-war feelings– Common wish of human towards stability and

peace