Superheroes and Ideology

1
Superheroes and Ideology

• Weve spent some time talking about traits that
  all superheroes share. Now, were going to talk
  about how individual superheroes act as media--as
  representations of ideas or idea systems
  (ideologies).
• All superheroes represent an ideology, a series
  of ideas and views of the world. Since
  superheroes represent our cultural ideals of
  morality and power, individual superheroes make
  individual arguments about what those ideals
  should be.

2
What Makes Superman So Darned American?

• Like most Americans, Superman is an immigrant he
  is an alien in that he is from another planet,
  but he is also an alien in the same sense that
  people who come to America from other nations are
  aliens.

• Superman has made this difference, this
  alien-ness, work for him. This difference
  brings him power. He shows his difference both
  in his actions and in his costume, which is made
  of materials from his home.
• Superman represents individual mobility in a way
  similar to Jack Kerouac, cowboy heroes, Huck Finn.

3
Superman, continued

• Superman represents urbanism and cultural
  assimilation--Superman is an alien who has come
  to the city and made himself like us. This
  movement from alien to American was often
  represented in comic stereotypes, but Supermans
  story makes this movement heroic. Clark Kent
  represents the weak and assimilated middle-class
  American Superman the powerful and individual
  alien/immigrant.

4
What else does Superman represent?

• The importance of the immigrant or the alien in
  American society
• The importance of upholding a societal moral code
  (laws over personal justice)
• The value of small-town values and upbringing in
  the big city

• Superman argues that mild-mannered people have
  their own power beneath the surface.

5
What, in contrast, does Batman represent?

• Batman represents human ability, the idea that
  hard work and discipline can make any person a
  superhero.
• Batman represents aristocracy, the idea that
  wealth is power in itself.

• Batman argues for the power of scientific
  ingenuity and reasoning over brute strength.
• Batman argues the importance of following a
  personal moral code (personal justice over laws),
  but argues that these are not in conflict.

6
Discussion Exercise

• What do these superheroes represent? What
  ideologies do they promote?
• Wolverine
• The X-Men
• The Spectre (from Kingdom Come)
• Green Lantern
• Blade
• Xena
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Spider-Man
• The Hulk
• others?