Comics have been around for almost 80 years now, as we have already seen through previous articles, there is a close link between comics and history. Let's go back together today to the first function of the superhero, that of a weapon of propaganda and intimidation!
A media born of war
War has always had a predominant place in human history, it forges and destroys entire civilizations, and it is also in times of war that man reveals his true nature, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Appearing during the Second World War, superheroes embodied the hope and willingness of allies to fight evil wherever it was. Thus, war has always been fertile ground for the authors of Marvel comics and DC comics. 
Heroes who are desired
After 1945, Americans became the heroes of the free world, as evidenced by the ceremony that takes place every year on the beaches of Normandy. Yet, on the eve of the war, there was no sign of American involvement in the conflict. 
In 1939, American policy was isolationist, a political choice that originated in 1823. Indeed, during a speech, President Monroe declared that the American continent would no longer be open to colonization and European interventions on the continent would be perceived as aggression. In return, the United States undertook not to intervene in the affairs of the old continent. It is only with Roosevelt's New Deal that the situation will evolve, it is in this climate of hope that superheroes were born! 
The president did everything to help the allies from the beginning of the war, but in the face of congressional opposition, it was not until 1942 and the attack on Pearl Harbor that the United States became involved in the conflict! 
A symbol of hope
When the first superhero appeared in 1938, he embodied the confidence in the future that the New Deal has created in the hearts of many Americans. That's why Superman, the first hero of its kind, comes from a planet with superior technology. The fact that it is an alien is not trivial either: for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two authors from immigrant backgrounds, Superman had to be a foreigner trying to integrate. 
The last son of Krypton thus immediately embodied, for many Americans, the idea that their country was ahead of its time, politically, technologically and socially. 
This hero with extraordinary powers very early embodied a future without war: In 1940, he forced Hitler and Stalin signed peace in the magazine look and this, in just two pages! This publication attracted the attention of the Nazis who denigrated the character as well as his creators. 
Adorned with such publicity, the superhero with the cape quickly became the spokesman of the American people against European fascisms and to a certain extent an actor in the war: he supported the morale of the troops as well as that of the families left behind.
A national effort
Superman is not the only one to participate in the war, his appearance having led to the creation of a multitude of heroes, at DC comics as at Timely comics (future Marvel)! 
Thus, Wonder Woman decides to fight alongside the Allies after rescuing an American pilot. Throughout the conflict, the heroine with the golden lasso embodied the figure of the strong and committed woman. She thus contributed to the victory by inspiring many women who worked hard to help the men who had gone to the front. 
For its part, the Atlantean Namor, the equivalent of Aquaman at Timely comics, represents more the fear of commitment felt by a whole part of the American population. Indeed, the hero does not engage in bounty on board in the European conflict, preferring to preserve his people from war. But when the city of Atlantis is attacked by an Atlantean supporter of the Nazi regime, he decides to support the allied forces. 
We could mention many other heroes such as the fast Whizzer, the iconic Uncle Sam, who derives his powers from American patriotism, or the British fighter Union Jack. The entire comics industry participated in the victory of the United States during the Second World War by becoming a kind of propaganda organ, intended to convince and motivate all American citizens. 
Captain America, a patriotic hero
Many heroes marked the Second World War, Charles De Gaulle, Dwight Eisenhower, Jean Moulin and Captain America! The Star-Spangled Banner is a fictional hero and yet…
One soldier, one American, one patriot
Coming from a modest background, the young Steve Rogers, the alter ego of Captain America, was born in Brooklyn. He lost his parents at an early age and sought, like many young men of the time, to give meaning to his life. He wants to serve his country and join the army, but he is, alas, a puny young man. The rest you know, an experimental military serum will make him a super soldier! 
This story testifies to the patriotic impulse that then crossed the United States in the 1940s. Steve Rogers is an average American, who does not hesitate to give of himself to protect his country and its people. It becomes the symbol of America whose colors it wears. It embodies strength and morality in a world in search of landmarks, and is, in fact, a major source of inspiration for young people. 
During World War II, as many as seventy million Americans read comics, and nearly 25 percent of the magazines sent to the front were comics. These figures testify to the importance of the comic book market during the 1940s. 
From comic to reality: the story of Vito Bertoldo
When we talk about Captain America, it is worth mentioning the story of Vito Bertoldo, a soldier decorated with the Legion of Honor in January 1945. 
Patriotic and strong-willed, Bertoldo passed the entrance tests, but was exempted because of poor eyesight, like a certain Steve Rogers considered too puny. However, like his colorful counterpart, he did not give up and managed to enter the42nd Infantry Division as a military cook, but he eventually had to go to the front too. 
Sent to Hatten, in the north-east of France, he had to defend the city against the Germans. While the Allied troops withdrew, he decided to stay and defend the position to protect his comrades. On his own, he defeated about forty enemy soldiers armed and accompanied by tanks! 
Vito Bertoldo has never mentioned Captain America's decisive role in his commitment, but, given the success and diffusion of comics within society, it is not unlikely that he was carried by his example.
More than a soldier, a symbol
In 1940, when he made his first appearance, in the pages of Captain America No. 1, the star-studded hero embodies a need for justice. By creating a character in the colors of America, Timely comics takes the lead and fictitiously brings the United States into the war, at a time when the country's leaders remain silent in the face of the European conflict. 
Nevertheless, the cover of the first issue of his adventures is a real declaration of war! After all, Steve Rogers punches Hitler… Following this, the hero immediately knows a great success. Two years after its creation, his adventures have already sold more than a million copies! 
Unlike other Marvel heroes, the Captain did not change much over the numbers: even today, he wears his red, white and blue costume, inspired by the American flag. 
However, Steve Rogers was not the only one to wear this costume. Other characters in this universe have had this chance, such as Bucky Barnes or Sam Wilson. Captain America is a symbol, an idea and therefore, he must be immortal! 
Nowadays, superheroes are omnipresent, in comics, in movies, on our televisions and even in our video games! As in 1940, they represent hope and convey messages, some clearer than others. So the next time you read a comic, ask yourself what story is behind its colorful heroes, you might be surprised…
