Table Of ContentAn Interrogation of Morality, Power and
Plurality as Evidenced in Superhero
Comic Books: A Postmodernist
Perspective.
By
Janique Herman
200702391
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science at
the University of Fort Hare.
Supervisor: Dr. Dianne Shober
East London, February 2013
Abstract
The desire for heroes is a global and cultural phenomenon that gives a view into
society’s very heart. There is no better example of this truism than that of the superhero.
Typically, Superheroes, with their affiliation to values and morality, and the notion of the
grand narratives, should not fit well into postmodernist theory. However, at the very core
of the superhero narrative is the ideal of an individual creating his/her own form of
morality, and thus dispensing justice as the individual sees fit in resistance to
metanarrative’s authoritarian and restrictive paradigms. This research will explore
Superhero comic books, films, videogames and the characters Superman, Spider-Man
and Batman through the postmodernist conceptions of power, plurality, and morality.
Keywords: Superhero, Comic Book, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Power,
Plurality, Morality.
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Declaration
I declare that this thesis is my own unaided work. It is submitted for the degree of
Masters of Comparative Literature and Philosophy at the University of Fort Hare. It has
not been submitted before for any other degree or examination at any other university.
_______________________________
Janique Herman
____________day of ______________, 2013.
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Dedication
This work is dedicated to my amazing husband, Nick Klingelhoeffer, and my terrific
family: Dagmar, Davryll, Patricia and Zahvick.
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Special Thanks
I need to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Dianne Shober who has given her
counsel and expertise in the completion of this project. I am grateful for all your
guidance and encouragement throughout this process.
I would like to thank my family, my Mom, Dagmar, my Dad, Davryll, my Oma,
Patricia and my brother, Zahvick, you have stood through my many moments of self-
doubt and have always encouraged me to persevere. I would like to thank my husband,
Nick Klingelhoeffer for all his support and love throughout the writing of this work. I want
to thank my four-legged friends, Rocky, Pebbles, Koda and Gimli. You have been my
constant companions through every page written and my confidants in moments of
despair.
I would like to thank the writers, pencilers, inkers and colourists, the producers
and editor-in-chiefs of Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Thank you for creating
characters and stories which have continued to inspire generation after generation.
Superman, Spider-Man and Batman have forever changed the world with their internal
fight for truth and justice.
I would like to recognize and give thanks for the financial support of the
University of Fort Hare for fee waivers and funding through the Govan Mbeki Research
and Development Centre which has allowed for this research to happen and for me to
attend a conference.
Sincerely,
Janique Herman
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Contents
Abstract 2
Declaration 3
Dedication 4
Special Thanks 5
Table of Contents 6
List of Illustrations 8
Introduction 9
Chapter 1: A Brief History of the American Superhero Comic Book 21
1.1. The Golden Age of Comic Books 23
1.2. The Silver Age of Comic Books 30
1.3. The Bronze Age of Comic Books 35
1.4. The Modern Age of Comic Books 38
Chapter 2: Postmodern Theoretical Framework 43
2.1. Power 48
2.2. Plurality 52
2.3. Morality 57
Chapter 3: Superman 65
3.1. Power 69
3.2. Plurality 77
3.3. Morality 84
Chapter 4: Spider-Man 89
4.1. Power 92
4.2. Plurality 95
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4.3. Morality
Chapter 5: Batman
102
105
5.1. Power 110
5.2. Plurality 114
5.3. Morality 126
Conclusion 137
Illustrations 145
Works Cited 151
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List of Illustrations
1. Superman 145
2. Bizarro Superman 146
3. Spider-Man versus Venom 147
4. The Dark Knight 148
5. The Duality of Man 149
6. The Duality of Man – Part 2 150
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Introduction
Throughout the comic book universe, battles rage between good and evil, and the
eternal question of ‘doing the right thing’ is always present. Superheroes are left to
make their own decision of what is right and what is wrong based on their own moral
code. As such, selected comic books, largely from the comic book publishers DC
Comics and Marvel Comics, will be used in this investigation of this ever-present theme
as evidenced in the actions and attitudes of such Superheroes as Superman, Spider-
Man and Batman.
All Superheroes are essentially saviour figures, and unlike religious saviours,
Superheroes offer salvation as a “tangible, unambiguous event” (Knowles 111). These
individuals exist to save people from physical dangers as opposed to spiritual ones; in
this lies their enduring appeal. Stories of these saviours’ exploits satisfy humanity’s
deep-seated longing for safety and security.
These storylines of the battle between good and evil feed off the ideal that as
long as there are individuals willing to commit acts of evil, there will always be saviour
figures willing to stand against these evils, those who use god-like strength, speed and
agility to accomplish their task of redemption. However, their power and their choice in
how they use this power often goes against what some might consider moral. As a
result, Superheroes become vigilantes, exhibiting morally defiant and uncontrollable
behaviour as they battle to save humanity.
The desire for heroes is a global phenomenon that gives a view into society’s very
heart. Certainly Matthew Costello would agree about the validity of the Superhero comic
book in viewing society, stating that it is: “an avenue through which one can access the
core values of a society, the ideas that give that society an identity, and the ‘other’ that
society fears” (15). There is no better example of this truism than that of the superhero.
The superhero was introduced into an American society that was on the brink of World
War II, and that desperately needed someone with the strength and power who could
save them from evil. Superheroes represent an expression of society and as the society
has changed since 1938, so too has its comic book superheroes, thus giving its readers
a unique way of dealing with the psychological challenges present in a postmodernist
society.
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Every society in history has sought or created a hero who would fulfil their needs;
this is seen from the ancient Greek myth of Hercules, to the legends of King Arthur, to
the ancient tales of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Whilst the idea and need for a hero is not
new, the prevalence of a masked hero is. The pulps of the 1800s and early 1900s
where filled with heroes who wore a disguise whilst battling evil. At the turn of the
twentieth century, pulp magazines were beginning to replace dime novels as a form of
cheap entertainment for the middle class and lower educated class. Randy Duncan and
Matthew J. Smith note that “beneath their often lurid covers, pulp magazines contained
rough-edged wood-pulp pages filled with crude but powerful storytelling” (27). One such
example is The Scarlet Pimpernel published in 1903. The popularity of the pulps gave
rise to the comic strip in the 1930s, and thus to the first comic book, Action Comics #1,
and the introduction of the first superhero, Superman.
Culture differs across the globe, and with it, so does our societies; however, no
matter the cultural background, what is certain is the need for a hero. The desire for
superheroes is a cultural phenomenon which presents a vision of the heart of society,
even, on occasion, giving the audience an understanding of history through narrative.
Chris Murray believes that one of the reasons that Superheroes have such strong
bonds with culture and politics, and to issues of legitimacy and power is because of
relationship between ideology and myth which can be found within the Superhero
narrative (145). Humans have always needed heroes, whether real or imagined, to not
only model behaviour, but also inspire hope. Whether Paul Bunyan of the United States
of America, Bharatavarsha of Hindu mythology, or Beowulf of the Old English historic
poem, almost all cultures have a hero myth; what is similar among them all is that they
are both structurally and culturally alike (Campbell and Moyers 166). The superhero
myth is no different.
The superhero model is the culmination of centuries of storytelling, history, and
heroism (Garrett 10). Furthermore, it is the culmination of tradition and religion that
marries popular culture to the hero myth, allowing the superhero myth to act as a means
of transferring myth to people for the past century. The narratives of various
superheroes have permeated into the Global sub-conscious. Even without having ever
picked up a comic book, many people have been exposed to and are aware of most
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