Crowds of Superheroes
Robert E. Jewett, John Shelton Lawrence
University Press of Mississippi eBooks June 24, 2013 DOI: 10.14325/mississippi/9781617038068.003.0010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the proliferation of superheroes after Superman's 1938 debut is tied to America's religious heritage and has produced a new mystical consciousness shaped by the "American monomyth." |
Abstract
This chapter presents an excerpt from The Myth of the American Superhero (2002) by Robert Jewett and John Shelton Lawrence. It discusses the proliferation of superheroes following the success of Superman comics in 1938; the connection of superhero materials with the American religious heritage; and the emergence of a new mystical consciousness shaped by the American monomyth.