When the Abyss Looks Back: Treatments of Human Trafficking in Superhero Comic Books

Superhero comic book characters have historically engaged issues of social concern. From Superman’s opposition to the Ku Klux Klan in 1947 (Bowers, 2011) to Captain America’s acceptance of a gay soldier in 1982 (Witt, Sherry, & Marcus, 1995) to Batman’s stance against landmines in 1996 (O’Neil, 1996), stories involving superheroes have frequently demonstrated a developed social awareness on national and international problems. Given that the audience for superhero characters is often composed of young people, this engagement has served as a vehicle for raising understanding of issues and as tool for encouraging activism on the part of readers (McAllister, 1992; Thibeault, 2011). For more than a decade, superhero comic books have explored the issue of human trafficking as a story element and as an opportunity to raise awareness. Thousands of men, women and children become victims of human trafficking annually, either in their home countries or abroad. The crime of human trafficking involves the “recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them” (“What is Human Trafficking?,” 2004). Article 3 of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (“United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime And The Protocols Thereto,” 2004) further outlines that exploitation shall include “at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs”. Many people associate human trafficking solely with sexual exploitation, which does constitute a main concern for many countries around the globe (Blackburn, Taylor, & Davis, 2010; Blackburn et al., 2010; Breuil, Siegel, van Reenen, Beijer, & Roos, 2011; Okojie, 2009; Rand, 2009; Subedi, 2009). However, as the UN Protocol outlines, many forms of exploitation can occur aside from that, including labor exploitation (Richards, 2004), bonded labor or servitude (Androff, 2007; Sigmon, 2008), child trafficking for adoptions (Leifsen, 2008), trafficking of organs (Meyer, 2006), exploitation of children as child soldiers (Becker, 2005) or any other form of organized exploitation for economic gain. Utilizing comic-focused databases, this research investigated comic books where “human trafficking” was listed in the description of specific stories and issues. As this is an investigation of the treatment of human trafficking in titles targeted towards a mass audience, the search was limited to the superhero comics of Marvel and DC. In some instances, human trafficking was considered only a peripheral plot point and was not included in the analysis. As such, this is not intended to be an exhaustive categorization of all treatments of human trafficking in the comic book medium, but, rather, an investigation of several instances where mainstream, superhero titles directly engaged the topic. With this in mind, the following issues and story arcs were considered: Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (Rucka, Jones, & Von Grawbadger, 2003), Punisher MAX: The Slavers (Ennis & Fernandez, 2006), Wolverine: The Brotherhood and Wolverine: Coyote Crossing (Rucka & Fernandez, 2004; Rucka & Robertson, 2004), Ghost Rider #5 (Williams, Clark, & Arturo, 2011), Batman: Ultimate Evil (Vachss, 1995), and Unknown Soldier: Haunted House (Dysart & Ponticelli, 2009). For each of these examples, this project seeks to identify how the topic of human trafficking is treated. Initial analysis focuses on defining the type of exploitation that is presented. From this, the treatment and presentation of the recruitment, transportation, and exploitation phases of human trafficking are then evaluated. The implications and potential of utilizing superhero stories as a vehicle for education and advocacy are also considered. Finally, the cumulative impressions of human trafficking in superhero comics are contrasted with how the issue is explored in Borderland (Archer, 2011), an educational comic created by the International Organization for Migration to inform at-risk populations about the dangers of human trafficking

Truth as a Victim: The challenge of anti-trafficking education in the age of Q

The QAnon conspiracy threatens anti-trafficking education because of its broad dissemination and focus on a range of myths about trafficking. These myths are rooted in historic and ongoing misinformation about abductions, exploitation, and community threats. This article examines the extent of QAnon’s co-optation of human trafficking discourses and evaluates its connection to trafficking myths, particularly related to gender, race, class, and agency. From this perspective, the article considers how anti-trafficking education can respond to these myths and build a pedagogy in the age of Q

Online Radicalization Case Study of a Mass Shooting: the Payton Gendron Manifesto

On May 14th, 2022, 18-year-old Payton S. Gendron of Conklin, New York, drove his car more than 200 miles to a predominantly black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. At around 2:30 p.m., Gendron arrived at a Tops supermarket wearing body armor, tactical gear and a helmet with a video camera attached. He utilized the camera to livestream the event and carried an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle because of its proven deadly nature. He began firing his assaultrifle in the parking lot of the supermarket, killing three victims. He then went inside the store where he killed a security guard and nine other shoppers before surrendering to police

Hating in Plain Sight: The hatejacking of brands by extremist groups.

The adoption of brands as an identity marker for hate groups has been extensively noted for decades. The use of specific brands, often covertly, allows hate groups to have identity markers without the social stigma ascribed to historical hate symbols. With high-profile events such as the ‘Unite the Right’ march in Charlottesville, hate groups have utilized media coverage to increase their visibility and, by extension, the brands that they have co-opted. Such unwanted associations for organizations are defined by this research as a hatejack, whereby an extremist group publicly presents linkage to a brand, typically to claim legitimacy by the association. The covert, hide-and-seek nature of the hatejack also allows extremist groups to identify with each other without public or legal scrutiny. The dangers of a hatejack have been exacerbated by two-way symmetrical models of public relations that focus on online and social media. Popular press books such as Brand Hijack seem to suggest that organizations would do well to cede ownership of their identity and allow the construction of brands by external publics. This emphasis, however, has allowed for hate groups to more readily adopt brands and publicly proclaim a connection to the organization that does not exist. This research examines cases of hatejacks in which brands become unwitting instruments of extremist groups and seeks to identify emerging and consistent themes across cases that merit further investigation by researchers and actions by practitioners

Globalizing online learning: Exploring culture, corporate social responsibility, and domestic violence in an international classroom

The construction of a successful online collaboration between distinct cultural groups requires an informed cultural awareness. This is the exploration of such an online collaboration between American and Turkish Students. The focus of the shared student interaction was the concept of corporate social responsibility. As the concept is enacted differently in different cultures, this represented an ideal opportunity for topical student reflection and for cultural exploration. The approach utilized focused on relationship-building as a preface to content discussion based participant preferences suggested by relevant cultural research (e.g., Hofstede). Corporate social responsibility campaigns in the United States and Turkey focused on domestic violence were considered with an eye toward the distinctions between each. Results suggest positive student outcomes emerged from this approach. Implications for intercultural online learning and diversification of public relations curricula are considered

Online Radicalization Case Study of a Mass Shooting: the Payton Gendron Manifesto

Scholarship on the radicalization processes that lead to violence has consistently suggested there are limitations to online radicalization models noting that offline connections to extremist groups are typically required, as well. As the extent to which people’s social and political identities are increasingly online, this research investigates how content consumed online may correlate to rationales for violent action. Exploration of this thesis was carried out in a case analysis of Buffalo mass shooter Payton Gendron. Specifically, the manifesto he created prior to the attack overtly argues that his radicalization was informed entirely by online spaces, even listing the specific sites that were instrumental to his radicalization. The manifesto was evaluated in terms of where the content came from and the extent to which the document was plagiarized from specific online sources. Results suggest that the rationale provided for the attack was almost entirely sourced from the online sites Gendron claimed were foundational to forming his ideology. This suggests consistency between his claim to have been radicalized online and the radicalizing spaces online he frequented. Results are considered in the context of various deradicalization and radicalization prevention strategies

When the Abyss Looks Back: Treatments of Human Trafficking in Superhero Comic Books.

Superhero comic book characters have historically engaged issues of social concern. From Superman’s opposition to the Ku Klux Klan in 1947 (Bowers, 2011) to Captain America’s acceptance of a gay soldier in 1982 (Witt, Sherry, & Marcus, 1995) to Batman’s stance against landmines in 1996 (O’Neil, 1996), stories involving superheroes have frequently demonstrated a developed social awareness on national and international problems. Given that the audience for superhero characters is often composed of young people, this engagement has served as a vehicle for raising understanding of issues and as tool for encouraging activism on the part of readers (McAllister, 1992; Thibeault, 2011). For more than a decade, superhero comic books have explored the issue of human trafficking as a story element and as an opportunity to raise awareness. Thousands of men, women and children become victims of human trafficking annually, either in their home countries or abroad. The crime of human trafficking involves the “recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them” (“What is Human Trafficking?,” 2004). Article 3 of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (“United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime And The Protocols Thereto,” 2004) further outlines that exploitation shall include “at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs”. Many people associate human trafficking solely with sexual exploitation, which does constitute a main concern for many countries around the globe (Blackburn, Taylor, & Davis, 2010; Blackburn et al., 2010; Breuil, Siegel, van Reenen, Beijer, & Roos, 2011; Okojie, 2009; Rand, 2009; Subedi, 2009). However, as the UN Protocol outlines, many forms of exploitation can occur aside from that, including labor exploitation (Richards, 2004), bonded labor or servitude (Androff, 2007; Sigmon, 2008), child trafficking for adoptions (Leifsen, 2008), trafficking of organs (Meyer, 2006), exploitation of children as child soldiers (Becker, 2005) or any other form of organized exploitation for economic gain. Utilizing comic-focused databases, this research investigated comic books where “human trafficking” was listed in the description of specific stories and issues. As this is an investigation of the treatment of human trafficking in titles targeted towards a mass audience, the search was limited to the superhero comics of Marvel and DC. In some instances, human trafficking was considered only a peripheral plot point and was not included in the analysis. As such, this is not intended to be an exhaustive categorization of all treatments of human trafficking in the comic book medium, but, rather, an investigation of several instances where mainstream, superhero titles directly engaged the topic. With this in mind, the following issues and story arcs were considered: Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (Rucka, Jones, & Von Grawbadger, 2003), Punisher MAX: The Slavers (Ennis & Fernandez, 2006), Wolverine: The Brotherhood and Wolverine: Coyote Crossing (Rucka & Fernandez, 2004; Rucka & Robertson, 2004), Ghost Rider #5 (Williams, Clark, & Arturo, 2011), Batman: Ultimate Evil (Vachss, 1995), and Unknown Soldier: Haunted House (Dysart & Ponticelli, 2009). For each of these examples, this project seeks to identify how the topic of human trafficking is treated. Initial analysis focuses on defining the type of exploitation that is presented. From this, the treatment and presentation of the recruitment, transportation, and exploitation phases of human trafficking are then evaluated. The implications and potential of utilizing superhero stories as a vehicle for education and advocacy are also considered. Finally, the cumulative impressions of human trafficking in superhero comics are contrasted with how the issue is explored in Borderland (Archer, 2011), an educational comic created by the International Organization for Migration to inform at-risk populations about the dangers of human trafficking