Why Pop Culture

I discovered when I returned to University as a mature student five years ago that I really missed the story arc of a novel, but I did not have the time to devote to a novel. This is when I discovered the beauty of the Graphic Novel. I have many favourites (such as Essex County by Jeff Lemire, Ed the Happy Clown by Chester Brown, and anything at all written and drawn by Joe Sacco). However, one that I am particularly partial to is a Kickstarter compilation put together by Hope Nicholson, called Nelvana of the Northern Lights by Adrian Dingle.

Nelvana was a serial comic book (actually one of the first to use the multi-issue story arc format) created in response to the War Exchange Conservation Act during WW2 that was enacted in Canada to preserve the Pound Sterling. As a result of this embargo, popular American comic book heroes were not available to Canadians and the "Canadian Whites" were born. Nelvana as it turns out, was both a Demi-Goddess and a Super-heroine born of Indigenous birth (Inuit, but at the time called "Eskimo") yet was fashioned after Hedy Lemarr. This is itself an interesting aspect to consider within the context of Pop Culture. Why did Dingle draw her as a "white" and "American" bombshell beauty instead of a mysterious and/or exotic Inuit woman? Why would that not have sold comics back in the 1940's? What does this reveal about Canadian culture in the 1940's?

Continuing in the vein of my Pop Culture interests, I am also a guest reviewer for a Canadian online TV review web site (much like the popular SpoilerTV) called Tv-Eh. The program I review is called Mohawk Girls, created and produced by the award winning Tracey Deer (who also happens to be Mohawk). Links to my reviews can be found here: http://www.tv-eh.com/category/mohawk-girls/ (you have to scroll down a bit if you do take a look as the Canadian Emmy's--Canadian Screen Awards-- were recently announced and Mohawk Girls received four nominations. YAY, I am so thrilled for them! That news will appear first).

I started reviewing this show, as a bit of a personal experiment. As I am a white Canadian (or as is becoming popular up here, "settler") of British ancestry, I wanted to be sure my head was in the right space to proceed with my thesis. I knew, if I wrote about a television program that was written, created, acted, and produced by Indigenous artists, and that aired on a television network designed specifically to market for Canada's Indigenous populations, if I got it wrong, Social Media would flame me. My "wrongness" would be immediately known. I was however very fortunate to have my reviews well received by the people directly involved with the show (and if any of those people end up reading this entry THANK YOU, again!)

Ultimately though, for me, I feel that Pop Culture is such an interesting political tool capable of challenging the discourses embedded in our policies, especially when the public becomes involved through social media. Additionally, with the availability of technology so close at hand for the general person, art, music, and self publishing make media artifacts readily available to the world. A well marketed Kickstarter and you have a successful book published. A few carefully worded tweets and a little independent band has a viral video. This also means that the public has a very powerful platform to promote ideas that could challenge marginalizing discourses. We as consumers no longer have our tastes and desires shaped by big corporate businesses. We now have both the power to choose and to create without depending upon those same large corporations. I feel that this power, when properly utilized has the ability to disrupt the hierarchies that are present in society. If the little unknown guy (or girl) promotes their message of equity within their art/media, new discourses can gain popularity and promote change (Squeaky wheel gets the oil!!).  It is however necessary to be aware of what Pop Culture is and how Pop Culture works in order to take advantage of the power and influence that is contained within this ever shifting beast that is Pop Culture... AND, that is why Pop Culture!

-cheers!