Heroes and VillainsHercules, Jesus, James Bond, Luke Skywalker, Gandalf, Frodo, Harry Potter, Buffy Summers, Spiderman, Batman, Captain Kirk, Dr. Who, Darth Vader, Sauron, Voldemort, Lex Luthor, Dr. Doom, the Daleks, the Borg. Almost anybody living in the developed West would be able to group these individuals into two camps: the heroes and the villains. However, what criteria they may use to do this is less clear. Mike Alsford introduces us to a range of heroic and villainous archetypes on a journey through film, television, comic books, and literature. On the way, he addresses questions such as: What is a true hero? What is a true villain? Have we misunderstood these terms? What kind of societal values do our mythical heroes and villains represent? In trying to understand the extremes of hero and villain we are made more aware of our own ethical standards and given a space in which to explore contemporary concerns over notions of right and wrong, good and bad. |
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... Superman , up to a point , embodies . Superman , or Kal - El as we discover his real name to be , as an iconic hero fighting for ' truth , justice and the American way ' is other than the world he fights for in the most complete way ...
... Superman stands alone . Superman did not become Superman . Superman was born Superman . When Superman wakes up in the morning , he is Superman . His alter ego is Clark Kent . His outfit with the big red S is the blanket he was wrapped ...
... Superman , Captain Marvel , Spiderman , Frodo Baggins , Harry Potter , to name but a few . 35. Batman 47 , DC Comics , 1948 . 36. Reynolds , Richard , Superheroes : A Modern ... SUPERMAN : But the three of us ... [ Superman Notes 143.
Contents
Myth and Imagination | 1 |
Heroes and Otherness | 23 |
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility | 63 |
Copyright | |
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