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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.59
EAN: 9780826415400
ISBN: 0826415407
Label: Continuum International Publishing Group
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 208
Publication Date: 2004-02
Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group
Sales Rank: 504173
Studio: Continuum International Publishing Group
Editorial Review:
Book Description:
Why are so many of the superhero myths tied up with loss, often violent, of parents or parental figures? What is the significance of the dual identity? What makes some superhuman figures "good" and others "evil"? Why are so many of the prime superheroes white and male? How has the superhero evolved over the course of the 20th and early 21st centuries? And how might the myths be changing?
Why is it that the key superhero archetypes - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, the X-Men - touch primal needs and experiences in everyone? Why has the superhero moved beyond the pages of comics into other media?
All these topics, and more, are covered in this lively and original exploration of the reasons why the superhero - in comic books, films, and TV - is such a potent myth for our times and culture.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
It is clear to me that this book is not aimed at people who actually READ superhero comics. Though relatively well-written, it is incredibly superficial. The conclusions drawn about the superheroes themselves are often basic and flawed from the point of view of a diehard fan (though diehard fans come in many shapes and some may love him). The conclusions drawn about why we relate to superheroes are the obvious ones.
Fingeroth choses to look only at the surface, saying, for instance, ... Read More
Rating:  -
What do superheroes mean to culture?
In `Disguised As Clark Kent', Danny Fingeroth established the basis of Superman and other heroes in Jewish and Eastern mythologies. `Superman On the Couch' takes a step back, and discusses what superheroes tell us about ourselves and society.
For instance, this tome contains fascinating discourses on The history of superheroes, dual identities, the storm of the orphan, our amazing feminine superheroes, the groups like the Justice ... Read More
Rating: -
Where are most superheroes orphaned at an early age? What is the purpose of groups of superheroes? Why does Batman have a preadolescent sidekick? Why are there also superheroines?
I'm afraid I can't answer any of these questions. The author of this book discusses all of these questions, but his discussion is a little too hazy for me.
Rating: -
I am a fan of comic book superheroes; I try to see all the major Hollywood movies on superheroes like X-Men, Batman, Superman, etc... I am also a fan of the Sunday comics. But I have never read a comic book. So I picked this book up last month thinking it would be a good way to learn about comic book lore and history. This book accomplishes that. It covers the origins (and conclusions) of all the major comic book heroes. It also goes a little into the history of the authors / creators / publishers ... Read More
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