Julian Guest Video Transcript

1 00:00:00.989 --> 00:00:24.480 Julian Barr: Hello everyone in geography 375. I'm Julie Moran. PhD candidate and geography department and I was asked by instructors Samantha for a guest lecture on popular geopolitics, supposedly, we have superheroes. So I'm calling us super geopolitics.

2 00:00:25.530 --> 00:00:35.520 Julian Barr: So this is actually one of my favorite topics I think of political geography and just general geography. I do work is sort of side work.

3 00:00:36.180 --> 00:00:50.880 Julian Barr: On the geographies of popular culture, in particular the representations of masculine today and superheroes are personally favorite genre of mine, but also the perfect genre, to think about this and

4 00:00:51.540 --> 00:01:06.570 Julian Barr: I absolutely love the work that you read by Jason Detmer this week. It's one of my favorite things. So I wanted to go over that, but also kind of bring a little bit of sort of post 2010 stuff for you to consider.

5 00:01:07.590 --> 00:01:14.730 Julian Barr: So, you know, I will, you know, really repeat what was said I think already in your class, but also in the reading.

6 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:23.910 Julian Barr: But I think it's you know it's tough, not to acknowledge geopolitics has a major impact on daily lives, right, both in very major ways but also very subtle ways

7 00:01:24.360 --> 00:01:33.690 Julian Barr: But I would also argue that besides when there's like major events. People don't really follow geopolitics, right, unless you have an interest in it.

8 00:01:34.140 --> 00:01:47.430 Julian Barr: Or you're very personally connected to it in some sort of way. It's usually like a lot of things in our sort of daily news, something that doesn't get the most attention right or or our most attention even like on Twitter and

9 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:49.440 Julian Barr: Other social media.

10 00:01:50.700 --> 00:02:02.790 Julian Barr: And folks really heavily rely on news media and government representation to inform them what's going on in the world, but like, how did that affects them is really the most important question.

11 00:02:03.540 --> 00:02:13.590 Julian Barr: So it can be really hard, I think, to really follow it. Um, but, you know, we gather information from a lot of places. Obviously news is a big place.

12 00:02:14.190 --> 00:02:24.270 Julian Barr: But I would also argue, and I think what a lot of folks argue is that you always kind of gather information and knowledge through fictional representation

13 00:02:24.750 --> 00:02:34.830 Julian Barr: Of geopolitics. I think these are these are like the most subtle ways folks actually gain a perspective of their world through fiction.

14 00:02:35.430 --> 00:02:44.910 Julian Barr: And sometimes they don't really know it or it's actually really hard to acknowledge that that's what's happening. And this is also true for culture and politics right it's just

15 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:50.580 Julian Barr: That media you consume does inform your world. It's coming from a particular point of view.

16 00:02:51.570 --> 00:03:04.860 Julian Barr: And there's always a little bit, usually a hidden message there are hidden interpretation that you're going to get out of it and maybe others might not. But I think others always well and people sort of read media differently. So it depends on who's reading it.

17 00:03:06.450 --> 00:03:19.050 Julian Barr: I really that superheroes and comic books have always been part of popular geopolitics and popular geopolitics is defined in the reading of the sweet cover you had a Sarah Smith, right.

18 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:26.520 Julian Barr: I'm about sort of the way that we've popular culture Patrice geopolitics and then we consume that message.

19 00:03:27.270 --> 00:03:37.770 Julian Barr: But comic books, I think, have a unique ability than I think other forms of media. So both one thing. Historically, they've always been are easily accessible. The rosary cheap.

20 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:47.760 Julian Barr: Pieces of media. So even the 1930s 40s and 50s and states, that's when TV kind of slowly began emerging but televisions are pretty expensive you that like

21 00:03:48.060 --> 00:04:02.250 Julian Barr: You would need some substantial disposable income to get a TV complex, not so much the retailer to be cheap. They're 10 cents an issue and the 1940s. That's about $1 50 today. So, you know, very sensible media.

22 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:07.620 Julian Barr: But also comic books, very heavily rely on the good versus evil narrative.

23 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:23.460 Julian Barr: In the struggle comic books, even today, but I think it's a little different. Today there is no gray area. It's like the big bad supervillain versus a big heroic hero right and it's very like there's lines being drawn here.

24 00:04:24.540 --> 00:04:35.190 Julian Barr: And I think what many people would argue, when you think of the idea of nationalism. That's exactly how countries want to be seen in the sort of good versus evil narrative. They want to be the good guys.

25 00:04:35.970 --> 00:04:45.300 Julian Barr: Well, they want you to believe that the other side is an absolute evil that has to be taken down and no gray area.

26 00:04:45.960 --> 00:04:55.620 Julian Barr: And that is exactly what comic books really provide. So when you represent countries in subtle ways or very blatant ways you give them that godlike

27 00:04:56.580 --> 00:05:13.680 Julian Barr: You know 100% good representation in conflict versus sort of an evil force. I would also argue a big thing. You have to know um I would note is that most for most conduct history comic books are made for men and young boys.

28 00:05:14.820 --> 00:05:24.570 Julian Barr: Which is really, you know, adds to this idea of knowledge accessibility. But you know what's their purpose. Right. Um, so if you can think about the 30s, 40s and 50s.

29 00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:31.710 Julian Barr: A young boy in high school, maybe about finish, you know, nice to know like where he's going to go

30 00:05:32.550 --> 00:05:40.170 Julian Barr: Next steps and he opens up a captain American sees himself and Steve Rogers, and he's like, oh, I want to do that, you know,

31 00:05:40.470 --> 00:05:53.820 Julian Barr: Well, you can't become Steve Rogers when he can come the next thing that Steve Rogers is which is a US soldier. So I think that's another purpose of comic books, and this time is this idea of like getting young boys and men to see themselves.

32 00:05:54.270 --> 00:06:02.010 Julian Barr: And then participate in sort of the military and that sort of defense complex in the United States.

33 00:06:04.620 --> 00:06:21.420 Julian Barr: And I just brought on Captain America because that's the focus of your reading, but also it's such a great example. Right. I mean, he's, he just represents it all in such a very good way and a very clear way and I think other superheroes it's sometimes a little bit more complicated.

34 00:06:22.590 --> 00:06:29.130 Julian Barr: So, Captain America is also known as Steve Rogers. He's a blonde, white American man.

35 00:06:30.150 --> 00:06:35.670 Julian Barr: In the comic books, but also movies you've seen, he starts off as this sort of weak and skinny.

36 00:06:37.290 --> 00:06:47.880 Julian Barr: You know guy who's really really determined, but can get into the US military but then through an experiment becomes the super buff soldier for the US World War Two.

37 00:06:48.540 --> 00:07:00.390 Julian Barr: And just that biography. Right. It's so, like America right it's supposed to represent this idea of like oh those poor little 13 colonies going up the great

38 00:07:00.990 --> 00:07:13.560 Julian Barr: You know, British Empire and gaining independence right and becoming a superpower. That's the American story and he is that story right he's that perfect representation of that.

39 00:07:14.400 --> 00:07:29.250 Julian Barr: Um, and then he becomes involved in major US war. That's right. He not only then his throat, a representation of the American story. He is in America in its geo political arenas at war.

40 00:07:30.270 --> 00:07:34.200 Julian Barr: So the very first Captain America on the left here Captain America number one.

41 00:07:35.310 --> 00:07:38.940 Julian Barr: Is him is a classic image of him punching Hitler in the face.

42 00:07:39.960 --> 00:07:48.960 Julian Barr: You know, it's a great image right and it's a cool comic book cover. Um, but this is sort of where it starts, right. And I think in this sense, it's like, well, great. He's like,

43 00:07:49.410 --> 00:07:56.430 Julian Barr: You know, punching fascist, this is great. I mean, it is good, but I also think you should point out some of the subtle subtleties here.

44 00:07:57.210 --> 00:08:06.270 Julian Barr: Look on the bottom on right underneath of Hitler, you see a map of the US it's implying that Hitler's about and maybe us right

45 00:08:07.230 --> 00:08:19.740 Julian Barr: So this isn't about helping Europe. It's not really about, you know, the atrocities of, you know, the violence that Hitler's committing it's about, well we he has his eyes in the US. Now, so

46 00:08:20.400 --> 00:08:29.370 Julian Barr: Now, Captain America needs to punch him in the face. I mean, that is, again, that represents the American story of World War Two pretty well.

47 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:41.070 Julian Barr: And then as we go on in the 50s. You see this another classic cover Captain America. The commie smasher right he's

48 00:08:41.520 --> 00:08:53.940 Julian Barr: Defeating the Communists, the whole as like on the hordes um I you can tell them the character that he's lifting it relies on a lot of stereotypes of what people saw as communists.

49 00:08:54.870 --> 00:09:13.740 Julian Barr: So again, he's he's continuing that fight right he is invincible, he's strong and he's smashing the communists and actually the next cover where he CM last term we captured he very much prevails in the actual comic book that is actually from the Vietnam War. That's in the 70s.

50 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:21.630 Julian Barr: And he actually gets captured, not by the Vietnamese. But actually, by a by the Mandarin, who is again.

51 00:09:22.050 --> 00:09:35.130 Julian Barr: A supervillain that relies on a lot of Asian stereotypes. So even though it's not Vietnamese he still gets captured by a villain that I would say was supposed to be a sand and right for the Vietnamese for the Vietcong.

52 00:09:36.210 --> 00:09:47.130 Julian Barr: So this is sort of his narrative right and then eventually, it's sort of long story short, you know, he does eventually come back in the comics and he becomes less

53 00:09:47.700 --> 00:09:55.860 Julian Barr: US military oriented right and it really follows the trend of like post Vietnam like less support for always military intervention.

54 00:09:56.520 --> 00:10:10.140 Julian Barr: And Jason Never got it kind of goes over that. But in G. But when you're reading was published in 2010. I'm Captain America was still very much a comic book superhero

55 00:10:10.830 --> 00:10:26.190 Julian Barr: But that really started changing in the, you know, late 2000s 2000 10s with the Marvel films. Um, when they exploded and the movie version kind of took over that sort of idea you have for Captain America.

56 00:10:27.540 --> 00:10:40.170 Julian Barr: And, and, in any way, as though he continues to portray the same very US centric geopolitics right he's still a very buff white man, played by Chris Evans, who was a blonde right

57 00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:50.730 Julian Barr: And the whole narrative of him like becoming a soldier beings, you know, skinny and, you know, then becomes a super buff supersoldier fighting Nazis that all stays the same.

58 00:10:51.510 --> 00:11:08.370 Julian Barr: What the modern movie version, though, did they shifted him away from using him as a soldier. He in the movies. He's completely frozen until 2010 so he doesn't participate in all those other wars that he didn't like comic books, it's just let's avoid all that sort of approach.

59 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:21.720 Julian Barr: But rather, he becomes a hero for Earth and eventually an enemy of a corrupted US government. And that's really essential here, right, is because he

60 00:11:22.290 --> 00:11:33.120 Julian Barr: While fighting the US government still represents America, right, and in particular the hero for Earth aspect is the biggest part there, right, because

61 00:11:33.780 --> 00:11:51.540 Julian Barr: If, if you read it in the sort of the geopolitical lens what essentially they're saying is that in this sort of big global universe threat. It's America that saves us think about the other Avengers that are worth of Iron Man American Miss Marvel Captain Marvel

62 00:11:52.620 --> 00:12:06.960 Julian Barr: Also an American, and was in the US military right, it can, can it keeps going on and on. Right. And besides, a few exceptions, like Black Panther right there, mostly white Americans, um,

63 00:12:07.410 --> 00:12:15.090 Julian Barr: And this this part again. That's part of the narrative right that he but he's like the ultimate focus right him and Iron Man.

64 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:23.970 Julian Barr: So again, it relies on this idea that America is the one that will save the world. Right. That's what he represents in can't just see him as

65 00:12:24.390 --> 00:12:36.420 Julian Barr: A individualized superhero. He's not he represents the greater idea and they try to make this a lot more subtle. Right. And I would say through his costuming he is not like the comic books.

66 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:46.290 Julian Barr: In his other movies and the first movie certainly is very red, white and blue. But as you see, as he emerged in the movies. He actually becomes a lot less subtle.

67 00:12:46.680 --> 00:12:56.040 Julian Barr: In sort of American patriotism. But again, I would argue that for the majority of Americans. They're not out in red, white and blue showing off patriotism, all the time, right.

68 00:12:56.520 --> 00:13:05.670 Julian Barr: But still believe in that sort of like America is the greatest country on earth and America can defend democracy around the world.

69 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:14.190 Julian Barr: So I would say so, again, that that sort of visual representation is really important, as I think they try again try to

70 00:13:15.030 --> 00:13:26.700 Julian Barr: Almost take him away from the idea that he is sort of representation of the United States, but he absolutely, yes, even in the most subtle way his costume here. It's not red, white and blue. But there's a star.

71 00:13:27.210 --> 00:13:34.530 Julian Barr: And the her stripes. It's still there, even if they want to take away like the most obvious kind of representation

72 00:13:35.730 --> 00:13:48.090 Julian Barr: Um, but the other thing I want to say to that I think has emerged, I think is even more telling is sort of Perry's can Captain America that I would argue really reflect

73 00:13:49.110 --> 00:13:55.320 Julian Barr: The realities of geopolitics. In the United States, particularly my favorite is this character here.

74 00:13:56.130 --> 00:14:06.150 Julian Barr: Really the worst his name. His homeland, or he's from the TV show The boys who it's also a comic book, I would not recommend the comic book I would super recommend TV show, though.

75 00:14:06.750 --> 00:14:26.970 Julian Barr: It's on Amazon. It's great. And he is a combination of Captain America is Superman. He has the powers of Superman, but he is everything else is Captain America. His origin story is very similar. He's a white man he's blonde his costume is just Merica

76 00:14:28.170 --> 00:14:47.160 Julian Barr: Like America throughout this is what, this is what it would look like, um, there's eagles on the shoulder, it's red, white and blue. You can't see the picture, but it's cape is literally an American flag. He is America. Um, but the show's Mr like portrays superheroes and and very like

77 00:14:48.390 --> 00:15:00.510 Julian Barr: Real way. Um, so they actually work for Corporation and he is considered a superhero in their world he at least try to ease to publicly portrayed himself that way.

78 00:15:01.290 --> 00:15:08.880 Julian Barr: Reality, though, is homeland, or is actually very corrupt he's white evil. He's really a villain.

79 00:15:09.660 --> 00:15:26.820 Julian Barr: The corporation makes movies to make sure he has the image of being a superhero, but on the side of the corporation gets him involved with police and he stops crime, but he indiscriminately kills so he doesn't care if he's just killing a criminal and they are kind of fine with that.

80 00:15:28.170 --> 00:15:36.120 Julian Barr: And then in the plot for the first season of the show the boys. His main objective is changing the corporation to allow

81 00:15:36.540 --> 00:15:43.320 Julian Barr: He and his team superheroes to actually become part of the US military and then eventually you see him, um,

82 00:15:43.830 --> 00:15:56.850 Julian Barr: Go to places like Afghanistan and Iraq and he's doing the exact same things, killing people that are marked as terrorists to the United States, but he also doesn't care about civilians, he just indiscriminately murders.

83 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:09.120 Julian Barr: As there's a certain point where he there he he's stopping what he a terrorist attack on an airplane, but he accidentally destroys the airplane and murders everyone

84 00:16:09.690 --> 00:16:19.320 Julian Barr: And he then says that the terrorists like got the best of him for once that he doesn't ever acknowledged what he did. And then in the most recent

85 00:16:19.950 --> 00:16:32.520 Julian Barr: Iteration and they've all season season he is literally dating and other superhero who is an actual Nazi so I'm a lot of people feel especially on the Internet.

86 00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:41.280 Julian Barr: That his whole story is more what America is. Right. So you see like this meme here American movies for his American are alive.

87 00:16:41.610 --> 00:16:51.270 Julian Barr: And if you watch the show, you're like, well, this seems about right. What a superhero would do in your life right you you don't you want to imagine the ideal.

88 00:16:51.630 --> 00:17:00.510 Julian Barr: But then you reality kind of kicks in here like, will they be supporting police officers, probably, and where they be supporting the US military

89 00:17:01.140 --> 00:17:09.510 Julian Barr: Absolutely. And there will be sort of the idea of ownership, either by a corporation or by the government. Right. They wouldn't be sort of independent thinkers

90 00:17:11.070 --> 00:17:13.230 Julian Barr: And then sort of the very last point, and

91 00:17:14.580 --> 00:17:22.050 Julian Barr: Over all the comic books and movie versions Captain America are changing for the better, where you're seeing comic books on the left and the right are

92 00:17:22.770 --> 00:17:35.280 Julian Barr: Not play by Steve Rogers. One is the Falcon. So it's a black man, another one this is Miss America. She's a, she's like next and she's a lesbian.

93 00:17:35.820 --> 00:17:44.460 Julian Barr: She takes on the mantle of Captain America looks very different because not she doesn't really have usually of armor, she uses like sort of hoodie style. It's really good.

94 00:17:45.450 --> 00:17:57.630 Julian Barr: But again, it does reinforce some of very like pro America, but is changing and thinking about, like, why it doesn't that America doesn't have to be represented by the white 1am

95 00:17:58.140 --> 00:18:06.630 Julian Barr: And even in the movie is the Falcon who's bypass is taking over captain for Captain America. So you're seeing change, which is good.

96 00:18:08.280 --> 00:18:20.040 Julian Barr: But that's it. And I'll just leave you with this image of Captain America punching Trump in the face and if you have any questions you can always contact me. Thanks.