The Superhero Reader

342 Pages·2013·2.294 MB·English

by  Charles Hatfield, Charles Hatfield, Jeet Heer, Kent Worcester, Will Brooker, Jeffrey Brown, Scott Bukatman, John G. Cawelti, Peter Coogan, Jules Feiffer, Henry Jenkins, Robert Jewett, John Shelton Lawrence, Gerard Jones, Geoff Klock, Karin Kukkonen, Andy Medhurst, Adilifu Nama, Walter Ong, Lorrie Palmer, Richard Reynolds, Trina Robbins, Lillian Robinson, Roger B. Rollin, Gloria Steinem, Jennifer Stuller, Fredric Wertham, Philip Wylie

The Superhero reader
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The
Superhero
reader
Edited by Charles Hatfield, Jeet Heer,
and Kent Worcester
University Press of MississiPPi • Jackson
www.upress.state.ms.us
The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the association of
american University Presses.
Copyright © 2013 by University Press of Mississippi
all rights reserved
Manufactured in the United states of america
First printing 2013
∞
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The superhero reader / edited by Charles Hatfield, Jeet Heer, and Kent
Worcester.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-61703-802-0 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61703-806-8
(pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61703-803-7 (ebook) 1. Comic books, strips,
etc.—History and criticism. 2. Superheroes in literature. 3. Superheroes. I.
Hatfield, Charles, 1965– editor of compilation. II. Heer, Jeet, editor of compi-
lation. III. Worcester, Kent, 1959– editor of compilation.
PN6710.S87 2013
741.5’9—dc23 2013004069
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
ConTenTS
acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
I. hISTorICal ConSIdera TIonS 3
Comics Predecessors 7
peTer Coogan
Men of Tomorrow 16
gerard JoneS
Gladiator 23
phIlIp WylIe
The Great Comic Book Heroes 30
JuleS FeIFFer
The Comics and the Super State 34
WalTer ong
The Superman Conceit 46
FredrIC WerTham
The Great Women Superheroes 53
TrIna robbInS
fandom and authorship 61
WIll brooker
II. Theory and genre 73
Literary Formulas 78
John g. CaWelTI
vI ConTenTS
Crowds of Superheroes 80
roberT JeWeTT and John ShelTon laWrenCe
The Epic Hero and Pop Culture 84
roger b. rollIn
Masked Heroes 99
rIChard reynoldS
The Revisionary Superhero Narrative 116
geoFF kloCk
Jack kirby and the Marvel aesthetic 136
CharleS haTFIeld
Navigating Infinite Earths 155
karIn kukkonen
a song of the Urban superhero 170
SCoTT buka Tman
III. CulTure and IdenTITy 199
Wonder Woman 203
glorIa STeInem
Invisible Girl 211
lIllIan robInSon
Love Will Bring You to Your Gift 216
JennIFer STuller
Batman, Deviance and Camp 237
andy medhurST
Color Them Black 252
adIlIFu nama
Comic Book Masculinity 269
JeFFrey broWn
ConTenTS vII
The Punisher as Revisionist Superhero Western 279
lorrIe palmer
Death Defying-Heroes 295
henry JenkInS
List of Contributors 305
Index 309
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aCknoWledgmenTS
Our thanks go to our contributors, as well to Bart Beaty, Walter Biggins,
Paul Buhle, Jon B. Cooke, Craig Fischer, Ian Gordon, Karen Green, Tom
Hart, Dean Haspiel, Gene kannenberg, Jr., Jude killroy, Guy Lawley, andrei
Molotiu, Heather Nunnelly, and Julia Worcester. We are pleased to dedicate
this book to Michele, robin, and amy.
Ix