Fictional protagonists grow more powerful during threatening eras

Evidence

Sales coded comic strips and found that “fictional protagonists became more powerful during the threatening 1930s” (1973, p. 46). For the 1970s and 1980s, television shows seemed to be a more appropriate source of data than comic strips, and so we examined the yearly top 25 Nielsen-rated prime-time programs for 1978–1988. Capsule summaries of the programs (Brooks & Marsh, 1988) were rated for the presence or absence of characters who were “physically powerful or controlled great power” and had impact on others, such as police dramas or shows such as Dallas that emphasize wealth and status. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 777

Categorization

• CANDY: Fun fact: during the threatening 1930s comic strip protagonists got more powerful.
• QUESTION: Extends into present-day media (tough heroes in post-9/11 TV like 24, superhero films) without being tested here.