Uslan, who wrote about his
comic obsession and its positive effect on his life in his memoir, The Boy Who Loved Batman says it’s a long overdue recognition
for an industry that was derided and vilified for decades.

“This will have a tremendously
positive impact on the industry, the fans, the artists and writers,” he says.
“With the recognition by academia of comic books as expressions of fine art,
we’ll see more talented people going into the industry, and they will continue
to innovate, refine and redefine this art form and the art of graphic
story-telling.”


The university chose Uslan
for the honor because of his decades of work establishing the genre as an
important element of American art and culture, said Monmouth President Paul G.
Gaffney II.


“We are proud to award
Michael Uslan an honorary degree in the ‘fine art of comic books,’ ” he said.
“Through his work and teaching, he has shown the world that comics are a
legitimate art form and uniquely American.”


Uslan, who taught the world’s
first accredited college course in comics at Indiana University, Bloomington,
Ind., in 1971, also wrote the first textbook on comics, “The Comic Book In
America.”  Today, many colleges and universities offer comics courses.


Uslan’s drive to change the
way society views comic books dates to childhood, when he recognized the heroes
he so admired were often portrayed in media as campy characters not to be taken
seriously. As he grew older, he learned the dark history of the American comic
book, which first appeared in 1934.


“After World War II, there
was a spike in juvenile crime. Psychiatrist Fredric Wertham blamed comic books
in his book, ‘Seduction of the Innocent’,” Uslan says, “that led to a 1954 Senate
investigation into comic books and their alleged deleterious effects on
America’s youth, including the notion they caused asthma because comic book
readers stayed indoors to read instead of playing outside in the fresh air.”


“During that period, the
general public viewed comic books as poison. Many parents wouldn’t let their
kids near a comic book. There were comic book burnings,” Uslan says. “From the
1930s to the ‘70s, people in the industry were derided for working in the world
of comics. They were looked down upon by society.”


Meanwhile, artists and
writers – notably Stan Lee, former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and
co-creator of iconic heroes such as Spider-Man and the Avengers – were weaving
a modern American mythology, Uslan says.


He points to these reasons
why America is finally now, rightfully, embracing its unique art form.

• Comic books
  are a mirror of American society.
  Sociologically, since the 1930s they’ve been reflecting our changing culture,
  our values, mores, fashions and fads, warts and all, prejudices and biases
  included.

• Comic heroes
  are our modern mythology.
  The only difference between them and the ancient Greek gods is that our
  super-heroes and super-villains today wear Spandex and capes. But like the
  ancient gods, they reinforce values, convey moral lessons and provoke important
  discussions about ethics.

• The explosion
  of blockbuster feature films based on comic books and graphic novels has made
  American comics a global fascination. Uslan’s 1989 “Batman,” directed by Tim Burton, ushered
  in a new dark and serious portrayal of comic book heroes on the big screen. His
  2008 “The Dark Knight” and this year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” opened the door
  to other comic-based blockbusters, from “The X-Men” and “Spider-Man” to “The
  Avengers” and “Iron Man.” These movies are influencing every aspect of culture,
  from video games to fashion trends. By 2013, comic book conventions will be
  bursting on the scene overseas, proving that the characters and stories the
  creators have given us have the power to cross cultures as well as borders.

• Comics have
  earned recognition in the art world. Comic book exhibits have been displayed in the galleries
  of noted art museums from the Smithsonian Institution to the Louvre to the
  Metropolitan Museum of Art to the United Nations.

“Next,” says Uslan, “I’d like
to see creative geniuses from the industry like the venerable Stan Lee
recognized with Kennedy Center Honors for their achievements. What were once
simply comic books are now being translated into the performing arts and it’s a
crime that neither Stan nor any other creator from the field of American comic
books and graphic novels has ever been recognized and honored by that
illustrious group.


“And if it’s a crime, it
means that Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, The Hulk and the rest will be after
them if they don’t make it right.”

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