The Meaning of Superhero Comic Books

"For decades, scholars have been making the connection between thedesign of the superhero story and the mythology of the ancient folktale. Moving beyond simple comparisons and common explanations, this volumedetails how the workings of the superhero comics industry and theconventions of the medium have developed a culture like that oftraditional epic storytelling. It chronicles the continuation of theoral/traditional culture of the early 20th century superhero industry in the endless variations on Superman and shows how Frederic Wertham'santi-comic crusade in the mid-1950s helped make comics the mostcountercultural new medium of the 20th century. By revealing howcontemporary superhero comics, like Geoff Johns' Green Lantern andWarren Ellis's The Authority, connect traditional aesthetics andpostmodern theories, this work explains why the superhero comic bookflourishes in the "new traditional" shape of our acutely self-consciousdigital age." Read more