Art by Curt Swan and Tex Blaisdell
What if comic book superheroes existed in the real world? How would Iron-Man have handled the Vietnam War during the 1960s? Would Captain America have interceded on behalf of the Civil Rights Movement? Could Superman have stopped the famine in Ethiopia during the 1980s? How would the country react to a Captain America who was African American? Would the Justice League have fought against pollution?
Remixing History attempts to answer those questions by exploring individual comic books through the lens of the real-world events that shaped their narratives. By intertwining these fictional stories with their factual counterparts, Remixing History creates a hybrid narrative that not only offers a unique perspective but serves as a gateway to further understanding of the past as well as present. Remixing history in such a manner likewise demonstrates the educational potential of fictional narratives in both high school and college classrooms.
Remixing History is not alone as college professors and high school teachers across the country have also found ways to incorporate popular culture into their classrooms. Nonprofit organizations have even popped up to help promote the use of pop culture as an education tool and launch their own learning initiatives. Many preexisting organizations, meanwhile, have created original comic books to teach young and old alike about not only history but physics, mathematics, and the homeless. Remixing History contains sections on each of these areas as well, making it a one-stop website for those interested in the use of popular culture in the classroom.
Anthony Letizia
anthony@remixinghistory.com