Eh, Captain America came out during WWII. I am not sure that counts as 'truly modern'. Superman was only invented in like 1938. So...7 years later doesn't seem like long enough to see a (generational) gap between superman and captain america.
Also...I think you can see these same...tropes in Conan and ERB (Tarzan, John Carter, et al.) and a few other places. I think...superheros are a reaction to the impersonal and...distant nature of modern society. There's certainly power fantasy. But...psychologically...I think they 'bubbled up' because of people feeling disaffected. I would also argue that Zeus and Thor had previous careers are 'super heros' at least by culturally filling that role. St. George and maybe Michael would be the Christian equivelent maybe? In the middle ages and later in history, it was common to have books of tales about saint's lives?
The appeal of the superhero is not just that it validates our image as a morally pure country wielding the divine sword of redemptive violence against the wicked and evil. There's another part of it, too.
Superheroes are, by their nature, an adolescent power fantasy.
"Another part?"
Isn't creating moral purity and the righteousness of a just cause just building another bulwark against adolescent insecurity? Aren't superheros just projections of protecting father figures, which is what deities happen to be as well? After all,
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Also...I think you can see these same...tropes in Conan and ERB (Tarzan, John Carter, et al.) and a few other places. I think...superheros are a reaction to the impersonal and...distant nature of modern society. There's certainly power fantasy. But...psychologically...I think they 'bubbled up' because of people feeling disaffected. I would also argue that Zeus and Thor had previous careers are 'super heros' at least by culturally filling that role. St. George and maybe Michael would be the Christian equivelent maybe? In the middle ages and later in history, it was common to have books of tales about saint's lives?
Neat post.
K.
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The appeal of the superhero is not just that it validates our image as a morally pure country wielding the divine sword of redemptive violence against the wicked and evil. There's another part of it, too.
Superheroes are, by their nature, an adolescent power fantasy.
"Another part?"
Isn't creating moral purity and the righteousness of a just cause just building another bulwark against adolescent insecurity? Aren't superheros just projections of protecting father figures, which is what deities happen to be as well? After all,
My God
can beat up your god.
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