Kavalier & Clay - Comic Books in the Novel

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, like most any other work of literature, can be called a work of art with little argument. Comic books, on the other hand, are more often the subject of skepticism, both from literary and artistic fields. Nevertheless, they contain critical elements of both: storytelling capabilities and avenues of expression. As a narrative device in Kavalier & Clay, comic books are used to reflect the desires of their creators. For instance, the controversial cover of "Amazing Midget Radio Comics #1" is a manifestation of Sammy and (especially) Joe's hatred of Hitler, the Nazi party, and the hate they stand for. Much later in the novel, this phenomenon can be seen in Rosa's work as a comic book artist. Her stories all focus on love, in its many different forms. Through this medium we see the attempts of Rosa's lost but ever-present love for Joe to break free from her heart. 

Comic books are also intertwined with the larger story of the novel. In a novel as long as this, there are bound to be a number of different narratives on which one might expound. One such theme is the novel's celebration of individuality in the face of oppression; a theme reflected in the subjects of the novel's comic books. One example of this is Joe's unpublished Golem comic that he created while holed up in the Empire State Building. This comic is a celebration of Joe's Judaism and of Jewish culture, created to reaffirm his own identity in the face of the innumerable hardships faced by Jewish families like his own. 

Of course, like any art form, comics have the power to stir people's emotions. Oftentimes artists harness this effect to spread a message or spark some sort of change. Even if they fail to influence the population in the way they may have intended to, there will always be those who feel compelled in one way or another. Throughout the course of the novel, Joe grapples with the feeling that his comics are not meaningfully pushing the American people towards war with Germany. Meanwhile, we see the opposite effect realized in the case of Carl Ebling: an otherwise pathetic man emboldened into committing acts of terrorism by depictions of the Escapist's nemesis, the Saboteur. In addition, the efforts of Dr. Frederic Wertham to have comic books banned entirely is again demonstrative of the powerful emotional impact of art.