From the Superman of comic books to Hollywood's big-screen action
stars, Americans have long enjoyed a love affair with the
superhero. In this engaging volume John Shelton Lawrence and Robert
Jewett explore the historical and spiritual roots of the superhero
myth and its deleterious effect on Americas democratic
vision.
Arguing that the superhero is the antidemocratic counterpart of
the classical monomyth described by Joseph Campbell, the authors
show that the American version of the monomyth derives from tales
of redemption. In settings where institutions and elected leaders
always fail, the American monomyth offers heroes who combine
elements of the selfless servant with the lone, zealous crusader
who destroys evil. Taking the law into their own hands, these
unelected figures assume total power to rid the community of its
enemies, thus comprising a distinctively American form of pop
fascism.
Drawing widely from books, films, TV programs, video games, and
places of superhero worship on the World Wide Web, the authors
trace the development of the American superhero during the
twentieth century and expose the mythic patterns behind the most
successful elements of pop culture. Lawrence and Jewett challenge
readers to reconsider the relationship of this myth to traditional
religious and social values, and they show how, ultimately, these
antidemocratic narratives gain the spiritual loyalties of their
audiences, in the process inviting them to join in crusades against
evil.
Finally, the authors pose this provocative question: Can we take
a holiday from democracy in our lives of fantasy and entertainment
while preserving our commitment to democratic institutions and
waysof life?
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