ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the debates that began to take place in the letters pages of superhero comic-books and the ways in which superhero actions came under increasing scrutiny, particular those of Iron Man who had begun his adventuring career as an arms manufacturer for the US military and, in his superhero guise, as an extension of that military force in Vietnam and elsewhere. The Amazing Spider-Man #68 appeared in late 1968, and this was around eight or nine months after the Columbia University protests of 1968 which, given the nature of the demonstrations, were a clear inspiration for the 'Crisis on Campus!' story arc. Comic-books proved relatively capable of representing diversity of political opinion. Dennis O'Neil and Mike Sekowsky began their run on #178 and introduced a more fashionable Diana Prince who was able to move in the hippy circles necessary to crack a case and free her long-term love interest, Steve Trevor, from prison.
