Look, up in the sky! It’s research!

My research will focus on the way fictional journalists are portrayed in the comic book and graphic novel industry. There are a number of prominent superheroes in the journalism profession (Clark Kent and Peter Parker to name a few), but also a noticeable amount of female companions in the industry as well.

I believe I will take more of a Social constructivist approach. there is little to survey and a lot to infer. As I look at these fictional journalists I must also look at the state of the media at the time. Was journalism highly trusted and respected? Or was America looking for something more sensational in the press? Based off of literature from the time, I can look at the evolution of America’s ethnography. 

In terms if quantitative research, I can map the frequency of journalism-related characters per decade. I am also looking into the way these characters are viewed in their worlds; Superman is a prized employee in the 1940’s, yet Ben Ulrich (Daredevil’s trusted confidante) is hated by his peers. This would require me to devise a scale of positive and negative attributes and apply them as they appear per issue. 

 As another form of media, comics demonstrate a varied form of social interaction. Constantly blurring the line between entertainment and literature, comics reflect the times they appear in. A qualitative approach is vital to this research since most of my information will come through an open interpretation