On this month's episode of The Sociologist's Dojo Podcast, Dr. Hattie Earle, Senior Lecturer in English and Creattive Writing at Sheffield Hallam University and the author of the new book: Silence in the Quagmire: The Vietnam War in U.S. Comics joins the host for a frank discussion of Militarism in Comics. Discussion topics include: The importance of comics as a medium, the racialization of "the enemy other", and why Frank Castle, and those that emulate him, are simply...the worst. Enjoy!
Production Notes:
Intro: 0:00-2:10
The Basics of Dr. Earle 2:11-31:42
- Dr. Earle "stans" for early Simpsons episodes
- Keeping the Acadfemic at bay when consuming Pop Culture
- 'An Evangelist of Comics'
- Introducing Dr. Earle's book (8:58-16:52)
- The Soft Power of Comics and the Hard Power of Foreign Policy
- Relationship between WWII and Vietnam in Comics
- Reluctance to discuss My Lai
Historical Context 31:43-79:06
- Comics being used differently in different conflicts
- Comics impact on the Anti-War movement
- Historical Revisionism and relitigation of war through comics
- Comics as Manufacturing Consent
- Propaganda shaping public consciousness
- The Importance of the internet on Anti-War movements
Social Analysis 79:07-113:24
- The construction of "The Enemy Image" and its racialized "othering"
- Superhero comics embodying American Experiences (Immigration, Foreign Policy, Tragedy)
- Discussing Frank Castle: The Punisher
- The Gender Politics of Militarism and Comics
Outtro: 113:25-116-10
- Dr. Earle's Social Media
- Coming up on the Blog and Podcast
- Next Episode: Summer Movie Recap: (August 2025)
*All Audio Clips used under Fair Use*
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