An Interrogation of Morality, Power and Plurality As Evidenced in Superhero Comic Books: a Postmodernist Perspective
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An 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. 2 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. 3 Dedication This work is dedicated to my amazing husband, Nick Klingelhoeffer, and my terrific family: Dagmar, Davryll, Patricia and Zahvick. 4 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 5 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 6 4.3. Morality 102 Chapter 5: Batman 105 5.1. Power 110 5.2. Plurality 114 5.3. Morality 126 Conclusion 137 Illustrations 145 Works Cited 151 7 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 8 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. 9 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 10 superheroes’ basic back story, or of one of their catch phrases. What makes superheroes akin to characters from classic literature, myth and legend is that they all fit into Joseph Campbell’s archetypal hero myth, the idea that all heroes’ journeys are essentially the same, whether Jason and the Argonauts or Batman. It is for this reason that superhero characters, such as, Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man are so appealing; they all fit into a cross-cultural story-telling archetype. Joseph Campbell believes that most hero myths contain a culture hero; that is someone who fights to save or preserve a particular culture, and on return to that culture has gained some knowledge and wisdom (49).